Safely store Christmas ornaments with the Household Essentials’ Holiday Ornament Storage Chest. This 100% polyester canvas storage chest spacious enough to hold 36 holiday ornaments. It features a clear see-through window to so you can see exactly what’s inside without opening the box. Cardboard dividers are provided to protect the ornaments. Two handles on the side are attached by rivets and can support weight up...
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Plug, Charge, Go. The AViiQ Portable Charging Station with Sync Cable (Grey Nylon) is designed to organize cables and provide power to charge your multiple mobile devices when you’re on the go. Clear the clutter! With the four pockets that are specially shared to fit up to four USB cables, your cords won’t get tangled or lost. Managing your chargers is simple, easy, and convenient!...
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The furry things in your house now have a place to live! The Boon Animal Bag Stuffed Animal Storage Bag makes it easy to pick up and quickly toss plush the bag, keeping them safe stored. The Animal Bag also doubles as a snuggly seat. All those plush bears and bunnies will be totally accessible, and much more manageable!
Common themes during this time of year include Christmas trees, Santa Claus, shopping for gifts, preparing for church programs, setting up the Nativity, hanging colorful lights, decorating, baking holiday goodies, family gatherings, company parties… or to sum it all up in one word, STRESS! Unfortunately, what should be an enjoyable, joyful time of year often turns into a nightmare when we try to cram months’...
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Mother Nature is reminding us that summer is over and winter is on its way! When it gets chilly outside, many of us automatically think our lawn work is done for the year. No more mowing, no more weeding, and no more trimming. No so fast! Before you put away all of your gardening tools and equipment, there are a few tasks you’ll want to...
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Kiplinger reports that the 45 million taxpayers who itemize their deductions on income tax returns claim more than $1 trillion worth of deductions, while the 92 million taxpayers who use the standard deduction claim about $700 billion worth of deductions. That’s big bucks!
Missing even one deduction or tax credit can have a significant impact on your final tax bill (or refund), so whether you tackle your income taxes on your own or hire a tax professional to do them for you, it’s to your benefit to be aware the ever-changing IRS tax rules. Not only do yearly changes to the tax code affect you, but changes to your own life circumstances can also impact your tax situation.
Below are just a few of the commonly missed deductions and credits that might apply to you:
Child-care credit – If you work and pay for child care (daycare center, in-home daycare, or nanny services all apply), you can qualify for a tax credit of up to $3,000 for a single child or up to $6,000 for two or more children under the age of 13. Exact amounts depend on your gross income, and other rules do apply, so check with a tax pro to learn exactly how you can benefit.
Charitable deductions – Most of us think of the major donations we make to organizations throughout the year. But don’t forget about the little things—it all adds up! If you use your own money to perform a task for a non-profit (a mailing, for example), you can include those expenses as part of your total charitable contribution. Keep your receipts, and if you’ve spent over $250, be sure to have the charity document your gift.
Travel for volunteer work – If you use your own vehicle while doing volunteer work, you may be eligible to use the standard mileage deduction if you track the miles you drove in 2011. In addition, the cost of meals, public transportation, overnight accommodations, and gas are also deductible when you travel away from home to volunteer.
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The holidays always seem to fly by. We’re so busy planning parties, decorating our homes, attending school concerts and church programs, preparing meals and goodies, going to family gathering after family gathering, purchasing last minute gifts (the list goes on and on…). Sometimes we, especially moms, forget to take time for ourselves. And without that time to relax, reflect, and just breathe, we may miss...
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Thanksgiving is just a few weeks away, and if you’re the lucky one who gets the honor of hosting your family and friends for that big and bountiful feast, now is a great time to start cleaning out your cabinets and taking inventory of your kitchen. Even if you’re not the host this year, you might be surprised at how beneficial it can be to...
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Your attic makes an ideal space for storage. It’s the perfect “out-of-sight, out-of-mind” spot, a place where you can stack totes and boxes and old furniture that you no longer use so you can keep your main living space uncluttered, neatly organized, and stylishly presentable. You can hide all of your previous home decorating faux pas and “those used to be in style” clothes, and...
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Maximize the use of space in your attic with AtticMaxx storage shelves! This new, first-of-its-kind organization product lets you store items in that empty, often wasted space between attic trusses. The shelves install in minutes and provide easy access to stored items without stacking and unstacking teetering towers of storage totes! AtticMaxx provides the additional storage you need to help organize your life. It’s a...
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