The Automobile Protection Association has given the thumbs up sign to The Car Inspector –  a gentleman who does mobile car inspections.

Wherever the car is that you are thinking of buying, in a driveway or on a lot, he comes to you and does a complete inspection, including an ultrasound of the body.

You might want to use this service to verify a car before warranty expiration, after a repair job (to make sure it was done properly), before purchasing a used car, before selling (either to reassure potential buyers or to see if it’s worthwhile changing cars), as a pre-trip checkup or just to reassure yourself that it’s free of safety or mechanical problems.

This mobile vehicle inspection is quite complete and here are some of the things that are verified:

– An electronic body verification, to determine if the vehicle has been repainted, involved in an accident or rebuilt covering the the body panels, windows, floor, frame and structure.
– The motor and transmission, steering, brake, air conditioning, and electrical systems
– The brake wear, tire wear, drive-shafts and differentials, as well as suspension and steering components
– Everything inside including all electrical and manual controls, switches, gauges and indicators as well as the odometer, to see if the indicated mileage corresponds with the condition and wear
– Finally a road test is done to check the handling, braking, transmission and instrument operation
– The inspection is done on site in about an hour, Monday to Friday and costs $120 (base price plus traveling)

Tel: 514-890-5000

How many of you have a linen closet with piles of flat top sheets, fitted sheets and then pillowcases, all separated by type? When you need to make a bed, you have to go to each pile and select the matching set. Right? Sometimes stuff tumbles out and you must re-do the pile. Annoying.

Here’s a solution to saving time. When you take the sheets and pillowcases out of the dryer and fold them, you are going to make a package of each set. Take one pillowcase and open it up, put each sheet nicely folded inside it, and then add in any other pillow cases (folded of course). Tuck the end of the pillowcase underneath. Voila, you now have one bundle to grab for any bed. Each pile in the linen closet should be by bed size: twin, queen – or by room.

Another tip: I do love hanging my linens out on a clothesline for that delicious fresh aroma.

I don’t need to use a steel wool pad very often for difficult clean-ups of pots and pans. It occurred to me that every time I used one, it would sit for awhile til the next use – and rust away.  So I’d throw it away. It seemed like you only got one use out of them.

Then the Eureka moment hit. I don’t really use the whole pad each time. So why not cut them in half? Half had enough thickness to scrub. This way I only throw away half when they rust. When I buy a new box, I take a scissors, cut all of them in half right away. So now when you need one (and are too lazy to cut it at that moment), they’re all ready to use.

Nice weather has us yearning to take a long ride somewhere. If you decide you’d like to do a little cross border shopping in Plattsburg or wherever, besides the extra cost due to the money exchange rate, you must remember what your duty free allowances are.

– One day: How much can you bring back after one day? The answer is Nothing.

– If you go for the weekend, let’s say 24-48 hours, you can bring back up to $200, However If the goods you bring in are worth more than CAN$200 in total, you cannot claim this exemption. You have to pay full duties on all goods you bring in

– After 48 hours, goods worth up to CAN$800 can be brought across without paying any duty and taxes.

You must remember to add these costs to the purchase, to see if a deal is really a deal.  And don’t forget to factor in the currency difference.

Now that the warmer months are on our doorstep, it would be prudent to make sure that your home, both indoors and outdoors, adjusts to the change of seasons. Inspectopro’s Allan White says “Being pro-active is the goal in protecting your home and its contents against the most common invader – water.”

Some easy things to look for:
1. Make sure that runoff from melting ice and snow has somewhere to go; ideally a catch basin or storm drain
2. If you can, shovel salt-laden snow left by your snow-clearing contractor or the city off your front lawn, since the salt will upset the pH balance of the soil and make it difficult for grass to grow.
3. Be sure that your home’s drainage system is functioning. If you have a flat roof, be sure that meltwater can reach the roof drain. If the perimeter of the drain is blocked with leaves (or any other vegetable matter) from last fall, clean away a small portion so that the water can gently flow into the drain. Never unblock it all at once, otherwise the pressure of all that inflowing water could cause it to spew up from the basement
4. If you have a shingled roof, be sure that ice and snow does not accumulate excessively at the eaves and valleys. Back-ups of ice and snow can cause water to penetrate the roof and leak into the attic
5. Check the eavestroughs (“gutters”) for physical damage which might have been caused by winter ice dam and icicle formation
6. Watch for water infiltration in the basement from window wells which may be blocked, or from a failed or poorly functioning foundation drain (also known as a French drain), or from cracks.
7. If your home is equipped with backwater traps for the wastewater and drainage system, verify that they are functional.
8. Now is a good time to check the condition of your roof. Once the snow is gone, there is a demand for roofer sand you wouldn’t want to be caught waiting for months.
9. Remember that at areas where water penetrates and stagnates, mold can grow.
10. If the outdoor temperature is above 10ºc (50ºF), you can check the functionality of your air conditioning system. Better to find out now it is faulty than during the heat of summer
11. Check that your window screens are in a state of good repair and ready for re-installation
12. If you have an air exchanger, it can soon be turned off (remember that such systems draw outdoor air into the home in order to reduce the home’s humidity level; in the heat of summer, you will be drawing warm, humid air rather than cool, dry air into the home if the system is still in use)
13. Keep an eye out for burrowing animals which may have hibernated through the winter beneath your front porch, rear sun deck, garden shed, etc.

