Check out our October newsletter!
OCTOBER 2023
ME LV I N ’ S MON T H LY MOMENT S
205-223-6192 www.MelvinUpchurchSells.com
KLUTZ: A CLUMSY, AWKWARD PERSON
First, let me say that my advisors (i.e., business coach, marketing consultant,
But my all-time greatest klutz move occurred during my wedding reception. Jill and I were married in Pinehurst, NC. We had friends and family from all over the country attend the wedding. We had our rehearsal dinner at the Pinehurst Country Club. Jill’s sister owned a home in the very exclusive section of Pinehurst near the club. Our wedding ceremony was in her lovely backyard. Jill arrived with her family in a horse-drawn carriage. Everything was progressing like a fairy tale. Then, the nightmare began. At the reception, before the toasts and speeches, I literally walked through a plate glass door. The door shattered with a loud noise, and everything stopped. Total silence. The band quit playing. All polite conversation came to a halt. The caterers stopped serving. No movement, deafening silence as all eyes turned toward me. Standing there, afraid to move. Blood dripping down my face and from my arms. Two of the three physicians in attendance rushed over to take me to a bathroom to assess the damage. Turns out it was all superficial. They bandaged me up and sent me back out to face my utter humiliation. There I sat, with a big bandage over my eye and on my hand. Poor Jill, you know all her friends and family felt sorry for her. But all the toasts and speeches were great. No one mentioned the obvious elephant in the room. So, when it came time for my toast, I stood up, held out my glass of champagne, and said to Jill, “And you were worried I would spill something on the tux.” Everyone laughed. I did manage to regain some of my dignity. Jill and I took ballroom dance lessons before
Newsletter Pro, etc.) continue to advise me to show my vulnerable side. My response is an emphatic NO. I want people to see strength. I want to tout my accomplishments: #2 in sales in Birmingham out of 5,350 agents since 2014, #1 in my accounting class, summa cum laude college graduate, E-5 in the Air Force when I was 20, high school drama award, etc. But they assure me, people like someone to whom they can relate. So, here goes: Hi, my name is Melvin, and I am a Klutz. There, I said it. You might say, “No way.” But, yes, sadly, I have moments of stunningly clumsy actions. How am I clumsy? Well, for one thing, no matter how careful I try to be, I seem incapable of eating a meal without spilling or dropping food on my clothes. My dry cleaner loves me. At home, I always manage to knock over glasses, drop plates, etc. We buy paper towels by the case.
Note the bandage on my left hand.
the wedding. As you might imagine, athletic Jill quickly learned the steps and was very graceful. The husband-and-wife team that taught us commented several times that I really was the most awkward student they ever trained. At the end of our final lesson, when I had finally nailed the dance moves (after hours and hours of practice with Jill), the lady instructor who taught me, stated it was her proudest moment. After our dance at the reception, my brother commented that we looked like Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. Well, on Oct. 20, we celebrate our 22nd wedding anniversary. It’s been the happiest 22 years of my life. As for Jill, well she always wanted to be a mom. She likes to say that she has two children — Bram and his clumsy dad. Melvies are just around the corner! Be sure to get in your referrals and five star reviews as soon as possible!
Picture of our friend, Dr. Carol Smith, taking a photo of us.
–Melvin Upchurch
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Embrace the ‘Marshmallow Trend’ to Make Your Home Cozier
I’m Supposed to Clean That?!
If you love fall as much as we do, here’s some good news: You can live in it all year long! How? Well, as we write this, the season’s warm colors and cozy shapes are trending in home decor, and you can use them to bring the autumn indoors. Here are three subtle ways to add the season’s comfort and ease to your space without breaking the bank. 1. Get inspired by marshmallows. Yes, marshmallows! According to interior designer Loren Kreiss, 2023 is the year of “marshmallowy vibes, rounded corners, [and] soft, cozy textures.” A study out of Oregon State University found that people feel happier, calmer, more
4 Items in Your Home That Need More Maintenance Than You Think
If you wash your sheets more than once or twice a month, you already have better bedroom hygiene than 60% of Americans. But according to experts, even weekly washing isn’t enough! To get a completely hygienic night’s sleep, you should clean your mattresses every six months. Who knew? Here’s how to do it, along with tips for maintaining three other household items you’ve probably overlooked. Your Mattress — You can use dozens of methods and products to clean your mattress, but the old-fashioned way only requires two things: baking soda and a vacuum cleaner. After you’ve stripped your sheets, peel back your mattress protector and dust your entire mattress with baking soda. Wait 10 minutes, then vacuum the powder up! If you’re feeling ambitious, add a second vacuum pass before the baking soda and use a mixture of baking soda, salt, and water to lift stains. Let the concoction sit on the stain for 30 minutes, then wipe it away. Your Kitchen Backsplash — You probably wipe down your counters regularly, but have you deep-cleaned your backsplash? If not, it’s probably coated with years of grease and food particles. Start with a quick soap and water rinse to get rid of the ick. Then, use a mixture of lemon juice, vinegar, and baking soda in a 1:1:2 ratio to dissolve the grease. Sponges are excellent for scrubbing tile surfaces, and you can tackle the grout with a toothbrush. Your Basement Drain (Or Any Unused Drain) — If you have a basement or garage with a drain in the floor or even a seldom- used guest bathroom shower drain, you should take a few minutes every month to pour a bucket of water into it. This will keep your drain from drying out and prevent nasty sewage odors and pests. Your Throw Pillows — Remove the covers from your throw pillows monthly and toss them in the wash to keep them from becoming smelly or discolored. Every other month, you should also wash the inside of the pillow in your washing machine or by hand, depending on its material. If you have down-filled or highly decorated pillows, take them to the dry cleaner for a refresh.
comfortable, and even more hopeful in an environment with soft-edged furniture. With that in mind, you may want to invest in a round dining room table or simply bring out your chunky knit blanket and extra pillows.
