Schuetz

With all of the high tech gadgets available to today's consumer, it can be difficult to figure out which gadgets are of real benefit to us and which ones are nothing more than toys with large price tags. Just look at all of the camera systems we can get for our vehicles. I mean, do you really need to watch "I Love Lucy" reruns while you're driving 80 MPH on a crowded freeway?

While you may not need satellite TV in your car, there is one type of camera and video system that can really get you out of a jam or tight spot, as it were. It's called a rear view camera; the most convenient of these are hitch mounted, and they can literally save your life and vehicle. What the rear view hitch mounted camera does is feed live video into the cab of your vehicle of your trailer, RV, or anything else you are towing. When you are not towing, the hitch camera can be used as a back up camera. As you can imagine, this system can prove to be invaluable.

There are several different types and styles of hitch cameras. Most are priced under $250, but there are some pricey ones on the market. Roadmaster has a compact system with a small, 3.5 inch monitor that can quickly be set up on your dash or console. There is no heavy installation involved with this system, and the price is a little over $180. SkyMall has a less expensive trailer camera. The monitor for this system attaches easily to your visor. There are even some systems available that have two cameras: one for the back of your vehicle and one for the front of your trailer.

The installation for each type of camera differs somewhat. Some cameras install directly above the license plate which requires a little drilling and cutting. Other cameras only take a few bolts and attach directly to your trailer hitch. After you have mounted the camera, it's only a matter of running the wiring into the cab of the vehicle. With most systems, there is not a whole lot of installation that is involved with the monitor. The monitor for most systems is removable and merely sits on or attaches temporarily to a surface near the driver's seat.

Remember; knowing what is going on behind you while you are carrying a heavy load can save your life.

Emily Sandberg is a camping enthusiast who spent many a happy weekend camping in her family's used travel trailer. When she's not towing anything, she covers her hitch with a hitch cover from Trailer Hitch Universe

In todays world of home channel popularity and all things fashionable, making your home magazine perfect and envied by all isnt such a hard or expensive thing to do. Even the smallest changes and additions can make a huge difference for less than a weekend getaway. After all, your home is lived in before and after the getaway.

Start with space. Youll need to open up the cluttered space in your home to make it instantly appear larger and cleaner. Take a look at the corners of your rooms and you should be able to find something to store away or move into a more appropriate room. Books add brains to a home but too many can cause it to feel like a library or book store not a homey retreat.

Decide which decorative items you really have outgrown and get rid of them! Too many eye distracting knickknacks cause the brain to feel jumbled and that certainly doesnt help with stress or relaxation.

Tops of entertainment centers and stands shouldnt be bare but they also should show! Often times homeowners pack on the pictures and collectibles too heavy leading to lots of beautiful items with no way to focus in on any. Less is more. Pick the items you want to keep or the ones that make the best statement or compliment the rooms decor. Make a select few focal points and let them stand alone.

It truly is amazing what a fresh coat of paint can accomplish. Nothing beats this upgrade for the price. It really all comes down to the color selection. If your walls are a contemporary white, spruce it up! Make one wall a focal wall and paint it a bold color. This will energize the room and everything placed on that wall will pop. If your walls are a tad too neutral and drab, try a modern earthy tone such as sage green, mocha, or a pale deep yellow. Depending on your furniture color, flooring, and drapery, select a color that will compliment and yet not blend in too much. Note* using a semi-gloss finish may be great for washing or children, but flats are really the best finished look for a room.

Bathrooms and bedrooms are always a sanctuary or at least they should be. Youd be amazed what a few simple projects can do to your rooms. For the bedroom, try painting the trim on the windows and doorways a deep chocolate, switching out the metal or plastic mini-blinds for a dark wood bamboo blind. A new bed-in-a bag can cost you as little as $89 and still look modern and fresh. Martha Stewarts bed-in-bags are surprisingly classy and comfortable. Add a small lamp behind a cornered bed or behind a larger item on the dresser, (Television) the lighting in the room will be soft and inviting.

Bathrooms should make you feel welcome and leave you with a calming feeling. Try sprucing up your small space with new color and texture. Replace hardware in the bathroom, (towel racks, faucets, hooks and doorknobs) with a brushed nickel or stainless steel instead of the out of date gold plated or brass. Purchase a new bathroom set that is plush and feels good to the hand. Your feet will thank you and so will your eyes. A new modern shower curtain will look great against your new chrome fixtures and will make them pop. Clear away all personal items including combs, brushes, lotions and cups on the sink, and keep it minimal. Hang fresh new hand towels. Youll feel like youre in a resort when you enter your new bathroom.

Your kitchen should be a fun place to be. It may be the busiest room in the house and most used, but it should look like it. Its easy to pile up papers and photos on the fridge, and snacks and appliances on the counters. Make a new home for these items tucked away out of site. The less you have in the kitchen, the less youll have distracting you physically and mentally. Lighting is important in every room of the home and most neglect the kitchen. You can purchase a $10 miniature lamp at a local drugstore and add it to the end of a counter or corner bakers rack to illuminate the room and add a cozy soft glow at night. It will make you feel at home in your home.

If you have an outdoor space such as a porch or deck, treat it as an indoor space. Add plants, lighting, perhaps a small water fountain for a tranquil setting. Dont neglect the texture and appeal of these spaces. Enjoy plush rugs, seating and color as you do indoors.

Even making small changes to each room such as removing boxes of extra clutter or belongings can make a huge impact on your mental outlook and internal mood. Youd me amazed at how desterilizing a sterile space can make you want to stay in that space. Adding even a splash of color or a new item to a room can change the whole effect. I know theres something in your home that shouldnt be there. Take one room at a time and turn your abode into a lifetime getaway.

Cecilia Sherrard is a full time dedicated Realtor in Cleveland Ohio. Owner and operator of the largest real estate agent website in Ohio, Her team of agents are capable of assisting buyers and sellers with relocation and all their real estate needs. http://www.YouShouldOwn.com