Recycling Motor Oil

This spring I tuned up my lawn mower myself for the first time. Then a week later, I tuned up a client's so I could work on her yard. This made me very proud, since I don't know any other females who haved done this. Anyway, it's really not that hard. You get out your owner's manual and find out what kind of oil you need and what kind of spark plug--then go to Lowe's, my favorite place to shop. I bought a tool to take off the spark plug, a sharpener for my drill to sharpen the blade, oil and a spark plug. Then, I followed the directions in the owner's manual.
You have to drain out the oil into a flat pan, drain the old gas and dispose of them. I actually mixed the old gas with the new gas and the mower is running just fine. However, I had to find a place to recycle the oil. After searching unsuccessfully on the Internet, I asked the guys at Grease Monkey where to recycle oil since they wouldn't take it. They sent me to Checker Auto Parts. Checker will accept your oil as long as it has not been mixed with gas. Just make sure you put it into a container that pours easily, since you pour it yourself into a bin in the back of the store.

This could come in handy if you're moving across country. You are advised to empty the oil and gas from your mower before transporting it--in fact, I think it's The Law. Now you know where you can take it. Just thought I'd pass it on!

If You’re Not With the Ones You Love, Love the Ones You’re With

Moving is a lot more than packing your things in boxes and moving them from one place to another. Americans really have a culture of being on the move. The pioneer spirit told us that it would be worth it if we moved West. Kids go to college, then look for jobs far from home, without realizing how emotionally difficult moving away from the support of family and friends is.

So, what, oh wise one, you ask, can we do once we find ourselves 800 miles from home and regretting it? Well, after you analyze why you moved in the first place and decide those things are still true—a job, for instance; a partner; to be near the mountains and all the activity they offer—you can help yourself feel more at home.

First step is to realize you don’t make friends in a week. It’s not like college, where you bonded with roommates or dorm mates because you were all in the same boat. It takes time to build friendships. A rule of thumb, I think, is two years. Give a place two years and you will finally begin to feel like you belong there. That’s a lot of lonesome days and lonesome nights!

What happens in those two years? You find somebody to cut your hair the way you like it and soon she knows your name when you walk in. You locate a doctor, a dentist, maybe a favorite sushi place. You find your way to the mall, the Lowe’s, and all the other places you must know to function in your new place.

Then, you look for ways to meet people. Some friendships begin out of convenience. If you’re working with a team, that provides you a starter set of relationships. Someone has a party, someone gets married, someone invites you to be on the softball team. These are all seedlings of friendship. Some will sprout and grow, some will just die out.

If you’re lucky, you get good neighbors. If you’re renting in an apartment complex, surrounded by a thousand other people, you’re more than likely not going to meet many of them. It just doesn’t happen. They are temporary and they don’t invest much time in other temporary people. It seems that home or townhouse ownership is one of the best ways to make friends, because neighbors now feel they have something invested in you—one of their neighbors.

Other friendships are kindled when you share common interests. Whether it’s joining a hiking group, a scuba class or a volunteer organization, find something you enjoy doing and chances are good you will meet others with the same interest that also appeal to you as friends.

Of course the old saying is true—to have friends you must show yourself to be friendly. Whether moving to a new place 60 miles away or 800, it’s worth it to invest in new friends.

Boxes Everywhere

I probably don't need to tell you that moving is a pain. Overwhelming is not a big enough word. I've moved five times in the last six years, so maybe that makes me an expert, or maybe not. At any rate, I have learned a few things that have helped me feel less overwhelmed.

If you’re moving yourself, spend a hundred dollars and buy some boxes from U-haul or another box store. Pack everything possible in the boxes and label them—what’s in the box and what room it goes in. It’s easier to pack things up ahead of time, label your boxes, and stack them neatly in a designated area. Then when it comes time to move, just load them into a truck. They ride safely, then at the new location, you can stack the boxes in the garage or in one room, out of the way, and haul them in one at a time to the right rooms and unpack them as you go.

Recently I helped Liz and Conor move. Conor is my son and Liz is his girlfriend AND my business partner. Late in the afternoon, after making many trips up stairs, Liz stood in the middle of boxes piled in the kitchen, looking overwhelmed and said, “Tell me what to do.” Everywhere she looked there was work to do!

I know from experience that you will feel better if one room looks done, while the rest of the house looks like a warehouse. “Put your dining room table and chairs together,” I told her. “Clear everything out of the dining area and you’ll have one finished room (albeit the easiest one.) So, she found a screwdriver, put the legs on the table, set the chairs around it, and even found the modern decorative bowl for its center—and felt better.

Which brings me to a final point, Make the place yours as soon as you can. That means hanging artwork and setting out your favorite things. It will make you feel at home, and the sooner you feel at home the better!

Welcome!

Redesign showcases a home’s best features using the architecture of the space as a guide. We use furniture, artwork and accessories you already have in your home to create a fresh and inviting environment. You will not only see, but you will feel the difference!

Why Redesign?

• Rooms feel more comfortable and spacious and are more functional.
• Multiple styles can be used — from antiques to contemporary — we blend them to make a cohesive arrangement.
• It doesn’t take long — the redesign process usually can be done within one or two days.
• You save money since we use your existing furniture and accessories to create a new look.

staging for selling

Staging is getting your home ready for sale so that it will sell faster and for top dollar.

In most cases, buyers will not take the time or make the effort to figure out how to overcome issues — they see the house as it is, not as it could be. We help you declutter, organize and rearrange existing furniture to showcase the positive features of your house. This will create a great first impression and is critical to achieving a successful sale.

Why Stage Your Home?

• Your house will look as good as possible to as many potential buyers as possible — increasing its chances for a quicker sale and at the highest price.
• Buyers will emotionally connect with the house and see themselves living there.
• Buyers will see and appreciate the home’s special features.
• The house will stand out from its competition!

When sellers stage their homes, they make more money. The U.S. Housing and Urban Development reports that a staged house sells, on average, 17% higher than a non-staged house. In today’s market, it’s more important than ever to make your house stand out from other comparable properties in the same price range. Staged homes sell faster in a slow market and for more money in an active real estate market.

Staging helps the seller see the house from the buyer’s point of view. We’ll counsel you on the repairs and improvements you can make to make the buyer feel the property has been well maintained. By investing in a few improvements, you will be more likely to get top dollar for your house.

Staging a home creates more favorable impressions with potential buyers and real estate agents. If agents aren’t favorably impressed with a property, they tend not to show it to other buyers.

Read more at SpaceLiftColorado.com!