We all know how important it is to check your credit report, but did you know that — by law — all three credit-reporting agencies must supply you with a free one every 12 months? And you can get it online through one central site, which serves the Big 3 — Trans Union, Equifax, and Experian!

The web site is annualcreditreport.com.

Don’t be confused with those commercials for freecreditreport.com — they charge for the service.

With annualcreditreport.com, you won’t be able to get your FICO score (unless you pay a small additional fee), but you can correct any errors you find in your credit report — and do it online.

For instance, mine said I was working as an architect when I was 14 years old. No, that was my Dad. Trans Union emailed when when it was stricken from my report. They also had me taking out a mortgage that, again, was my parents. That, too, was corrected.

In these days of identity theft worries, it’s a free service of which you should take advantage!

I’m going to be in the bathroom all week. Not because I ate some bad Mexican food, but I plan on offering you suggestions for the next few days to help get your bathroom clean and neat.

Yes, your bath does need to be organized. You’ll be able to find things easier, know what you have, and enjoy your time there. This will also allow you to clean the bath in a shorter time! Woo-hoo!

We’re going to break it down into 15- to 30-minute tasks. But know that by this time next week, you will have the bathroom you’ve always dreamed of — or at least one you can clean in no time flat and enjoy its appearance every time you go to … ummm … “use the facilities.”

This post, we are going to address just the top — the vanity or countertop. Does yours look like the picture above, or the one at right?

It seems in most houses I stage to sell that at least one bathroom has this appearance. It also makes it more difficult to clean, even if you’re not selling your home.

Here is the first strategy for the vanity:

I just tried to count the items on this counter, and I lost track at 17. I counted in our house, and there are 5 items to move in both the master and hall baths. I can whip both those suckers clean in less than 5 minutes. Let me show you how.

Take all the items off your vanity and separate them into four groups:

Now, we are making this a week project, so we’re going to do some temporary tasks, waiting for other ones to be completed later in the week for the final result — keep that in mind (and I will flag). But rest assured, in 15 minutes you will have a clean vanity!

First task:

These should not be on the vanity, and will be sorted through and put away later. Just stash the bag in a closet for now. We’ll deal with it later in the week. You said you don’t need ‘em every day, anyway.

Now let’s address the second task — decorative items.

All other items, place in a plastic grocery bag, and stash in the closet for now. You know, we’ll deal with these another day.

Third task, the bath items used regularly — hand towels, soap dispensers, etc.

Yes, you can keep these items out, but, please make them pretty. You deserve it! Look at those hand towels. You can pick up new ones cheap on clearance at discount stores, such as TJ Maxx or Marshalls. Just look at the clearance aisle. And, God forgive, do you have a plastic liquid soap dispenser? You deserve a pretty one. Look on those clearance aisles and dispense into that. If you need these items, this is your project for the week — new hand towels and a dignified soap dispenser. Your budget is $25.

That leaves us with the group of toiletrie items and makeup you use every day.

The first task I recommend clients who are selling their homes is to corral hair brushes, curling irons and the like into a basket — it can be a flat wicker one or even a bread basket. Look around the house — I bet you have one. This can go back on the vanity.

Now, here is my STRONGEST recommendation. You have all these little items you use every day — deoderant, toothpaste, etc.

Do you unpack all those items on a counter in a hotel room? No! You put all in a small travel bag! Do the same at home.

It doesn’t have to be expensive, just a vinyl bag to hold all those items you use every day to get dressed. For makeup, those tri-fold bags are superb. I stash mine in the cabinet, but if there is no room, no worries, just put it on the vanity (we’ll clear the cabinet another day). Just pull out your tried and true travel bag now, and throw all those items in there. But if you don’t have one now, put it in a zipper bag or just a bowl, until you buy a cheap travel bag (about $12 or less at a discount store).

Now that you have the items sorted, just wipe down the counter and place the items/tasks back for later. You’ll now see, easily, how much simpler you will have a cleaner bathroom in just one week. Stay tuned for more, and to print this post, just click the title.

Just got this great tip from Jill (one of our readers) after she read the hints about setting up a bathroom cleaning drawer or a tote under the vanity with all the needed cleaning products.

Jill adopted the same principle behind the bathroom kit to gather all items needed when one of her cats or dogs has an accident. She got tired of searching for all the products needed when she had to act quickly, so she used her ProHomemaker brain to create a charmingingly named “Vomit Response Kit,” or VRK.

In a bucket, she stocked cleanup supplies needed, such as a spatula (I won’t ask), carpet cleaner, deodorizer and several plastic grocery bags to gather up everything after the emergency treatment. All is included in the bucket, which is marked with VRK.

What a wonderful idea! Thanks, Jill for allowing me to post it.

Who doesn’t need more kitchen cabinet space? This is prime real estate! But so many clients and friends of mine are being “mugged” every day of this precious space.

I think you know where I am going with this — the cupboard that is packed with every coffee mug you have purchased or been given for the past 20 years. Go open the cabinet now and just look at how much cabinet — or even counter — space is taken up with coffee mugs. Now count how many coffee drinkers are in your house — one? two? And, how many mugs do you have? And, let’s face it — you have a favorite mug, don’t you … you know, the one you use every day? And I’ll ask it again — how many mugs are taking up space in your cupboard?

Just look at this photo! I counted 16 mugs — not mentioning what’s behind the first layer. Now, count the number of cabinet shelves … three. And you know there are only two coffee drinkers in this home. Unless they don’t wash dishes for a week, 14 of these mugs sit every day in the cabinet, taking up precious space.

Now I can hear the “buts” starting — your co-workers gave you this one, this one is from that trip to Texas, this has sentimental value, this one commemorates your root canal. Yeah, yeah, I know. Here is my “but” — But you need more kitchen cabinet space and how many did you use this past week? Two, four? OK, you got it (at least I hope).

Just imagine the extra space you will have in your cabinets if you narrowed “mugland” to those that you use.

Now, you may need to ease yourself — and anyone else in your home — to the new clutter-free (and more shelf space) you. So I recommend taking every extraneous mug and put it in a box, a bag, or whatever it takes to get it out of your kitchen. Put the bag/box into a closet or a garage. Now claim that cabinet space! Add your glasses, make a mini-pantry, put small appliances there, whatever you want!

A week later, if no one asks where their “I Love Oklahoma” mug disappeared to, put the bag/box in the trash. (Let me tell you, no one wants your old mugs, so don’t bother saving it for the thrift store. If you doubt me, would you want any of the mugs in the photo?)

Clutter control is not pretty — and a job best done by yourself, but the rewards are great. If you need an extra push, ask youself this: If I were being charged by the pound to move, would I pay for this to go to my new home? If not, it’s taking up valuable space. And let me know how you used this extra cabinet space!

I happened upon this idea when I was all out of those “chip clips” that are so great when closing up a bag of Fritos, tortilla chips, etc. All mine were in use, so I thought, “What can I use instead?” Then it hit me, I had this barely used roll of painter’s tape in the garage! It’s now my new best friend in the kitchen!

I love painter’s tape, because you can peel it back, and re-stick it, and it holds freshness as good — if not better — than those expensive chip clips (and usually goes unused in the garage after the most recent painting project). It normally takes just a 4-inch strip to close anything (if that much), so it goes a long way!

I find a number of ways to use painter’s tape in the kitchen. Honestly, you need to try this, and you will fall in love with that big blue roll like I have. Here are some of the ways in which painter’s tape goes beyond its name in our kitchen:

Let me know if this works as great as it does for me and also any other ideas you may have!

Your Mother was right: Pick up after yourself. That simple rule will bring you a cleaner, neater home. It’s all about creating a habit of picking up as you go, not later, but now.

Imagine, in just 3 weeks, you could have a neater home by just learning to pick up and put away. Why 3 weeks? Because psychologists have found this is how long it takes to establish a habit.

Let’s start with a simple one challenge that everyone faces in this area:

Managing Your Mail

I cannot tell you how many homes I’ve entered to find an overflowing basket of mail. I don’t know about you, but I could easily fill a tall kitchen trash can with the amount of mail we receive each week. This clutter monster must be tamed!

Never deal with an overflowing basket of mail again with these easy steps:

Sort mail as soon as it enters your home, every day. If you put off this important step just 10 minutes, you are allowing the monster to grow. Take control by being the gatekeeper for anything the mailman delivers.

Your goal is to create four workable stacks - bills, magazines, coupons and circulars. Keep what’s valuable and recycle the rest.

You’re done!

In less than five minutes you’ve addressed a quick and easy task that results in less clutter instantaneously. Give it a try and let me know how it works for you. And remember, you can receive an email every time ProHomemaker.com is updated by just clicking the RSS (Really Simple Syndication) button at the right.