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<title>Latest Articles by stephfoster</title>
<link>http://www.populate.net/</link>
<description>Articles at Populate.NET</description>
<language>en-us</language>
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<title>5 Steps to Guarantee You Fall for a Work at Home Scam</title>
<link>http://www.populate.net/Business/Home_Business/5-steps-to-guarantee-you-fall-for-a-work-at-home-scam.html</link>
<guid>http://www.populate.net/Business/Home_Business/5-steps-to-guarantee-you-fall-for-a-work-at-home-scam.html</guid>
<pubDate>Wed, 15 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0700</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[ Falling for a work at home scam is so easy, anyone can do it! Just forget common sense. Be eager for big earnings with no effort. And forget the cost... you'll be earning big bucks in no time, right???

Step 1: Search "Work from home," "home business opportunity," "earn money fast" or similar terms.

You may very well find some legitimate options under these terms. My own site can be found under some of these terms on some search engines. But these kinds of terms are also targeted by scams as they're so easy for people who want to starting working at home to think of.

Step 2: Become very excited about the first opportunity you find that promises big money with no effort.

Squeeee! Bounce! Lookit all the money people have earned following these instructions! Lookit all the pretty exclamation points! All the bolding and highlighting! The page is just so pretty, it has to be true!

You don't even have to make sales. The money will come rolling in, all on its own. But if you recruit other people into the scam... err, business opportunity, you'll get a part of their earnings too, even if they never buy anything else! Hooray!

Step 3: Sign up with no further investigation.

"I'm going to be rich, I'm going to be rich! Whoopie!" Or a similar thought process. They have a guarantee, after all, it says so right on the site. Surely that will protect you. And if you can't trust people on the Internet, who can you trust?

Step 4: Ignore all naysayers.

Admittedly, this can be a good policy even if you aren't falling for a scam... but that's the only time. Just because someone can point to sites that explain the exact scam or to points on the FTC site that explain why the opportunity is a scam doesn't mean they're right, does it? They're just jealous and/or afraid to succeed themselves.

Step 5: Keep trusting, even as things start to fall apart.

You're not making money yet, but that's okay. It will come soon, really. This business can't fail, the model is too good. It has to work. It just has to!

Maybe if you just sink a bit more money in, just to speed things up a little... maybe you just need more recruits... pay no attention to rumors of an FTC investigation, can't be true, they'll show the whole thing is legit, right? ]]></description>
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<title>Reality and the at Home Medical Transcriptionist</title>
<link>http://www.populate.net/Career/reality-and-the-at-home-medical-transcriptionist.html</link>
<guid>http://www.populate.net/Career/reality-and-the-at-home-medical-transcriptionist.html</guid>
<pubDate>Wed, 15 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0700</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[ One of the most common reasons I get asked about getting into medical transcription is that people want to be home with their kids. They need a legitimate way to earn money from home without paying the high costs of daycare. Medical transcription often sounds perfect to them.

Honestly, it can be a great solution. But transcribing with kids in the house is not so easy as many hope.

Kids Are Noisy and Need Your Attention

The younger they are, the more true this is for large parts of the day. I started transcribing when I had my first child. Babies may sleep a large part of the day, but when they need you it's pretty immediate. At the very least a screaming baby makes it really hard to hear the doctor.

Toddlers aren't much better. Their naps may be more regular, until given up, but they still need a lot from you. But when they're awake they can be very demanding and noisy.

As kids get to school age, things get better, especially since they may not be at home so much. The exception is of course if you are homeschooling, in which case you probably have your day pretty well planned out for your work and homeschool times.

It's Easier to Work When it's Quiet

Many transcriptionists who work from home have their main work hours either early in the morning before everyone else gets up, or late in the evening after the kids are in bed. Those are the only times that you have a really good shot at not being interrupted.

But Sometimes it's Lonely

The next biggest problem many people who work at home face is that you can get very lonely for adult interaction. No one to talk to most of the day except kids. No chats around the water cooler or with people stopping by your desk. Not even any obnoxious customers making demands like you have in retail. Just you and the kids.

