Neighborhood Garage Sales

 

 

Dear Homeowner,

 

When it comes to garage sales, bigger is better! As avid garage sale shoppers scan the local classifieds and form their plans of attack, some of the key words they like to see are "multi-family" and "block sale."

 

Merging goods from a few homes or a whole neighborhood is a great way to generate interest for the sale and increase your own profits. It also splits up the workload and advertising costs. Group sales are also a great way to pull people together or welcome new families.

 

One of the most difficult aspects of multi-family garage sales is dividing up the profits at the end. This problem can be helped by keeping a running list of the items sold or using price tags that are color coded or contain families' names.

 

Before the sale, participating families also need to get together and set the ground rules for haggling. Some people want their goods sold only at the marked prices, while others may be willing to negotiate. The cashiers need to know these preferences.

 

Garage sales can be social events. The more people involved, the more fun you'll have. A big sale can essentially become a profitable block party.

 

With any garage sale, and especially one with multiple families, a few details are bound to go wrong. Remember that the true goal of the sale is to get rid of unwanted items. So keep your perspective and keep it fun.

 

You're cleaning out your house and making some money to boot — so don't sweat the small stuff.

 

For more information on holding a garage sale, call Val Ogletree at (209) 559-5725 or email Valo@valogletree.com

 

Seeing Spots on Your Carpet

 

 Dear Homeowner,

 

      If you're seeing spots on your carpet, you can probably make use of these simple tips for removing common carpet stains.

 

Tar, grease, chewing gum and wax

Remove as much as possible by gently scraping with a dull knife, then treat the stain with dry-cleaning fluid. For chewing gum, try applying ice cubes in a plastic bag to harden the gum before scraping.

 

Cigarette burns

Patching is necessary for complete repair, but you can mask the damage. Snip off the darkened fiber ends, then blot the area with a solution of 1 teaspoon detergent and 1 teaspoon vinegar in a quart of warm water.

 

Lipstick

Gently blot with a dry-cleaning solution, then rinse with a solution of 1 tablespoon ammonia in a cup of water.

 

Animal stains, fruit juices

If the stain is still wet, try repeatedly sponging with lukewarm water. Then, blot dry and treat with a solution of 1 teaspoon detergent and 1 teaspoon vinegar in a quart of warm water. After waiting 15 minutes, blot again and sponge with clean water.

 

Paint

Oil-base paints can usually be removed with turpentine. Water-base paints clean up with water.

 

Ink

Blot ball-point-ink with denatured alcohol as soon as possible. Permanent ink can't be removed, but you can minimize the damage by blotting with water.

    

 

For more home-and-family tips, contact Val Ogletree (209) 559-5725 or email at valo@valogletree.com

 

 

Less-Mess Grilling

Dear Homeowner,

      If you'd rather replace your old grill rack than clean it, try these hassle-free tips for less-mess grilling.

Before grilling

• Spray the cold grill rack with a nonstick vegetable spray coating.

• Line the inside of the firebox with heavy foil. When you're finished grilling and the ashes have cooled, you can bundle up the foil and throw it all away. Heavy foil is stronger and less likely to tear.

After grilling

• Remove the rack after you're done cooking as soon as it cools down. Fill a large tub with hot, sudsy water and put in the rack to soak. An alternative is to cover both sides of the rack with wet paper towels or newspapers and let stand while you eat. Later, the burned-on food should wash right off.

• To remove stubborn burned-on food, sprinkle dry baking soda on a damp sponge and lightly scour the grill rack. You can also scrub with an abrasive-type cleaning pad, crumpled foil or a stiff grill brush. Read your grill's cleaning and care instructions before using any cleaning products or abrasives.

For gas grills

• Clean the inside of your gas grill by turning on the gas burners to the high setting. Close the hood and let the grill self-clean about 15 minutes. Let the grill cool, and then wipe off burned food particles.

• Once a year, remove the grill rack, briquettes and rack from the gas grill so you can brush out the bottom.

For more home-and-family tips, call Val Ogletree Real Living Sugar Pine Realty at (209) 559-5725 or email at valo@valogletree.com

Made for the 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 Val Ogletree Real Living Sugar Pine Realty at (209) 559-5725

 

 

Sensational Herbs

 

Dear Homeowner,

 

Add spice to your garden's scenery. With a myriad of colors and textures, herbs are always good ornamental company for flowers and vegetables.

 

      Among the most care-free plants, herbs just need a little attention to keep them growing vigorously and looking their best.

 

·        Give herbs a soil customized to their needs. Condition the soil with compost and manure before planting to give a solid foundation. A non-acidic soil rich in lime grows the best herbs. You can add lime or crushed shells as well as wood ash or small doses of bone meal to boost alkalinity. For thin or poorly drained soils, use raised beds.

 

·        Herbs for shady northern exposures with moist soil and strong indirect light include cilantro, dill, fennel, mint and parsley. Shrubby aromatic perennial herbs like sage, marjoram, oregano, rosemary, winter savory and thyme demand sunlight. Basil, chives, horseradish, tarragon, sorrel and lovage need only a few hours of sun.

 

·        Decorative herbs mingle well in the moderately rich soil of a flower garden. Plant purple leaf basil, sages, chives, tarragon, lemon balm and mints to fill in the foreground. Invite tall, statuesque fennel and lovage to dance in the breeze alongside delphiniums, peonies, poppies and roses.

 

·        Herbs such as cilantro and sweet marjoram rely on rich, organic soil and plenty of moisture — conditions compatible with vegetable gardening. The right herb paired with vegetables can ward off pests or provide soil nutrients. Perfect partners include basil and tomatoes; summer savory and beans; garlic, leeks or onions and dill.

 

 

For more gardening tips, call Val Ogletree at (209) 559-5725 or email at valo@valogletree.com

 

 

Conquer Closet Clutter

 

 Dear Homeowner,

     

     When you're trying to sell a home it's not the skeletons in the closet that will hurt you — it's all the other stuff you have jammed into them.

 

      Adequate storage space is one of the first things prospective buyers look for when they inspect a home. You can be sure they'll open all of your doors and drawers — checking to see if your home has room for their belongings.

 

      There are many tricks to making your storage space seem more adequate.

• The easiest one is to simply move some of your possessions out.

 

• Remove out-of-season clothing, sports equipment and other miscellaneous items from your front entry closet. Try to take out half the items in your bedroom closets to make them appear more roomy.  Prospective buyers want to see how much space is in your closets, not how much you've been able to cram into them.

 

• Keep in mind that the more things you give away, throw out, sell or store now, the easier your move will be later.

 

• To increase the storage capacity of your closets, add an extra pole, shoe racks, wire baskets or shelves. 

 

• You can also make closets appear bigger by applying a fresh coat of white paint and putting in the highest-wattage bulbs allowed.

 

• Other important storage areas to reorganize include kitchen cabinets, garage and attic. The use of dividers and hanging racks in these areas will make things easier for you to find, and make your home more appealing to buyers. 

 

 

For more tips on merchandising your home, call Val Ogletree (209) 559-5725 or email at Valo@valogletree.com