Moving day. Everyone dreads it. All that packing and cleaning, the expense; no wonder we tend to put off moving chores until the last minute, and then find ourselves ill prepared and ill equipped for the large job at hand. Spending some time early in the process on the following tips can save you a lot of time and trouble later on.

Choose Appropriate Materials-Boxes are a staple for moving because of their uniform size and durability. Heavy items such as books, fragile items such as dishes, and items that are the same size, like CDs and DVDs, should all go into boxes.

Soft, bulky items like stuffed animals, bedding, and towels don’t need to take up space in your boxes; they can be placed in bags and used as padding around more delicate items.

Maximize Space-Your helpers are going to feel much better if they see a small to medium size van sitting in your driveway, rather than the largest one on the lot. The more efficiently you pack, the smaller the van you’ll need.

When possible, use boxes that are the same size; this will allow you to fill up the space inside your moving van more efficiently, and allow you to save money by renting a smaller van.

Label Everything-It may seem like a no-brainer, but there’s an art to properly labeling your containers. You want enough information to make unpacking easy, but you don’t want to spend countless hours listing every single item. Just as with loading your van, balance is the key to proper labeling.

Choose your containers wisely, label them clearly, and make the most of the space within them to reduce waste and increase productivity.

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Choosing a vacuum cleaner comes down to you the consumer and how you are going to use it in your home or office. There are two types of bagless vacuum cleaners, an upright bagless and a canister bagless. Both styles of vacuum cleaners have been around for many years and have both pros and cons to using one over the other.

An upright vacuum cleaner it the most traditional vacuum cleaner, and is most used by consumers. It is simply put, a vacuum cleaner that stands upright that you walk behind. With 3-4 wheels attached to the bottom it is easily maneuvered, and can be used with only one hand.

Larger in size, the upright bagless vacuum will need a larger storage area then the canister vacuum, but can be pushed around on its wheels to cover a larger area in a shorter amount of time. Attachments are available and even some are included with your purchase, to help you clean a variety of surfaces.

While being shaped like a cylinder, the canister vacuum sits low to the ground and very compact in size. Being so small and compact makes this vacuum easy to move around and even carry. There are a lot of types of attachments that you can utilize with your canister bagless vacuum. One attachment included is a long hose to help you reach high hard to reach spots such as walls, curtains and ceiling fans.

Using a canister vacuum cleaner, you have an option of leaving the canister on the floor as you clean but also you may choose to carry the canister with you so you can move more easily. Because of its small size and weight you can store the canister vacuum cleaner in smaller spaces. This is great for homes with little to no storage space.

There are subtle differences between these two bagless vacuums, the upright and canister bagless. With research you will be able to choose the best vacuum for your needs. There are a large variety of sizes, styles, and prices for both the canister bagless and the upright bagless vacuums.

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Vines Selections for the NORTHEAST

ENGLISH IVY - From Massachusetts southward this plant, called Hedera Helix in scientific circles, is found as a ground cover 8 inches tall and as a vine climbing up into trees and on walls 50 feet or more. It will grow in any good soil in sun or partial shade; its broad leaves are a good green throughout the year.

WINTERCREEPER - A vine and ground cover for the sun, Euonymus Fortuni is also found from Massachusetts southward. It is an interesting plant and will grow in any garden soil, reaching up into a tree 50 feet or more or spreading on the ground forming a foot-high carpet.

BEARBERRY - Best for dry sandy soils, this is an extremely hardy plant with broad leaves. It grows from 6 to 12 inches tall and prefers a location in the full sun. It is listed as Arctostaphylos Uvaursi

CREEPING JUNIPER - In front of evergreen shrubs, in rockeries, on steep banks Juniperus horizontalis (and its varieties) is wonderfully effective, its needles forming an interesting textural contrast to other plantings. Always dependable, it is extremely hardy and will thrive in sun or shade, sometimes growing 18 inches tall.

TAMARIX JUNIPER - Especially useful under city conditions this needled evergreen to 2 feet tall may be used similarly to creeping juniper. Listed as Juniperus Sabina tamaricifolia, it grows well in poor soil in either sun or shade.

DWARF HOLLY GRAPE - In foundation plantings, particularly beneath low windows, Mahonia repens deserves to be more widely used. It will live from Massachusetts southward. It is a broad leaved plant to 10 inches high and prefers a good loam in an area which is shaded part of the day.

CANBY PACHISTIMA - This hardy little plant to 12 inches high can be grown in Massachusetts and southward with simple plant care in an acid soil in either sun or shade. It is called Pachistima Canbyi botanically. Its foliage turns an interesting bronze in fall, remaining that way all winter. Just like passion vines it is especially effective planted in front of rhododendrons and other broad leaved evergreens.

JAPANESE PACHYSANDRA - The best ground cover for shaded situations, Pachysandra terminalis makes a coarse-textured carpet beneath trees, along the edge of a woodland garden and in foundation plantings. It grows to 6 inches high and likes a good loamy soil.

WINELEAF CINQUEFOIL - This extremely hardy plant called Potentilla tridentata is happiest in rocky soils where it can have full-day sun. Its broad leaves are quite interesting and it grows from 2 to 12 inches tall.

COMMON PERIWINKLE - Because it likes sun or shade and will thrive in any type soil, this is the all-purpose ground cover. It grows 6 inches tall and produces pale blue flowers in spring when daffodils are in bloom. Some nurserymen list it as running-myrtle; its scientific name is Vinca minor.

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