Any sort of work at home means you need to find ways to get out and make friends. You can do it online on forums, blogs and social networking sites, but they aren't quite the same as talking face to face with another grownup.

Depending on your own level of need for time with other adults, this may be a minor or a major hardship.  But you can find other parents, often right in your own neighborhood. It can be hard finding ways to meet them, but once you do, keep it up. Local friends can help you in ways online ones can't.

The Work is Hard, Either Way

Medical transcription is a very serious job. It's not something just anyone can do. You have to have focus. You have to have the skills. You have to have the time. And just as with any other job, enjoying your work really, really helps. ]]></description>
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<title>How Do You Compare to Others... and Should You?</title>
<link>http://www.populate.net/Internet/Blogging/how-do-you-compare-to-others-and-should-you.html</link>
<guid>http://www.populate.net/Internet/Blogging/how-do-you-compare-to-others-and-should-you.html</guid>
<pubDate>Tue, 14 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0700</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[ A lot of people get into blogging for money because they hear about the fantastic success some people have enjoyed. It's hard to not envy someone who is earning 5, 6 or even 7 figures a year from their blog.

Trouble is, for many people earning the way someone else does becomes their sole focus. They do their best to copy the successful people they see around them, rather than be themselves.

The biggest problem with imitating the more successful bloggers around you is that it's easiest to be nothing more than an imitation. You don't stand out. And if you don't stand out, you're not going to get people interested in what you have to say.

It's one thing to take occasional inspiration from those who are doing better than you are. But if that's the only thing you do, you'll have more trouble developing your own voice.

Be aware of what others in your niche are doing, but find ways to stand out. Take a controversial position. Have fun. Worry less about what's working for others and figure out what works for you.

The thing about blogging is that you can learn quite a bit about what successful bloggers are doing, and still not succeed with your own blog. You're different people, after all, and the different approaches you take to similar tasks will not get you the same results.

If you really need to compare yourself to someone, take a look at the people who are at your same level of the game. Watch the people who are doing exceptionally well, if you like, but in many ways your most direct competition comes from the people who know about as much as you do.

Even then you don't want to focus too much on what the other people are doing. You should be focused more on what you can do.

So What Should You Be Doing?

There are some things you absolutely need to get done to succeed as a blogger.

1. Develop your own voice.

You don't want to sound like everyone else. Be yourself. Have your own style and your own opinions. If you love covering industry news, cover it. If you don't, leave it alone except when it catches your attention.

2. Write for your blog - a lot!

Many of the most successful blogs are posted to more than once a day. Sure you can get away with less, but you may get less attention.

Don't overdo! You can annoy readers if you are writing so fast that you forget quality in favor of quantity. Or if you just provide too much information for them to read. There's a balance to be struck, and it's up to you to decide what that balance is.

3. Comment on other blogs.

Yes, this takes away from your writing time. But it's a great way to network with your fellow bloggers and get visitors.

Don't worry about whether the links to your site are "do follow" or "no follow." Don't constantly link to your own posts within the body of your comments. Don't be self promotional in general.

Be a genuine contributor. Your comments will stick better and bring better attention to your blog.

Am I perfect with these? Heck no! I post on this particular blog far less than I should, but I have others that are more of a focus for me. I have also dropped blogging on sites that I simply do not have time for right now. As my personal life changes I may pick them back up, but for right now they're on the back burner.

And of course I sometimes wish I could succeed as wildly as certain other bloggers. But I don't let that get in the way of working on my blogs in my way. ]]></description>
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<title>Just Give Them a Minute</title>
<link>http://www.populate.net/Family/Parenting/just-give-them-a-minute.html</link>
<guid>http://www.populate.net/Family/Parenting/just-give-them-a-minute.html</guid>
<pubDate>Fri, 10 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0700</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[ You're trying to get some work done. The kids just won't give you any peace. It doesn't matter if you're trying to get dishes done, laundry, send an email or something else. They want you. Now!

Days like that can drive a parent crazy. You have a lot to do, and the kids just aren't cooperating. It makes the job so much longer.

Ever consider just giving in, at least for a few minutes?

