Any successful business depends on a sound marketing strategy that makes the community aware of the great services you will offer. Before you begin advertising, try taking some time and thinking about the information you want to convey. Consider the following:  Think about how you will describe the particular service you plan to offer. How is it different/better than what is already out there? What ages do you serve? What will your hours be? Think about the price you will charge, based on your previous market research, so that you can be competitive with other child-care businesses in the area. Think about the advantages your location offers (great parking, safe, convenient, etc.). If you have staff, think about how to market them as well. What qualifications/certifications/specialities do they bring to your business? You should begin advertising about three months before your child-care business is set to open. If you have the funds, newspaper, radio, and television ads will probably give you the greatest exposure, but these advertising formats do not come cheaply. Consider some of the following, less expensive options as well, even if you can afford more conventional advertising:  Word of mouth. Posting fliers/posters in public spaces in your community (be sure to get permission from the owner of the property/building you plan to put your fliers on first, though!). Distributing brochures/business cards at libraries, church meetings, PTA meetings, neighborhood get-togethers, etc. Placing an ad in the classified section of a local paper. You will also need to decide what, if any, your daily activities will be. Some child-care business offer little structure—they provide supervision and make toys/games/food available for the children to use, but have no set routine or schedule. Others take a more planned approach, with time set aside for playing, learning, napping, etc., based on the ages of the children being cared for. Take some time and think about what you will offer the children for whom you will be caring, and what sort of schedule you will offer. If you are unsure of how to begin, try asking parents in your area what they would like a child-care facility to offer or perhaps how they structure their child's time at home.

Summary: Develop a marketing strategy. Advertise. Develop a daily schedule.


These cushions will get in the way while you’re separating and moving the couch sections. They also may cover the handles you have to grab that separate the pieces. Start by removing the cushions so you can access all the handles.  If you’re moving the couch, put all the cushions in a safe place out of the way. Someone could trip on them if they’re too close. For some sofas, specific cushions belong on certain parts of the couch. If this is the case, keep track of which cushions belong on each section. Some couches have attached cushions that aren’t removable. In this case, just find the corner to begin disconnecting the sections. Push the cushions aside as much as you can to see if there are handles. Sectional couches usually meet at a square corner piece that forms a focal point. Both sections connect to this square. The rest of the couch will come apart when you disconnect this corner. Many sectional sofas have a designated place to lift from. If the square corner has a plastic lip around its rim, slide your fingers under this. Then lift straight up to detach this piece from the other sections.  If your couch doesn’t have a handle, just grab a stable spot and lift. Different sofas use various connection methods. Some have clasps that slide together, while others have hooks that unclip. In most cases, however, lifting straight up is the procedure for disconnecting the pieces. Make sure the corner disconnects from both sections before you try to move it. Pulling on a section that’s still attached could rip the sofa. Most sectional sofas have only 3 pieces—the corner and 2 attachments. But on some larger sofas, the sitting sections also detach into multiple pieces. Check along these sections to see if there are any gaps indicating they detach. If they do, lift these sections straight up to detach them. If you aren’t sure if your couch breaks up into more pieces, consult the manual that came with the couch. If you didn’t save this manual, try doing an internet search for the couch brand and model.

Summary: Remove the couch cushions. Find the square corner where the couch sections connect. Grab the lip or handle on the corner section and lift straight up. Check if other sections detach as well.


Angles can be classified in three ways: acute, obtuse, and right. Acute angles are narrow (less than 90 degrees), obtuse angles are wide (greater than 90 degrees), and right angles are exactly 90 degrees (two lines perpendicular to each other). You can easily identify by eye, the category of angle you are trying to measure. Doing this step first helps you identify which scale to use on the protractor. At a glance, we can tell this angle is acute because it is less than 90 degrees.

Summary: Approximate the measure of your angle.


If you intend to dry sunflowers for decorative purposes, it is better to use small- to medium-sized sunflowers that have only just begun to open. The seeds have not fully developed, so they should not fall out after being dried. The stem should be about 6 inches (15 centimetres) in length, so cut your flower accordingly. Pick a pretty, symmetrical bloom, and pull off any dead leaves around the head of the sunflower. Tie yarn or kitchen twine to the bottom of the stem. You can bundle them in threes, but the heads shouldn't touch. Pick a dark, dry place to hang them, such as an unused cabinet, a closet, or an attic. You can also set the flowers in a vase to dry. The petals will arch more gracefully. Still place them in a dark, dry place. The sunflowers should be dry in about two weeks, but they may take as long as three weeks. When they're dry, cut down the twine and pull them out of the closet. Preserve the color and shape of the flower by spraying it with hairspray. Use them in vases or cut the stems short to place them in shadow boxes.
Summary: Harvest partially open sunflowers. Cut your flower with a decent-sized stem. Hang the sunflower up to dry in a dark, dry place. Check on the flowers in two weeks. Coat the sunflowers with hairspray.