If you want to make sure your house is in tip top shape (not just when you are buying or selling), here’s my advice, call Inspectopro .

Tel: 514-696-6685
http://www.inspectopro.com

Tapis Decor Chantilly makes it easy to update your home. They will just come to you with their free shop-at-home service. Just put your feet up, have a coffee and await their arrival. It’s that easy.

Open since 1983, they offer one-stop decor shopping for both home and office, in one location, at competitive prices. For flooring, they sell the gamut from carpets to laminate floors, solid hardwood to engineered wood, linoleum and marmoleum, as well as PVC strip wood and tiles. They also carry a huge array of window coverings from well-know manufacturers, custom-made drapes and bedding, wall coverings, ceramics and more. They supply and install all of their products; their installers are certified and experienced, and they are RBQ licensed.

Sit back and let their in-house designers walk you through every step, or feel free to go in with your own designer.

– Carpets: Wall to wall, area rugs and runners, in all shapes and custom sizes for residential or commercial, in wool or synthetic, from Shaw, Mohawk, Beaulieu, Couristan, Momeni, Louis de Poortere and others.

– Blinds and Window Coverings: High end custom window coverings from such well-known brands as Hunter Douglas, Maxxmar, Altex, Faber, Shade-O-Matic and more. Since they are a Hunter Douglas Dealer Select company, they can offer the most competitive prices. They can cover any size or shape window. Custom cover your windows with sheers, drapes and swags. If you need them, they sell motorized blinds and black-out coverings.

– Flooring: Laminate floors from names like Alloc and Kronotex. Marmoleum sheet goods are anti-bacterial and perfect for health care or just for healthy environments. Expect a huge array of vinyl tiles such as Armstrong and Amtico, LSI and Centiva, Mondo tiles and Plynyl woven flooring. There are all kinds of special rubber, which is perfect for your home gym or recreation center. From materials for computer rooms (anti-static), lobbies, corridors, elevators, bars, airplanes or any other application, it’s all here.

– Fabric: They carry the extensive lines of Robert Allen, Kravet, Joanne, Rosedale, Avant-garde and more, in silks, satins, velvets, chenilles, leathers or other types of fabric.They employ their own seamstresses and upholsterers to create decorative valences, headboards, draperies or other ideas you may have.

So chill. Head over to Tapis Decor Chantilly and let them take all the stress out of your home re-do project.

Location: 707 Lucerne (corner Jean-Talon)
Tel: 514-388-6060
www.decorchantilly.com

Everyone has to shop and I’ve tried to make it easier for all of you by compiling Montreal’s best stores into a guidebook. In English it’s Smart Shopping Montreal ($21.95)and in French Le Consommateur Averti Montreal ($20.95). If anyone is driving South to warm up, I’ve also written a guide about what to find at every exit on the way to Florida called Drive I-95: Exit by Exit Info, Maps, History and Trivia ($24.95). You can have them autographed too!

Here’s a synopsis of the Smart Shopping Montreal book:

There’s no reason to waste time shopping for price when the job has already been done by this bestselling book. Thousands of loyal readers for the past 28 years have learned to buy it to find all the discount stores where they can save money. Reading it will save you time too.

All it takes to be a smart shopper is knowing how to save time and money while shopping. If you know where to go for the bargains, who to call when something breaks, or where to buy that something special, you’ve accomplished that goal. This book covers all three topics:

Part I of this book covers over 800 locations around the city (and then another 200 in factory buildings) where the smart shopper can save at least 20% on clothing, household, food and leisure products. Why not make your dollar go as far as possible?