Often enough, this has been my best way to get some peace and quiet for getting other stuff done. I take a break and have some fun with the kids. When they're trying so hard for attention, it's often just that they really need it right then.

Most of the time, they aren't after a huge time commitment. Just a few minutes of play. My son likes the "tickle spider" game. A couple minutes of that makes him very happy. But other times he or my daughter will need something that takes a bit longer.

If you really need the time at that minute, of course you can take it to get things done. But take the time to tell your kids why. Give them a time frame until you can go play. Set a timer if that helps.

It's rough sometimes giving up the time you had planned to get something accomplished. Many stay at home moms have really busy daily schedules, and if something else comes up, it's common to let playtime with the kids slide a little.

Doesn't mean it's your best choice. Just the easiest one.

We all know how fast children grow. You won't regret playing extra, but you might regret getting too involved in caring for your home or working.

Sometimes this means learning to say no to people. If you're at home people often assume you have tons of free time. And you might sometimes.

Other times, your life is quite full of other things. These are the times that you have to learn to refuse extra commitments. Overdoing it just tires you out and limits the time you have for your family.

Prioritizing can be one of the most important skills a stay at home mom can develop. But no matter how much you plan and prioritize, sometimes your kids will have other ideas. Cooperating with the ideas your children have for having fun together doesn't have to mess up your plan for the entire day. Just take a few minutes and have some fun together. ]]></description>
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<title>Bicycle Accessories - Are They Necessary?</title>
<link>http://www.populate.net/Recreation_and_Leisure/Sports/Biking/bicycle-accessories-are-they-necessary.html</link>
<guid>http://www.populate.net/Recreation_and_Leisure/Sports/Biking/bicycle-accessories-are-they-necessary.html</guid>
<pubDate>Wed, 08 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0700</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[ As bicycles gain appeal, you may be noticing more and more the things people have with their bikes. Sometimes it's a trailer for carrying children or cargo. Sometimes it's just a really nice water bottle.

What's necessary? What's just extra stuff?

Mostly this depends on your own needs. You aren't going to need a trailer if you won't be hauling kids or stuff around on your bike. Odds are good, on the other hand, that you will want a way to carry a water bottle. You don't have to be riding extreme distances for the water bottle to just make sense, especially on warm days.

The most important accessory, of course, is the bicycle helmet. It's the law most places that you wear one. A good quality bike helmet can also save your life in an accident. It doesn't take much of an accident for a bike rider to have serious head injuries without a helmet.

If you're going to be riding at night, or even dawn or dusk, lights will be another worthwhile investment. You're hard enough to see on a bike in bright sunlight. You don't want to be harder to see when it's a little or a lot dark out. Go for quality. You aren't investing in a bike part, after all. You're investing in your safety.

Comfort is not a bad thing to think about either, especially if you're going to be riding your bicycle a lot. That's where things like water bottles come in. A water bottle holder seems like such a small thing, but it can mean a lot. And if you enjoy mountain biking, an easy way to carry water can be an issue of safety, although for a serious ride you may need more than just what one small water bottle can carry.

Check out your pedals too. Good pedals are metal with teeth to help your shoes grip to them. I remember hating these as a teen, because I wouldn't pay attention and sometimes get whacked on the leg by one. But as an adult I understand the advantages. A good grip between your pedals and your shoes is a good way to keep your feet from slipping, which can distract you and result in an accident.

You'll probably want a good quality lock too. If you know you're going to ride out and bring your bike back home, storing it in a locked garage, maybe you'll do well enough without one. But if you want to leave your bike alone for even a few minutes anywhere, you need a lock. Bicycles are all too easily stolen.

Whether you're looking for a bike to ride in your leisure time or something for a commute to work, you need more than just the bike to make the most of the experience. The right accessories can make your life simpler, make bike riding more pleasant or even help protect you from injury. ]]></description>
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<title>Maintaining Your Sense of Humor as a Medical Transcriptionist</title>
<link>http://www.populate.net/Career/maintaining-your-sense-of-humor-as-a-medical-transcriptionist.html</link>
<guid>http://www.populate.net/Career/maintaining-your-sense-of-humor-as-a-medical-transcriptionist.html</guid>
<pubDate>Wed, 08 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0700</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[ After working as a medical transcriptionist for 3 years, I can tell you that it is often a highly frustrating job. After all, the doctor's patients are most often sick! This is not a job for someone who is excessively sensitive to verbal descriptions of medical problems.

