Category: At Home

Cleaning Instructions

For the “Non Cleaner”

Today I’m going to Lowe’s to try to return the stapler that never worked. First I have to find the receipt. BUT! Before any of that, I’m going to try to deep clean the bedroom. This involves getting on my hands and knees with the microfiber dust mop and getting under the bed. Not sure how motivated I’m feeling, but there’s no time like the present for unpleasant but ultimately beneficial jobs (I’ve been waking up congested and I think the dust is a factor). A girl’s gotta do what a girl’s gotta do, even if it isn’t in her natural inclination.

That said, I do not get these cleaning kicks frequently, as most of you who’ve known me for a while can attest to. Here I’ve got my usual regimen, “Cleaning for the Non Cleaner.”

  • Pump up the jam. I usually just put my iPod on shuffle so I have a neverending stream of music. Including music I probably wouldn’t admit I listen to otherwise.
  • Quick top-to-bottom. I clear off surfaces (stick clutter somewhere like the couch or bed) and give them a quick dust with some furniture spray and a rub with an old t-shirt. I used to use a swiffer but noticed lots of dust resettling. This really takes less time than you think.
  • Sort through the clutter on the couch or bed, realize that half of it is old mail, and toss it. Put books away, hang clothes up, etc. If it goes back on the surfaces I just dusted, I give it a quick swipe with my sleeve or rub it on my pants to make sure I don’t put more dust back on the bedside table/shelf/whatever.
  • Sweep. I do this last so that the dust I rearranged with items 2 and 3 has settled on the floor and gets swept up with other debris. Usually I follow up the sweep with my dust mop.

You’ll notice that nowhere here did I use water or cleaning agents. That’s because it’s a lot of work and only gets done around here once a season. Which is fine, in my personal opinion, as long as the dusting/sweeping regimen gets done fairly regularly. Since I have wood floors, this method works in every single room but the bathroom. Nice.

You wanna know another one of my tricks? