It's important to have a baseline of knowledge about the kind of item you want to sell. If you're selling your grandparents' old dining room table, it might be useful to find out what kind of table it is (style, material, and, if possible, who made it). You can find this kind of information in general reference books on antiques. Most libraries have a section on guides for antiques and collectibles. Once you identify your item and get a ballpark value, it will be easier for you to figure out a good price for that item. Look for items similar to the one you want to sell. Compare the condition of the items for sale to the condition of the one you have. Check for any differences in style, material, or maker. Then check how much the dealer is trying to sell the item for. You might even want to talk to the dealerask about why they priced the item the way they did. Beware: While antiques dealers can be helpful in determining a ballpark price for your item, you should ever ask them (or allow them) to appraise your item unless you know for sure that you will not sell your item to them. It is considered a conflict of interest for a dealer to appraise an item they intend to buy. If a dealer offers to buy an item after valuing it for you, say no. Ebay, Amazon, and Craigslist are all useful sites for finding out how much people are willing to pay for items like yours. On Ebay, you can search for similar items which have recently been sold. This will help you to see what people are actually willing to pay for items like yours. Keep in mind that these sites are highly competitive, so their prices tend to be on the low side. If you want to get the most money possible for your item, online auction sites aren't the best gauge. Price guides list different types of antiques or collectibles along with a range of prices you can expect to get for them. Kovel's is considered to be the best online guide for antiques and collectibles. You can get a free subscription or pay a yearly fee for its premium services. Appraisers can give you several different kinds of price values, depending on how (or if) you want to sell your item. Auction Value The auction value is the amount that your item would be expected to sell for at an auction. Very rare or valuable items are often sold at auction because people are willing to spend more. However, items that are less rare or valuable tend to go for less at auction than they would at retail price, because there is not much demand for them. Retail Value Retail value is the amount of money your item would sell for in an antique store. If your item is not rare and you don't expect its value to be high, the retail value is likely to be higher than the auction value. Remember, though, that an antique dealer will not buy your item from you at full retail value; if they did, they wouldn't be able to make a profit. Insurance Value If you decide that you don't want to sell your item, an appraiser can also assess its insurance value. This is the amount of money that you would need to replace your item in a "reasonable amount of time" if it is destroyed or stolen. This is useful is your item is especially valuable. Many people think that their item will be worth more if they clean it up before having it appraised. However, "restoring" or otherwise altering an item without talking to an expert first often has the effect of lowering the value of the itemsometimes by a lot. Keep your item just the way it isflaws and all.
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One-sentence summary -- Learn more about your item. Browse antique stores in your area. Check online auction sites. Check online price guides. Decide what kind of value you want to find out in your appraisal. Don't alter your item before you have it valued.

Chances are the high windows have not been cleaned in awhile, so they will likely have dust, dirt, and debris on the the frames that needs to be removed. Make sure the ladder is at a safe angle by standing with your toes against the feet of the ladder on the ground and stretching your arms out in front of you, towards the ladder. Your fingertips should be able to touch the rungs of the ladder easily. You should also ensure that the ladder always hits your hip area or midsection when you are on it so you have enough balance and support to stand on it safely. If you do not own a ladder, you can borrow one from a friend or rent one at your local hardware store. The vacuum will be useful for animal droppings, spider webs, and thick dust. A wet cloth may be enough if there is just a light layer of dust or dirt on the windows. This can put you at risk of falling out of the window. You should also be on the outside of the windows on a stable ladder when you clean them.
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One-sentence summary -- Set up a ladder under the window at a safe angle. Wipe the windows down with a handheld vacuum or a wet cloth. Never lean out of a high window from the inside to clean the windows.

Fleas, eggs, and larvae can be found all over your house, and one of the best ways to get rid of them is by washing everything. This includes linens and bedding, towels, drapes, clothes, toys, and pet beds and mats. Run them through the washing machine using hot water. When you dry the loads, use the highest temperature settings to ensure you kill everything. Another effective way of removing flea eggs and larvae inside is by vacuuming. Use nozzles and attachments to get into nooks and corners. Dispose of the vacuum bag immediately after vacuuming. Vacuum everything you can, including: Carpets Furniture Beds Floors Cracks between hardwood floors Along walls After washing and vacuuming, spray your entire house with your homemade lemon flea spray. Pay particular attention to furniture, drapes, and areas where your pet spends time. For the first week, spray the house in the morning and in the evening. Once the fleas are gone, continue spraying the house every few days to deter them from coming back. Be thoughtful in deciding where and how much of the lemon flea spray to use, because components of lemon rind can can be toxic to animals if ingested. Limit or avoid spraying areas and especially items that your pet might lick or chew. Lemon juice is often used as a stain-removing ingredient, but it's best to test the spray on an inconspicuous area of furniture and drapes to test for color-fastness. If the area isn't discolored by the lemon juice, spray the mixture liberally. Fleas also thrive in many outdoor areas, particularly in moist and shady places like tall grass, shrubs, trees, and leaves. Spray your flea spray in areas that fleas might like, and especially near entrances to the house and where pets or people play. You can also help prevent fleas by maintaining your yard, keeping the grass short, and not having bushes and shrubs near doors and windows.
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One-sentence summary --
Launder everything you can. Vacuum what you can't wash. Spray the furniture. Spray outside as well.