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ME LV I N ’ S MON T H LY MOMENT S
JANUARY 2023
205-223-6192 WWW.MELVIN.LISTBIRMINGHAM.COM
2022 MELVIE AWARDS CONTROVERSY!
20. Rod and Babs — Shortest Move (across the street) 21. Ben and Katie — Best Family Referral (her folks) 22. Emily — Triple Crown (buyer/seller and referral) 23. Chris (2x) — Best Investor/Best Vestavia Referral 24. Priyanka — Best Med Student 25. Trey and Amanda — Best Bidding War Winner 26. Bob and Barbara — Shortest Townhome Move 27. Drew and Katie (2x) — Best Couple Referral 28. Leslie — Best Downsize Buyer 29. Gavin and Kristi (2x) — Best Mom Referral 30. Jake and Corrie — Best New Clients 31. Andrew and Karlee — Best Parent Townhome Referral
Well, it’s that time of year again — time to announce the 2022 Melvie Award winners.
The competition was fierce, as usual, and we hope no one gets slapped!
(Note: The Melvie Awards are chocolate Oscars that Melvin hands out annually to clients who have earned some special recognition.)
1. Will and Jill — Best Lot 2. Lindy — Best Former Real Estate Agent 3. Lee and Leigh — Nicest Mississippi Referral 4. Mike and Regina — Most Outgoing 5. Carmen — Most Decisive (saw one house) 6. Wes and Valerie — Fastest Decision 7. Jamie and LeeAlice — Easiest Going 8. Chase and Ashley — Best Online Review 9. Jas and Harpreet — Best Neighbor Referral 10. Beverly (2x) — Best Friend (Betsy) Referral 11. Betsy — Best Yard (Beverly’s friend)
32. Melinda — Best Estate Client 33. Allison (2x) — Happiest Seller
34. Curren and Ashley — Best Negotiators 35. Arpan and Sims — Most Savings ($23,000) 36. Tommy and Carolyn — Most Patient Buyers (16 months) 37. Luke — Best Personal Trainer Referral 38. Jason and Angela — Best Couple Investors 39. Naresh — Best Testimonial Quote (“Melvin almost walks on water!”) 40. Neeraj and Shika (2x) — Most Referrals (2x means they are multiple Melvie Award winners.)
12. Frank — Best Doctor Client 13. Sam — Client With Best Dad 14. Adam and Kelli — Nicest Couple
15. Nick and Lizzie (2x) — Referred Nicest Couple 16. Bryan and Sara — Best Homewood Move 17. Doug and Becky — Best Mt. Brook Move 18. Ryan and Mandy (2x) — Best Vestavia Move 19. Britton and Blake — Best Move Back to Homewood
–Melvin Upchurch
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Upgrade Your Home Office 3 Tips to Spice Up Your Workspace
WHAT’S THAT SMELL? How to Clean Your Garbage Disposal
While the garbage disposal is convenient and simplifies kitchen cleaning, it can release foul odors. Sometimes, you’ll be able to notice this smell instantly, but usually, it will creep up on you over a few days. But why does your garbage disposal start to stink? And is cleaning it an easy task? Why do garbage disposals smell? Over time, your garbage disposal releases odors if bits of food still haven’t gone through the grinding process and are stuck in the appliance. Your garbage disposal is great at breaking down the food you put in, but the food particles can sometimes accumulate and cause mildew and mold. How do you clean your garbage disposal? It’s best to clean your garbage disposal once a week or every two weeks to ensure foul smells don’t occur. While this may seem tedious, the process is simple and can take less than 10 minutes to complete. You can use several methods to clean this appliance. • Ice doesn’t only get rid of that nasty smell, but it will also sharpen the blades of your garbage disposal. Fill your disposal with ice cubes, and then turn it on. Let the blades shred all the ice until you can’t hear it anymore. Hopefully, the odor will be gone. But if not, here are some additional methods. • White vinegar and baking soda used together is another strategy you can try. You first want to turn on your garbage disposal and pour 1 cup of dry baking soda down the drain. Then, flush the baking soda with a cup of white vinegar. This is one of the best methods to remove rank smells from your sink.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, from 2019 to 2021, the number of people working from home tripled from about 9 million to 27.6 million. Remote work is expected to increase because of the benefits workers can get from it. For example, they have flexible schedules, spend less money on commuting, and can have more time with their children. While remote work has many benefits, some people find it challenging to remain productive and motivated in their home office. Here are three tips to upgrade your office space so you can boost creativity and productivity. Upgrading Your Lighting Lighting plays a vital role when it comes to productivity. Natural sunlight is the best illumination for stimulating motivation. PLOS One conducted a study that found sunlight positively affected mental health, improved mood, lowered anxiety, and boosted productivity. However, if you don’t get a lot of sun in your home office, you can invest in several kinds of lights to enhance your workspace. Some examples include color-changing accent lights, light therapy lamps, string lights, and stained-glass bulbs. Adding Some Greenery If your home office is feeling a bit bland, plants not only introduce color into your room but also improve air quality and increase motivation. Even if you don’t have a green thumb, several houseplants take little maintenance to keep alive. Look into snake plants, aloe vera, nerve plants, and peace lilies. To find the perfect houseplant, go to your local home improvement store to check out plant selections in the garden center. Decluttering Your Workspace If your home office isn’t organized, it can affect your motivation exponentially. Working in a cluttered area can be distracting and stressful. So, inspect your workspace and see what you need to keep and what can be removed. Invest in containers and drawer dividers to organize supplies and tools. Remote work doesn’t seem to be going anywhere any time soon, and it looks like more of us will spend more time in our home offices. So, ensure you have a comfortable workspace to complete all your necessary tasks. Do you work from home? What are some of your strategies to remain motivated? We would love to hear from you!
• Another strategy you can use is to cut a lemon, lime,
or orange into small pieces and run it through the garbage disposal. The fruit helps wash away any bad smells and replaces them with a pleasant citrusy scent.
While these remedies will help you remove odors, the best strategy is prevention. Avoid grinding vegetables and starchy foods, as they can easily clog your disposal. You can also grind eggshells and fruits frequently to remove any lingering debris from the blades. With some preventive measures and household items, your disposal will smell fresh and clean in no time!
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In 4 Easy Steps CREATE YOUR OWN COMPOST
Step 4: Toss in your food scraps. Now that you’ve created your compost bin, you can begin adding food and paper scraps you want to compost. You can throw fruits and vegetables, coffee grounds, crushed eggshells, shredded paper and cardboard, yard trimmings, and houseplants into your compost. But you cannot
If you want to enrich the soil you use in your garden or you simply want to send less waste to the landfills, consider creating a compost bin. While you can purchase different types of composting containers online or at a local hardware store, you can easily make your own. The best part is that you may already have all the supplies you need at home!
Step 1: Find a bin. You want to find a bin about 24 inches tall or taller with a tight-fitting lid to keep the soil in your compost moist. A trash can or a large plastic storage container will work perfectly.
compost coal, charcoal, dairy products, fats, grease, oils, pet waste, or meat and fish bones.
After you add scraps to the compost pile, stir them with a shovel or stick to ensure all the scraps are covered with dirt. Then, spray lukewarm water over your compost until it’s moist (but not soaking wet), and close the lid. Turn the pile about every 4–5 weeks.
Step 2: Drill holes in the bin.
Once you find the perfect bin, drill around 7–10 holes in the bottom of the container
for airflow. These holes allow oxygen into your compost so the bacteria can break down the waste plant material into soil.
Once your scraps are all broken down and it has that earthy, dirt-like smell, the soil is ready to use! Creating your own nutrient-rich soil is just that easy. Happy composting!
Step 3: Create a base. Add dry leaves or newspapers to the bottom one-eighth of your container. Then, place dirt on the leaves or newspaper until the container is half full.
TAKE A BREAK
Easy Cherry Cobbler
Inspired by Life-In-The-Lofthouse.com
Ingredients
• 1/4 cup salted butter, melted • 1 cup cake flour or all- purpose flour • 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tsp baking powder • 1 cup milk • 1 21-oz can cherry pie filling
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 F. 2. In the bottom of a 2.5-quart baking dish, pour melted butter. 3. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and milk until combined. 4. In the baking dish, pour batter over the butter, and don’t stir. Then, pour the cherry pie filling over the batter, and don’t stir. 5. Bake 45 minutes, or until crust is golden brown. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.
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205-223-6192 WWW.MELVIN.LISTBIRMINGHAM.COM 300 UNION HILL DR., STE. 200 BIRMINGHAM, AL 35209
PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411
INSIDE
1
Winners of the 2022 Melvie Awards
2
Remote Work Isn’t Going Anywhere
What’s That Smell?
3
4 Steps to Create Your Own Compost
Easy Cherry Cobbler
4
Ideas for a Comfy Reading Corner
Create the Perfect Reading Nook
3 Ways to Make a Cozy Corner
There’s nothing better than curling up with a good book, but it’s difficult to fully immerse yourself in the pages if your area doesn’t fit the mood. Luckily, there are a few easy ways to create a cozy and comfortable reading corner in your home.
If you want to be tucked away from the rest of the world as you read, convert an unused closet into the perfect nook. Pillows and blankets can make it warm and cozy, and aesthetic lighting and artificial plants will provide a little extra pizazz. If you’re limited with space, consider creating a portable reading nook by purchasing a utility cart . You can add your
current reads, snacks, plants, coffee mugs, and candles to the cart to give it a personal touch.
If you have a sunny corner by a window, capitalize on it using a comfy chair or circular pillow to sit on as you bask in the sun while flipping through the pages of your book.
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