Great advice. I've also had success with embellishing the truth, or even just putting a positive spin on the truth. I didn't leave my last job to look after a dying relative, I was a freelance on-call PA working 12 hour days. I wasn't forced to leave my home and spend my life-savings driving cross-country to live with an old friend who was kind enough to let me stay with them and only asked I help out at a soup kitchen they work at, I was expanding my mind with travel, networking, and filling my free time volunteering for a local charity whose goals I felt strongly about.
It helps get you in for an interview. Although in my location jobs are fairly easy to come by these days, which wasn't always the case.
I've started installing ceiling fans in my house and they make a world of difference.
I hope I never have to get air con installed, it just eats through electric.