Six household items and how to get rid of them

How to get rid of unwanted books (Bigstock photo).

Start your spring cleaning early. Here’s some advice from six professional organizers about how to sell, donate, dump or recycle six major categories of household stuff: china, rugs, books, furniture, technology and musical instruments.

Adrian Higgins

Winter is the time to prune rosebushes

Winter is the time to prune rosebushes

This is the season for pruning, but if you don’t know why or what you’re pruning, then leave the plant alone.

Jura Koncius

Destination Design: Arlington

Destination Design: Arlington

Where Etsy goodies and designer fabrics can be bought at boutiques, found amid a booming retail corridor.

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Six household items and how to get rid of them

Six household items and how to get rid of them

Start your spring cleaning early. Here’s some advice from six professional organizers about how to sell, donate, dump or recycle six major categories of household stuff: china, rugs, books, furniture, technology and musical instruments.

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How to grow your own poppy seeds

How to grow your own poppy seeds

A savvy cook will enliven a dish with caraway, fennel or dill — all simple to grow at home. Poppy seeds are in a class by themselves.

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Winter is the time to prune rosebushes

Winter is the time to prune rosebushes

This is the season for pruning, but if you don’t know why or what you’re pruning, then leave the plant alone.

How to refinish a front door

How to refinish a front door

A front door that shows wood grain is very warm and inviting, but you need to refresh the finish every year or two.

House Calls: A bedroom stuck in the ’80s

House Calls: A bedroom stuck in the ’80s

This Haymarket bedroom is in need of an upgrade.

Surviving the cold wave without bursting a pipe

Surviving the cold wave without bursting a pipe

Expert advice on how to protect against frozen pipes, winterize your home and more.

House Calls: Filling an unused space

House Calls: Filling an unused space

After removing the wall between the kitchen and living space, a Bethesda couple needs help outfitting the new open floor plan.

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Why you should plant vegetable families together

Why you should plant vegetable families together

Grouping them in your garden plan makes it easier to give them the right conditions, and to watch out for shared problems.

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The need to plant seeds

The need to plant seeds

Today, the magic of seeds can be diluted by our ability to manipulate them as never before.

How to replace a basement ceiling

How to replace a basement ceiling

A reader wants to replace water-stained acoustic tiles but keep her quiet refuge upstairs.

Destination Design: Arlington

Destination Design: Arlington

Where Etsy goodies and designer fabrics can be bought at boutiques, found amid a booming retail corridor.

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Where to shop in Arlington

Where to shop in Arlington

Designer fabric outlets and Etsy goodies can be found amid the county’s building boom.

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Throw away radish leaves? Bite your tongue, or let them

Throw away radish leaves? Bite your tongue, or let them

If we go through life without ever tasting a radish leaf, it’s probably not for lack of flavor.

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Winter’s deep freeze kills garden pests

Winter’s deep freeze kills garden pests

The polar vortex could put a dent in the local population of Asian tiger mosquitoes and other despicable bugs.

How to repair a chair’s leather seat

How to repair a chair’s leather seat

Although a repair might cost as little as $75, a replacement could run $300 to $350.

House Calls: A guest room for the young and old

House Calls: A guest room for the young and old

A Rockville couple want both friends and grandchildren to be comfortable.

Local interior designers set up shop

Local interior designers set up shop

A look inside new stores opened by local interior designers in Alexandria, Kensington and Great Falls.

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Local designers set up shop

Local designers set up shop

A look inside new stores opened by local interior designers.

Organization advice for the home office

Organization advice for the home office

How to make the most of your work space, no matter its size.

Photos

Items to keep your home office organized

Items to keep your home office organized

An organizing expert’s favorite tools to keep paper, supplies and cords in check.