You also have to deal with doctors who clearly would rather be doing anything other than dictating... and they often are. Eating, driving, using the bathroom, having conversations with other people, you just never know. It's your job to make sense of it all.

You're often best off laughing off the doctors' behavior and mistakes. They will make mistakes, such as the doctor who dictates that a patient is leaving the hospital alive without his permission. You hear sometimes about doctors having a god complex, but sometimes it seems to go a little far!

Errors in vocabulary can also be humorous, but you'd better catch them. Perineal and peroneal, for example. They sound the same and mean entirely different things. You can laugh at yourself if you catch yourself trying to make this mistake, but only if you catch it.

Same for errors in grammar or punctuation. You may find it amusing how very different a sentence is when you briefly misplace a comma. Just don't leave it misplaced. Sometimes you'll get an entirely different meaning.

Doctors and patients both may have interesting names. These can bring you a brief smile at the beginning of a report, and the wonderful part is you don't have to fix it when you've heard it right.

Then there are the times that a doctor will make body parts disappear when they really mean that the pain is gone. Or they'll add on an extra toe or finger somehow. Unless the patient has an unusual deformity, you know that five per hand or foot is normal.

Body parts can also wander. You may have to put in a note for clarification if it is not clear which part was actually meant. This is a part of why a medical transcriptionist needs to know so much about anatomy.

A sense of humor helps in this line of work, but only if you know when to leave it funny versus correcting the error. The work is, after all, quite serious in nature and you can easily impact the medical care a patient is receiving. Don't let the laughs over the mistakes you hear or make yourself impact patient care. ]]></description>
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<title>Money's Tight. Do You Go Frugal with Your Home Business?</title>
<link>http://www.populate.net/Business/Home_Business/money-s-tight.-do-you-go-frugal-with-your-home-business.html</link>
<guid>http://www.populate.net/Business/Home_Business/money-s-tight.-do-you-go-frugal-with-your-home-business.html</guid>
<pubDate>Tue, 07 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0700</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[ Most families get hit with cash flow issues at one time or another. That's just life. And of course right now many people are very worried about how the economy is going. Is it time to limit your spending on your home business?

Maybe. But hopefully not.

When to Cut Back on Your Home Business

If the money you spend on your business is making it hard to feed and house your family, then yes, it's time to cut back. But only if you really have your household spending under control first. I'd suggest cutting things such as cable television long before you cut out your home business. There are a ton of other ways you can save money around the house that may help you to keep your business going financially.

Sometimes the money you spend on your business is not immediately paying you back. A profitable home business is always worth it, but if the payback isn't quick it can be hard to think that way.  If you're having trouble keeping up, that's a legitimate issue you need to face. Can you work things so that whatever income you are getting from your home business is helping you where you need it most?

A business that isn't turning a profit yet can be a trickier creature to handle. Giving up means that you are losing the potential for a new income stream. It's not always the right long term decision.

Your attitude towards your business is a part of this decision. Is your feeling more "Gosh, I hope this works," or is it "I'm going to make this work, whatever it takes!" Is your feeling realistic, or are you letting emotion get in the way?

If the short term is what you need to think about, try to figure out if you can cut your business expenses way, way back but still keep things going. It may not be easy or even possible in all circumstances, but I recommend trying. If the business model is overall sound, giving up can be a really poor choice.

Finding Frugal Alternatives for Your Home Business

When it comes to just keeping things going, you don't necessarily want to just keep your business up and do nothing to market it. You have alternatives.

If you don't have a website, for example, get one! There are both free and cheap ways to get your business online. Bringing your business online can be a great way to expand your reach without spending a lot.

