Bloom Time!
What a beautiful time of the year, the trees and flowers are in bloom and Mother’s Days is upon us. For all the Moms out there (yours truly included) it feels especially great to be a Mom and recognized for all those great achievments by your children and loved ones.
I also love this holiday because of the amazing array of budding flowers- usually given to us Moms!
I love this time of year for a lot more reasons, but I especially enjoy walking around the city and seeing many vegetable stands and hardware stores turn into flower filled garden shops – they all seem to sell flats of annual flowers bursting with color. Why not take advantage of the bounty and create a container garden?
Even the smallest patio, porch, stoop, terrace or even indoor coffee table can be enhanced by a container of flowers. I like annual flowers (check out the list of my faves’ below) for their continuously blooming color.
Get creative in your choice of containers. Traditional terracotta pots can be painted in a variety of colors with acrylic paints from the craft store. Or, use a vintage soup terrine, wooden boxes, ice buckets, decorative tins, even tiny teacups and coffee pots for your “garden.” Match the container to your garden or living room décor. The type of containers you use it limited by your creativity!
If you plan to use a container that does not have a drainage hole, line the bottom with gravel before planting, or use Barbara K! power drill and the appropriate bit to drill a ½ to 1-inch hole in the bottom of your planter. Cover the hold with a shard of pottery or a stone to keep the dirt from falling out while allowing excess water to drain. Use a growing mix made especially for container plants – they are usually sold right next to the flowers you’re buying. Since containers dry out fairly quickly, check the mix everyday and water as needed. Don’t over water, but don’t allow the planter to stand dry for days on end. Some flowers, like geraniums, like drying out between watering but other flowers like to take a drink more often Check the label on your plants for specific watering instructions.My favorite flowers:
Alyssum
Begonia
Coleus
Geraniums
Impatiens
Marigolds
Nasturtiums
Pansies
Petunias
Salvia
Snapdragons
Make Me an Offer!
May and September are the two prime times for stoop sales – happily coinciding with season-change cleaning binges we should all be having. Late spring is an especially good time: the chill is gone and it’s not too hot to sit on your front steps all day greeting neighbors and passersby. Selling your stuff not only if a profitable way to get rid of perfectly good furniture, accessories, toys, working electronics and even clothing – it’s a great way to meet your neighbors.
Other benefits: if you have kids it gets the to put possessions in perspective – it gives them a sense of entrepreneurship and handling money teaches them math skills. Consider having your stoop sale with a couple of other neighbors or friends who have extra stuff. The more the merrier – and large sales attract more buyers. Use the cash you make for some family fun (a special dinner out, a trip to a museum or theme park), or a treat for yourself (some cool new sunglasses perhaps).
Some communities may have rules about tag sales, but most New York City neighborhoods and suburban areas allow you to set up shop anytime. Here are my top tips for sorting and selling your stuff:
1. Plan the sale for either a Saturday or a Sunday, not both. Stoop sales are fun, but exhausting and you’ll most likely get rid of all the good stuff in one day anyway.
2. Devote the weekend before your sale to sorting, organizing and pricing. Use small white stickers to price each item (people are more prone to buy if they have an idea of what you are charging – many people dislike to ask what everything costs).
3. Make sure you have lunch made and cold drinks available so you can eat while you work. Having to close up shop for lunch runs could man missing out on some great customers!
4. On the Tuesday before your sale pin up homemade flyers around your neighborhood – be sure to give a general address (Bergen Street between Nevins and Bond) and list specific items for sale (“Many children’s toys, antique armoire, coffee table, vintage dishes.” Please be sure to remove the flyers after the sale!
5. Go to the bank and exchange large bills ($10s and $20s) for one and five dollar bills. Get one roll of quarters and dimes. Keep your money in your pocket or in an apron tied around your waist. Moneyboxes have a way of “walking off.”
6. Be flexible. If customers want to be several items give them a good deal – for example, offer to take off 20% from the total price.
7. Barrgain with enthusiastic buyers, but don’t feel you have to accept lowball offers.
Empower Yourself!
If I Can Do It So Can You!
Happy Mother’s Day!
Barbara K
