Nathan and I recently decided  that we want to invest in a security for our home. Nothing drastic has happened to make us make this decision- it is just something we have been looking into for doing awhile. We have no idea specifically what we want so we needed to shop around first. Going to a look at devices at an actual home security store is a bit out of the question because there are not any around here- so I have to completely rely on what I find online.

I found the Total Connect Remote Services by Honeywell in one of my mom groups and wad amazed at all of its features! With Total Connect you get real-time alerts, video services, mobile control, and more. You will know right away when your child opens the front door, when your safe door had been opened, when your great great grandmothers vintage vase has been moved or when a water leak has been detected, Total Connect will tell you via a web-enabled cell phone, tablet, laptop, or computer!

Even checking on your kids at home is as easy as reading a text message. You can set events that you want to know about and be informed of when they occur. Like when your child opens the front door after school and disarms the alarm. It is also great if you have an elderly relative  you are in charge of.  It will send alerts each time they leave their home or if they ever have to press a panic button for help.

My favorite feature is the camera! With Total Connect cameras and the proper setup, you can view what’s happening on your doorstep when you are not there. Some Honeywell PTZ cameras can even pan around using the controls on your phone!

Benefits of the Total Connect Include:

Real-Time Alerts: Know exactly when a sensor is triggered indicating when your child has arrived home and disarmed your alarm system. Do you have a gun cabinet? Again with the right extras you can know when it has been opened!

Mobile Control: With Total Connect, you have control of the system via a smartphone which means your phone is a  remote keypad. This remote keypad works just like your keypad at home allowing you to arm, disarm, and control the system from anywhere in the world.

Mobile Apps: Honeywell boasts its mobile apps because with the tap of a finger, you can control your security system, receive text message and email alerts, and view live video events. Total Connect apps can be downloaded through your iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, BlackBerry or Android devices.

Do you have any experience with a home security system? I would love any advice!

Myself and many fellow readers took on a spring cleaning challenge. It was called 40 bags in 40 days and I am pleased to announce that I not only accomplished my goal, I surpassed it. I have been getting emails every day asking how I am doing, some of you even beat me and threw away your 40 before me!

40 bags in 40 days is all about decluttering and getting rid of the stuff that you just do not need! I have a real bad tendency to hang on to things. I have notebooks from high school, pogs from my childhood and tons of baby clothes sitting in bins. The challenge is about one bag at a time.

We threw away thirty seven bags of junk and donated five pieces of furniture, six black bags filled with clothes, two black bags filled with stuffed animals and six bins of toys to went to our local homeless shelter. We just had no storage space for it all anymore with the growing kids so it had to go!

We did end up getting a climate control storage unit for the things we did not need stored in the house but still wanted. The temperature controlled unit is nice and cool in the summer and heated in the winter. So all my precious stuff that I could not part with is protected from extreme temperature that could damage it!

Do you think you could accomplish the 40 bags in 40 days challenge?