Part II helps the smart shopper resist the throw-away nature of our society by leading you to the wonderful repairmen and master craftsmen who can fix those treasures or broken household items (and save you money by not having to buy a new one!).

Lastly, Part III explores the wonderful variety of unique or unusual specialty stores (which can sometimes get a bit pricey) that one can browse through and shop in. The smart shopper knows where they are. Develop a spirit of adventure and an inquiring mind, and seek out these terrific spots in Montreal – a city which is a wonderful blend of European couture and craftsmanship with American know-how.

The first bargain you’ll find is this book.

Synopsis of Drive I-95:

Road trips are back and to help those who travel up and down the East coast, Drive I-95 is a new style of guidebook which combines colorful easy-to-follow pictorial maps and fun stories.

Look ahead exit by exit to see which motels (with 800 numbers), gas stations, restaurants, campgrounds, 24-hour pharmacies, radio stations or radar traps are there.
We share stories: history on I-95, museums, trivia, towns to explore or places to run the kids or your pets. These can be read for entertainment during the drive, and may entice motorists to stop, stretch their legs and discover someplace new.

You can order the guides online (autographed):
www.smartshoppingmontreal.com
www.drivei95.com
Tel: 514-684-4020 (If you want to make arrangements to buy in person)

Everyone who wants to meet us – and enjoy shopping at Salon du Livre – can come this Saturday when we will be there at booth 209B. My partner Stan Posner and I will be signing copies of our books, Smart Shopping Montreal, Le Consommateur Averti Montreal and Drive I-95: Exit by Exit Info, Maps, History and Trivia. This last title helps you drive to Florida effortlessly.

This is Montreal’s premier book selling event which has been going on for 38 years. It will be open for for 6 days at Place Bonaventure. Yes, most of the titles are in French, but there is one tiny section of English ones. We will be at the Black Rose Books table 209B from 10:30-3:30 on Saturday, Nov. 21st.

Location: Booth 209B at Place Bonaventure, 800, rue de La Gauchetière Ouest, Montréal
Dates: Nov 18-23
Time for our book signing: Sat Nov 21: 10:30-3:30
www.smartshoppingmontreal.com
www.drivei95.com
http://www.salondulivredemontreal.com/

What everyone wants is someone who can organize  their home or office or finances to save time and money. Susan Portnoy of Organized Success, and her team, are masters at this.

– If you have mounds of papers, new color-coded files are created, and old files are seamlessly weeded into the new ones.

– For those living in very small spaces, Organized Success can help you find space where you would never think space existed.

– Those of you facing piles of photos, they will get them organized by year and/or occasion and make albums.

– Your computer and finances can get organized as well. Financially they will save you money (phones, banking, mortgage, food, car) or they won’t charge for the visit.

–  In the event of a move or a loss, they can help you decide what to keep, throw away, or sell.

–  They even have an image and wardrobe consultant who is an expert at personal makeovers  Or she can go through your closet and/or take you shopping to stores within your budget.

What are you waiting for? Call!

Tel: 514-733-1533

Ted’s Hobby Shop has been a fixture on the West Island since 1958. Love their slogan regarding kids, “they have stuff to do, rather that stuff to have”. Their merchandise is a mixture of arts and crafts and toys which use brain power. So if you’re looking for board games, card games or jigsaw puzzles ( now featuring Wrebbit 3D ones for you puzzle aficionados),  science kits or model rockets, start here. But then think about:

– plastic model kits of cars, planes, boats, tanks, sci-fi vehicles from Star Trek, Star Wars, BattleStar Galactica
– scrapbooking and beading supplies
– plasticine, polymer clay (for jewelry and bead-making) and air dry clay
– general arts and crafts supplies like paint, paint by numbers and paint for models
– lots of radio-controlled airplanes, helicopters and cars
– airbrushes – for painting and air design

If you’re looking for a good selection of die cast airplanes, look no further. 80’s nostalgia buffs can pick up SNL’s Mr. Bill and some Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em Robots. And just what every household needs – a remote-controlled rat or pigs that fly – they’re both sold here!

Smart Shoppers know that there are always display tables out front for discounted items

Location: 291 St. Jean Blvd. Pointe Claire QC H9R 3J1
Corner: Douglas-Shand
Tel: 514-697-1810
Hours: Mon-Wed 10-6, Thurs & Fri 10-9, Sat 9-5, Sun 12-5
Facebook: http://on.fb.me/10YeUUB
Email: info@tedshobbyshop.com