Blinds and Shades

Dear Homeowner,

Purchasing window treatments can be a major investment. You can protect this investment by engaging in proper maintenance for your blinds and shades.

· Blinds and shades will stay in shape if you dust them monthly with a soft cloth or vacuum's brush attachment. For heavier dust on mini-blinds, use a finger-like brush designed to clean five slats at a time. Clean stained-wood blinds with furniture polish.

· When metal or plastic mini-blinds need a more thorough cleaning, take them outside and wash the slats with a sponge and soapy water. Then, hang the slats from a clothesline and rinse with a hose. Shake off excess water, drain rails and towel dry to avoid water marks and rusting.

· If you can't take your blinds down, fill one bucket with a solution of grease-cutting household detergent and another bucket with water. Working from the top down, wash both sides of each slat, then rinse using a second sponge dipped in plain water. Dry slats with a towel.

· Fabric roller shades should also be taken down for a good cleaning. Place the unrolled shade on a flat surface and sponge with lukewarm water and mild soap, trying not to soak the fabric. Work in sections, removing excess moisture with a dry cloth. Hang the shade at the window, pull it down to full length and let it dry. Then, roll the shade to the top and leave it for a few hours to give a crisp, ironed look.

· Some non-washable shades can be cleaned with wallpaper cleaner, others need dry cleaning.

For more home-and-family tips, call Real Living Sugar Pine Realty at (209) 533-3242.

Made for Shade

Dear Homeowner,

With careful planning and good plant selection, even the shady spots of your garden will come alive.

To create a shade garden in an area underneath a large tree, plant ground covers which have shallow roots. To add height and texture to a shady corner, plant ferns which thrive in acidic soil and deep shade.

Perennials and bulbs provide a rainbow of color and interesting foliage. Spring-blooming bulbs flourish in the sun before deciduous trees regain their leaves.

Fill in gaps with shade-tolerant annuals. These will add color while your perennials are out of bloom.

To make your shade garden look more natural, plant odd numbers of the same species and add shrubs for permanent structure. They will create a backdrop for smaller plantings and add texture and color.

Start with a good plan and add to it each year. As other plants mature, you'll need fewer annuals to fill in the gaps.

Shade-loving plants

• Ground Covers: Ajuga, Epimedium, Euonymus, Fern, Hosta, Ivy, Lamium, Lily-of-the-Valley.

• Perennials: Bleeding heart, Daylily, Columbine, Coralbells, Fern, Goat's beard, Lobelia, Lungwort, Primrose, Snake-root, Trillium, Woodland phlox.

• Bulbs: Tuberous begonia, Caladium, Calla lily.

• Annuals: Begonia, Coleus, Impatiens, Vinca.

• Shrubs: Azalea, Boxwood, Hydrangea, Yew.

For more gardening tips, call Real Living Sugar Pine Realty at (209) 586-3242.

Preparing Your Home for Show

Dear Homeowner,

To show your home to its best advantage, you have to look at it objectively, as though you were a potential buyer. Since a home is such an emotional purchase, people often base their choice on feelings. Regardless of your location and price, if something about your home “feels wrong,” the buyer will look elsewhere.

Readying the outside

• Since people begin to judge your home the moment they drive up, the first impression is crucial.

• Make sure your front lawn looks neat. Cut the grass and trim the hedges. Plant some extra flowers for color — or put some potted plants beside the front door.

• Take a close look at your front door. If it’s faded or needs repair, clean it, stain it or paint it. While you’re at it, do the same with the back door and garage door.

• Repainting the exterior of your home is a fairly expensive venture, and really unnecessary unless the sides have had blistering or peeling. Painting window sashes, trim and shutters can do wonders.

Readying the inside

• Brighten things with fresh paint. White, off-white, or beige walls make a room look bigger.

• Too much clutter and too much furniture can make a home “feel wrong.” Move out all excess furniture to make rooms appear larger.

• Clear off the kitchen counters — make them look as expansive as possible. Clean the oven and all appliances. Put a fresh flower or plant on the counter.

• Get out your tool kit: Tighten loose doorknobs, drawer pulls, cabinet handles, towel racks, switch plates and outlet covers. Fix leaky faucets and remove water stains.

Bring on the buyers

• When it’s time for your agent to show your home, all your preparations will be worth it. But here are a few final tips.

• Make yourself scarce. Many prospects feel like intruders when the owners are present. They tend to hurry away, or fail to ask the questions they’d like to ask. Your absence will put buyers at ease, and give them a chance to spend more time looking at your house.

• Let your sales professional show your home even when you’re not there. If you don’t, you’re limiting the showings — and actually keeping your house off the market many hours a day.

• Always keep your home ready for show. Your sales professional will try to give you as much advance warning as possible. Likewise, other sales professionals may call to arrange showings. But the bottom line is: Always be prepared.


For more home and family information, call Real Living Sugar Pine Realty, at (209) 586-3242.

The Art of Displaying Artwork

Dear Homeowner,

Don't get nailed with extra holes in your walls and poorly arranged pictures. Consider these tips before hanging artwork.

That can be arranged

· If you have several smaller items or a large wall on which to showcase your artwork, an arrangement may work best.

· Artwork can be grouped by color, subject matter or by matching frames or mats. Consider varying the sizes and shapes of items to add interest to an arrangement.

Orderly conduct

· To keep a grouping from looking disorderly, create a geometric shape with the outer edges and plan for at least one or two straight lines to run through the arrangement.

· You can achieve cohesiveness by hanging items relatively close together so they seem like a unit. Make sure one item doesn't overshadow the others.

· Items arranged in a V or inverted V shape lead the eye in a smooth fashion.

Location counts

· Pictures should be at either standing eye level or seated eye level depending on the room. Place pictures where they won't be obscured by the head of a sitting person.

· It's also best to mount items no more than one foot above furnishings. If you need to hang a picture higher, fill the gap with a vase or other decoration.

Put in on paper

· Don't start hammering until you have a plan. First trace around the frame on a piece of paper, mark where the hook is and cut out the form. Place the paper on the wall and when it's where you want — nail it!

For more home decorating ideas, call Real Living Sugar Pine Realty at (209) 586-3242.