Summarize the following:
While you can use any tool you want, this is usually the easiest. Don't worry about getting a perfect selection -- just a roughly outline of everything you're removing should do. Do not delete the item immediately. Instead, use "Select" → "Expand" to grow the selection by a few pixels so that the background is visible all around the item. If there are not enough pixels around the item to expand, or if the background is uneven, you can still use the patch tool to cover up holes. This will bring up the Fill menu, which will take your selection and randomly fill it in with pixels from somewhere else in the image. Every time you click "Okay," Photoshop will randomly select new pixels. So keep trying if it doesn't work the first time. While the blending settings likely won't change too much, play with them slightly to get your exact picture exactly how you want it.

Summary:
Select your item using the Quick Selection Tool. Expand your selection so that you have 5-10 pixels on either side of your item. Select "Edit" and then "Fill" from the top menu. Re-do the Fill with new Blending and Opacity settings to fit your picture.