If you're already online but need a way to cut the costs, take a solid look at what you're spending versus what is being brought in. A domain name and website hosting are cheap enough that unless you're bringing in close to nothing, they're probably paying for themselves. Considering that you can get decent hosting for under $10 a month, this is probably not a make or break expense... unless you have a ton of traffic.

If domain name and hosting are your only expenses, but you still aren't earning anything, it is very much so time to consider why. Too little traffic? Now's the time to focus on marketing. Too little income but plenty of traffic? How are you monetizing your site?

When it's traffic you need you can be frugal by considering the free options, such as article marketing. Whether or not you enjoy writing articles, this can be a great way to bring in links and traffic to your site.

Monetization can be a bit more challenging. If you're an information based site, perhaps you need to find more products that will be interesting to your site visitors.

If you're selling products, but not enough of them, how's your sales copy? How long has it been since you tested something new? If the same old copy worked over and over again, we'd still be seeing ads from the '50s or even earlier. And we'd like it too!

The key here is to just not give up. Your money troubles are probably temporary, and giving up is often a very poor choice. Instead, find ways to make it work. Push your limits and see where you can take your business. ]]></description>
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<title>Is Now the Time to Install Solar Panels on Your Home?</title>
<link>http://www.populate.net/Home/Home_Improvement/is-now-the-time-to-install-solar-panels-on-your-home.html</link>
<guid>http://www.populate.net/Home/Home_Improvement/is-now-the-time-to-install-solar-panels-on-your-home.html</guid>
<pubDate>Mon, 06 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0700</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[ Solar power has been an intriguing idea for decades that has stubbornly not come to fruition. The cost versus benefit just hasn't been there. Is that changing yet?

Solar technology has finally had some of the improvements people have wanted to see for decades. Earlier this year a factory finally started producing more affordable solar cells, ones whose costs are on a par with or even cheaper than power from coal. It's a huge step. Of course that it's so new means that there is still something of a wait to see the results.

Even big businesses such as Walmart are getting interested and adding solar power to their rooftops.

But there are also companies that are more focused on providing solar power to homes at more affordable rates. There are even companies starting up that will in essence rent solar panels to you. Your options are growing.

So how do you decide if solar power is now for you?

1. The expense.

Solar panels are expensive. The time to earn your money back depends in part on whether or not your state or the federal government is currently offering incentives for you to install solar power, but it's often over 7 years.

If money's tight, it might not be for you. But if you can handle the load, solar panels might not be such a bad deal. Especially if the incentives in your area are good.

2. Changing technology.

Solar panels have been going through some interesting changes lately. You might do better to wait. Then again, it could be a long time before the better technology is available to homeowners. How much do you want it and how patient are you? How much do you care about how the costs may change?

3. Where will you install them?

The roof is the installation most people visualize, but if you get a lot of shade on your roof from a tree, this isn't going to work so well.

If you have a homeowner's association, you will also want to talk to them first. Some are pretty picky, even though solar panels are enhancing the value of your home.

4. How well will it meet your needs?

How much power you can generate can be highly variable, depending on season and where you live. Being in southern California, solar's a great idea in my area. Panels will generate a good amount of electricity for most of the year. In other places you will have more times where less energy is produced.

However, do check and see what professionals say in your area. It can be surprising just how much power can be generated by the sun even in areas you wouldn't expect. Don't give up just because you think it's not going to do much in your area. ASK. ]]></description>
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<title>Why Not Try to Eat Less Meat?</title>
<link>http://www.populate.net/Food_and_Drink/why-not-try-to-eat-less-meat.html</link>
<guid>http://www.populate.net/Food_and_Drink/why-not-try-to-eat-less-meat.html</guid>
<pubDate>Sat, 04 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0700</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[ Cutting back meat consumption can be a difficult thing to do, at least in the United States. Eating meat is so much a part of how I was raised that it's really hard to break the habit or slow it down. But there are a lot of good reasons to do so.

1. Better for your grocery bill.

This is a reason that many of us can get on board with these days. Beans, lentils, brown rice, barley and so forth cost much less than meat and are great sources of protein. They're also nicely filling. All you have to do is learn to cook them in ways you enjoy.

