Furniture Make-Overs for Beauty and Budget

"Do you wonder if your house needs to be given a new touch of glamour - do you feel that some of your furniture suddenly has a very tired and old look - or do you have an unused wedding present or a hand-me-down piece which you've relegated to the attic or basement? Don't feel that all is hopeless. On the contrary, no piece of furniture is too old to be salvaged; if you want to modernize, or to remodel yet retain its present period, all you need is a bit of imagination plus a few simple woodworking tools, paint and brush, and needle and thread." 

Good Reading Rack Service, 1956

How to Make Small Rooms Seem Larger

"There are three ways to tackle the problem of creating a feeling of space in a small room. One has to do with walls and ceilings….A second way to make a crowded room seem to expand its dimensions is to re-arrange the furniture….Finally, you can study the small room to see if you can lessen the total number of confusing patterns it may have in floor coverings, curtains, and upholstery." 

Employee Relations Inc., no date

Something Out of Nothing

"Your house may possess a "treasure box" of many articles which are ready to be turned into good use. This may be an incentive for you to develop a leisure time activity of "household makeovers" which will be not only a pleasure but a most profitable pastime. And you'll receive applause for your originality in creating something out of nothing!" 

Good Reading Rack Service, 1956

Wild Flowers on the Roadside

"What is that flower? How often do we ask that familiar question as we speed along the highway, or stop for a picnic, or rest in a shady nook? One does not need to be a botanist, or a flower collector, to answer that question. There are hundreds of wild flowers common to our highways, fields and woods which anyone can identify with just a little prompting. And such fun it is! In fact it can be a family game in which the children can join and it is more interesting and instructive than counting white hourses, red barns or mail boxes." 

Blue Book Company, 1956

Attracting Birds to Your Yard

"The greatest pleasure I derive from birds is found in attracting them to birdhouses around my home. It is even more fun than luring them to feeding stations. As I write this, parent bluebirds are feeding their three young that have just emerged from a birdhouse; tree swallows circle gracefully over another box containing their eggs; and three pairs of wrens find time between chores to serenade me with effervescent song." 

Good Reading Rack Service, no date

Flowers in the Home

"Too many people consider flowers a luxury because they don't know how to use plant material that is free or how they can utilize just a few flowers from the local florist." 

Good Reading Rack Service, 1956

Reader Request: Inside 99 Wife-Savers

You ask and you shall receive.  Here is 99 Wife-Savers in its entirety!  

 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

Evergreens and Flowering Shrubs

"Shrubs, what a blessing they are and how much beauty they can contribute to a yard or garden, and what a multitude of sins and ugliness they can hide, if wisdom and good taste are used. It is easier said than done, but not difficult for anyone to learn the simple fundamentals." 

Good Reading Rack Service, no date

How to Prune

"Although the subject of pruning is exhaustless, the basic principles are simple. It is important to know when to prune, how to prune and what to prune." 

Employee Relations Inc., 1960

Lawn Tips for Home Gardeners

"Of course you want a better lawn! Nearly everyone does. You can have it, too, if you will take a little sound advice and do the right thing at the right time. Unfortunately, the common lawn has many things in common with the common cold - everyone has a different remedy and few of them really work." 

Good Reading Rack Service, 1954

Make It for Your Garden

"The silent guide through your garden and grounds is the walk and, because it must be made useful as well as attractive, careful thought has to be given to its proper design and construction. The first consideration is that a walk should lean one to his destination directly and conveniently. This does not mean that a walk must not curve but rather that it should not follow a circuitous route through your garden unless there is a definite reason, such as leading one by a particularly attractive feature." 

George W. Steward, 1954

Spring Tips for Home Owners

"The clouds are looking fleecy, the days are getting warmer, the trees are starting to bud, and spring is just around the corner! All the earth begins to look alive again, and the lady of the house gets that "Spring Cleaning" gleam in her eye. And for a good reason, too. With the first fresh gusts of spring air, the house suddenly seems musty and dusty, the car squeaks, the garden has all but disappeared and everything cries out for a good airing and freshening up. That mixed blessing, the "lived-in look," really shows up, come spring!" 

Good Reading Rack Service, 1957

Spot & Stain Removal

Employee Relations Inc., no date

How to Remove Stains

"Off with stains! Keep clothes and home fabrics spotlessly clean. It is smart and thrifty to take best care of your clothing and household fabrics so they will look well and last as long as possible. Many stained and spotted articles are needlessly thrown away each year. Many others are needlessly ruined by unsuccessful attempts to remove stains. It is possible to remove practically any stain at home by following a few simple rules. To take proper care of your fabrics, you will find it worth-while to learn enough of the "know-how" skill so that you can do a good job." 

Good Reading Rack Service, 1956