As the proud owner of a set of solar cells, you get many benefits from your environmentally conscious choice. You offset energy costs, do something good for the Earth, enjoy the accolades of friends and family, and may even get credits from the local, state or federal government.As wonderful as solar panels are, though, they're not a free-and-clear...

One of Mark Watney's recurring chores while he was stuck on the red planet in the movie The Martian was to clean solar panels. Even a light coating of grime reduced their efficiency, and that just wouldn't do.Now, chances are you don't live on Mars. But, if you have solar panels, this is nevertheless an aspect of ownership you must consider.So, how...

Now that the Baby Boomer Generation nests are empty – the generation started turning 65 in 2011 – they face the emotionally fraught issue of downsizing.Moving to a smaller place to live is not an easy decision.Retirement often triggers downsizing, and according to AARP, 10,000 Baby Boomers reach retirement age every day.These seniors have downsizin...

Just because seniors are in the golden years of life doesn't mean they have lower standards of living. Nor does it mean they've stopped caring about their surroundings just because they have trouble keeping up their homes.In fact, many are frustrated and depressed watching their home comforts slide downhill for want of a little help.Cleaning servic...

When The Beatles released the whimsical "When I'm 64" in 1967 the average American 13-year-old listening to the song must have felt the idea of being 64 was a lifetime away. Fast forward to 2018 and those 13-year-old's are indeed turning 64, and they are looking at how their flip side will play out.Unlike the generations before them that took pride...

 We all have a slight tendency to hoard. We love keeping those college papers that brought such accolades from a favorite professor or the trophies from sports camp in middle school. And let's be honest, most of us are guilty of keeping aspirational items around, even though we're not using them…the rowing machine, the pasta maker, the jeans t...

Hoarding has become a major problem in our materialistic society. It is easy to gather possessions and easier to find places to store them. With the massive basements, sheds and storage units to which we now have access, many people find themselves nearly helpless in the face of their natural instinct to collect and keep.While this magpie-like tend...

Spring cleaning may get the most attention, but keeping a tidy house is a year-round task.Whether it's day-to-day chores or giving your house a good scrub, housework can be a challenging task for senior citizens who struggle with mobility issues, health restraints or low energy levels. Making this struggle worse, having a cluttered and unclean home...

Everyone's home becomes messy from time to time, but knowing when a living space crosses the line into hoarding can be difficult.Hoarding occurs when a home becomes so cluttered that it negatively affects a person's life and health. Hoarding, often considered an obsessive compulsive disorder, is estimated to affect up to 6 percent of the population...

Although downsizing is just one step toward moving to a smaller home, it's often the most stressful.While it can be an emotional challenge, downsizing can also be a great way to pare down belongings that can feel just as overwhelming. So, moving to a smaller home will require less upkeep and allow you to enjoy more free time. And, for seniors who a...

If your loved one has hoarding tendencies, it can be an emotional and challenging time for everyone involved. Cleaning can seem like an impossible task, especially when discarding items can turn into a highly emotional situation for the hoarder.Hoarding, often considered an obsessive compulsive disorder, occurs when a person's home becomes so clutt...

If you have family members who are entering retirement, you can see first hand how your loved ones' needs and wants are changing.Depending on the circumstances, downsizing can be an opportunity for them to reduce the size of their living space, get rid of belongings they no longer use, minimize expenses or even organize an existing home to make liv...

If you've purchased solar panels for your home or business, you've made an important investment that conserves energy and saves you money on your utility bills.Many residential and commercial property owners don't realize, however, the importance of keeping their solar panels clean so they get the most out of their investment.When solar panels get ...

If you're like a lot of seniors, you're probably struggling with deciding which items to keep and which items to let go of as you transition into this new time in your life.After all, you've acquired a lifetime worth of belongings. And, while some are everyday items that can be discarded more easily, other belongings hold special memories and are m...

Having a loved one who has a hoarding disorder can be overwhelming and frustrating for family members who want to help.Finding the right resources to assist hoarders can be just as difficult, since it can be challenging to determine whether a service will adequately address what is certainly a complicated situation.Choosing the right services that ...

 The emotional toll hoarding takes often plunges individuals into frustration, emotional distress and despair.While it's clear the impact hoarding takes on the individual suffering from this compulsive disorder, it can be easy to forget that hoarding's influence extends to family members and other loved ones who must deal with the fallout.The ...

At some point in most of our lives, we've been a collector. Whether it was rocks as a young child, baseball cards as a teenager or vintage vinyl records as an adult, collecting can be fun and healthy.For some, it's serious business. You may find yourself obsessed with clipping coupons and stocking up on great bargains. You may never pass up a yard ...

Hoarding is generally considered an obsessive compulsive disorder, and can be influenced or associated by a number of factors.Estimated to affect up to 6 percent of the U.S. population, or 19 million Americans, hoarding is the persistent difficulty of discarding or parting with possessions, regardless of their actual value. This disorder usually ha...

Hoarding is a deeply rooted psychological issue. There are treatments available, but this mental health disorder cannot be "solved" or "cured" overnight.Seeking professional help in the early stages or when symptoms first present themselves is critical in order to diagnose the disorder and minimize the negative effects on your loved one.If you susp...

Hoarding is often thought of as the extreme accumulation of belongings, but what some might not realize is there are different types of hoarding.At first glance, some of these hoarding tendencies don't always reflect what most people picture this form of obsessive compulsive disorder looks like.Below, we'll explore some of the different types of ho...