2. Better for the environment.

Another great reason, even if it's less of a motivator for many people who are far more concerned with their budget. Grains have a much lower environmental impact than meat. Animals eat a lot of grain, but the amount of meat you get from them is much less.

You will also significantly cut your carbon footprint. Meat production overall is very hard on the environment.

3. Less handling of raw meat.

While the big salmonella stories recently have related to foods such as spinach, the mishandling of raw meat is a very common source of food poisoning. Just think of how quickly you reach the 'use by' date of any meats you buy, versus how long grains last. A part of the food poisoning risk with meat is how fast germs can grow in it.

4. How many farm animals are treated.

If the ethics worry you, then the treatment of farm animals is a big deal. There are farms that treat their animals far better than the factory farms that produce the more affordable meats. And of course there are all the hormones and antibiotics used on factory farm animals.

5. It can be healthier.

This one really depends on you. It's possible to eat unhealthy without meat, but if you're trying to eat well and eat less meat, it's pretty healthy. You'll probably have less fat in your diet, for one thing. You can cut the odds of getting many health problems simply by eating less meat. It's not a guarantee, just lower odds.

If you want to cut back on meat but still like to have it every day, just work on how you serve it. Go heavy on the vegetables when you stir fry, for example. I've found chopping the meat into pieces can make it look as though there's more on my plate as well, so I eat less of it. ]]></description>
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<title>5 Quick Ways to Keep Young Children Busy</title>
<link>http://www.populate.net/Family/Parenting/5-quick-ways-to-keep-young-children-busy.html</link>
<guid>http://www.populate.net/Family/Parenting/5-quick-ways-to-keep-young-children-busy.html</guid>
<pubDate>Fri, 03 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0700</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[ Sometimes the biggest challenge of being home with the kids is, well, the kids. Especially the ones too young for school. It's exhausting not having a break from them at times. It can be hard to get anything done, whether you're trying for a bit of housework or trying to earn money from home.

Even if you're most comfortable with long stretches of work, parenthood often means learning to do more with small bouts of fast work. That's just how kids are. You have to work hard, work fast and hope they're feeling cooperative.

Here are some basic activities your kids may enjoy:

1. Having a friend over.

Believe it or not, once they're used to each other this can really work. An extra child in your house can make it easier because the kids focus on playing with each other, not on trying to get your attention.

Work this one right and you can also earn trades with another stay at home parent. You take their kids, they take yours. Lots of fun for the kids and free quiet time for mom!

2. Water play.

 Kids love water. I give my kids a plastic container full of water with some sponges and they take it outside and start scrubbing. This works best with some dish soap added so they have bubbles to enjoy as well.

Water painting can also work. Take a bowl of water, some paintbrushes, and some of the non-glossy ads you get in the mail or your newspaper. You can also use just plain newsprint. Young children love seeing the color change as the paper gets wet.

If the weather is warm enough you can also just set up sprinklers and work on things where you can still supervise as necessary.

3. Paper and scissors.

Get some child safe scissors, give your child some paper, and let him or her at it.

You may have to watch things a little, as these are sharper than the ones we had as children, and experimentation will inevitably happen. But if you make the consequences good enough for any cutting of hair, clothing or other unauthorized objects the interest in cutting random stuff up goes way down.

The negative can be the cleanup. My kids can get paper just about down to confetti levels when they're in the mood.

4. Mother's helper.

I haven't often used this one, but if a neighborhood child who isn't quite old enough to babysit wants to earn a little money, this is a great way to let them help you. They just play with the kids and come to you with problems such as diapers, snack time or injuries.

5. Forts.

Kids love to make forts or tents. You can drape a sheet over the table, across some chairs, make it out of couch cushions, whatever works. It's great for the imagination.

If you have a closet under the stairs you can also have what my family calls Narnia. You could refer to Harry Potter if that's what your kids prefer, of course. They just play in the very back, doing whatever it is they want to imagine.

This is particularly fun if you are lucky enough to have an under stairway closet that has a turn in it. Kids love places that feel secret. ]]></description>
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