MORE STORIES

• WASHINGTON REPORT

  Home appraisal code overhaul could be near

  It has been said that the present code has encouraged many lenders to use appraisal management companies, some of them owned by or affiliated with the lenders themselves.
• 

  Key to organization is SPACE: sort, purge, assign, containerize, equalize

  Signs your garage needs organizing: You have to buy a third set of crutches, because you can't remember where in the garage you put the pairs you bought the first two times you stumbled over your kids' sports equipment. Or you're just tired of the mess.
• 

  HALLOWEEN DECOR

  Tricks and treats for the home

  Goth and glitter. Bones and ornaments dusted with lime, ebony, orange or purple sparkle. Startling images on dishware and textiles.

• PILLOWS

  Tips for finding the right pillow

  Counting sheep to fall asleep? The cause of your insomnia might not be in your head, but under it. Follow these guidelines from the American Down and Feather Council to select -- and care for -- the perfect feather pillow.

• WASHINGTON REPORT

  Credit disputes can be loan killers

  Honest consumers who challenge their credit scores are being ambushed when applying for a mortgage.
• 

  AIA

  Architect events begin Nov. 1

  The American Institute of Architects opens Celebrate Architecture + Design Nov. 1 with its annual sand sculpture competition on Crandon Beach. The contest kicks off three weeks of architecture and design-related events, including lectures, receptions, exhibits, tours and competitions, and culminates in a gala at which design award winners will be announced.
• 

  Corralling collections: Things you cherish can become clutter

  Collections are a blessing. They speak to our memories and passions like nothing else in the home. But collections also can be a curse. Once friends and family figure out what you like, watch out.
• 

  BATHROOMS

  Designer offers prescription to add style -- and stay green

  The guru of the green lifestyle is on the phone and we're going to talk. There's some bathroom humor involved. But mostly we want to chat about how to green up the place where you scrub up.

• TOOLS

  Get a power drill/driver to make quick work of projects

  In the ''good'' old days, back when I was renovating a house from top to bottom, I learned early that if you had a job that involved putting a lot of screws into something, a hand-held old-fashioned screwdriver was not what you needed.
• 

  LAUNDRY

  Following these tips can lighten the loads

  Whether you find doing laundry relaxing or were born to live with an overflowing laundry basket, the reality is that it's the chore that won't go away. The website of the Soap and Detergent Association (www.cleaning101.com) has basic tips -- and some new tricks -- for washing your clothes.

• PLANT CLINIC

  Whiteflies remain a problem in the ficus hedges

  Q: My ficus hedge is dropping a lot of yellow leaves and I see small whitish flies flying around my plants. What can I do? A.P., Miami

• WASHINGTON REPORT

  FTC clamps down on quick-fix firms

  With Americans' credit scores plunging following record numbers of mortgage and credit card delinquencies, companies that promise quick fixes -- eliminating negative information in credit bureau files -- are proliferating, federal officials say.

• Garden Calendar

  EVENTS Butterflies of Biscayne: Exhibit of art, photos and posters on the species found in Biscayne National Park. Includes information on butterfly life cycles and ways to attract butterflies to home gardens; 9 a.m.-5 p.m. daily through Nov. 15; Dante Fascell Visitor Center, Biscayne National Park, 9700 SW 328th St., Homestead; free. 305-230-7275 or www.nps.gov/bisc.
• 

  In uncertain times, an oasis at home can be comforting

  Everything in our lives these days seems like too much. More work at the office. More annoying interruptions from e-mail and cellphones. More, more, more. It's no wonder that South Florida designers say overworked, over-connected folks are looking for less clutter and more serenity when decorating their homes.
• 

  HOME DECOR

  Zebra stripes, Buddhas are in

  Fashion Week in New York is held twice a year, highlighting the latest styles and trends in fashion. But the week sets the tone for more than just the future of fashion, it also guides what we'll be seeing in home decor.
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  GARDENS

  Forget ficus -- hedge your bets with natives

  When you're swinging in a hammock on a breezy fall day, eating dinner with your family in the shade of a wise old oak or barbecuing with friends, you probably don't want the world looking in on your backyard scene of splendor.
• 

  DECORATING

  Hanging pictures made easier

  How difficult is it to hang pictures on a wall? Just about anyone can succeed on the most basic level. All you need is a hammer, a roofing nail and enough coordination not to smash your thumb.

• WASHINGTON REPORT

  Loan form 4506-T gains in importance

  The old form is now required twice in home loan applications.
• 

  PLANT CLINIC

  Weird critter eating frangipani; now's time to plant veggies

  Q: I've lived here since 1926 and never saw such a critter before. My frangipani is being eaten by huge caterpillars with bright yellow stripes. They have a small tail, too.

• DCOTA showrooms open to public

  To celebrate National Kitchen & Bath Month, select showrooms in the Design Center of the Americas will open to the public Saturday.

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