2. Swap sterile gray for
warm beige. Grays can be beautiful, but they also tend to feel cold and sterile, especially
when they dominate a space. This season, consider painting your “millennial gray” walls a warm, rosy beige to bring more life into your home. If you have a gray-on-gray palette and don’t want to paint, you can also reshuffle your furniture and decor to get a similar effect! A living room with gray walls and a gray couch might feel lifeless with a gray rug, but if you rotate that rug with a warm brown one from your office and add a plant from your dining room, you can revitalize the living area without spending a cent. 3. Lean in to copper. As Architectural Digest once reported, “Copper lends a space warmth and depth but always feels modern” — and you don’t have to go all-in with a copper bathtub or range hood to get those benefits. Instead, consider trading the silver knobs on your bathroom vanity for copper ones or thrifting a few copper pans to display in your kitchen. These utilitarian swaps will add timeless elegance to your space.
Done right, these three trends will help your home feel warm, cozy, and fall-like all winter!
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Are wasps buzzing around your yard keeping you from enjoying the fall weather, or are you battling bugs inside your home? If so, try these DIY tactics to eliminate them and keep them from returning next year. Eradicate troublesome wasps with soapy water. You don’t need store-bought insecticides to banish wasps from your yard or garden. Instead, simply pour 2 tablespoons of dish soap into an empty spray bottle and fill the rest with water. Shake up the mixture, and you have homemade wasp spray! According to one pest control expert, spraying down nests with this simple solution kills wasps instantly. It works because wasps breathe through holes in their bodies called “spiracles.” They can survive in the rain because the surface tension in each water droplet prevents it from blocking their spiracles effectively. But soap eliminates that tension, letting water seep into their breathing holes and drown them in mid-air. Be sure to wear protective clothing when spraying wasps, just in case “instant” isn’t fast enough. A spray bottle is WASP TROUBLES? TRY THIS UNCONVENTIONAL REMOVAL METHOD Plus 2 More DIY Pest Control Tips!
perfect for tackling small nests. For larger projects, experts recommend buying a heavy-duty hose-end sprayer at your local home improvement store. Deter future pests with a fake wasp nest. Just as you can keep owls away with an owl statue, some exterminators claim you can deter wasps and carpenter bees with a fake wasp nest! Pest experts recommend hanging your “nest” in the spring and keeping it up through fall. Look for a spot where real wasps would get cozy, like the peak of your eaves or the corner of your garage, attic, or porch. You can buy nest decoys on Amazon or make your own from crumpled paper bags. Break out your vacuum to prevent bug stains and smells. It seems counterintuitive, but if common fall pests like Asian lady beetles, box elder bugs, or stink bugs make it into your house, you shouldn’t squish them — you should vacuum them up! Some bugs, like stink bugs, create foul smells when squashed. Others, like Asian lady beetles, can permanently stain your rugs or walls with their guts. To keep your home clean and stink-free, use pesticides outside and suck up survivors inside.
TAKE A BREAK
Homemade Pumpkin Spice Latte
Inspired by AmbitiousKitchen.com
Ingredients
• 2 shots espresso (or 1/2 cup freshly brewed coffee)
• 1–2 tbsp maple syrup • 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice • 1 tsp vanilla extract • Whipped cream for topping (optional)
• 1 cup milk of choice • 3 tbsp pumpkin purée
Directions
1. In a small pot on medium heat, heat milk until simmering but not boiling. 2. Make your espresso (or coffee) and pour into a large mug or Mason jar. Add pumpkin purée, maple syrup, pumpkin pie spice, and vanilla and stir until well combined. 3. With a milk frother, froth the heated milk until foamy. Then, pour into your pumpkin espresso mixture and top with whipped cream. For decoration, you can sprinkle more cinnamon or pumpkin spice on top!
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205-223-6192 www.MelvinUpchurchSells.com 300 UNION HILL DR., STE. 200 BIRMINGHAM, AL 35209
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INSIDE
1
22 Wonderful Years Began With a Mishap
2
Dust and Grime Hideaways: Home Cleaning Checklist Create a Cozy Haven With These Fall Trends!
3
DIY Pest Control to Banish Wasps and More
Homemade Pumpkin Spice Latte
4
Effortless Elegance: Master Wall Molding in 4 Steps
TRANSFORM YOUR EMPTY WALL INTO A FEATURE WALL WITH THIS DIY TRICK
Do you have an empty wall in your house and have no idea how to fill it? Instead of spending months looking for the perfect art piece (or buying something mass-produced
from Target), consider using wall molding to level up the area. You can create simple squares or complex geometric patterns — whatever fits your style — with one supply run to a home improvement store and four easy steps.
1. Use painter’s tape to map out the design on your wall.
2. Cut and nail molding pieces to the wall in place of the painter’s tape. (Remember to use your level!) 3. Fill the nail holes with wood filler and disguise gaps between the wall and trim with caulk. 4. Paint your molding to match your wall, or use a contrasting color for extra visual interest.
That’s it! You can easily transform your vacant wall from something plain into any style you choose.
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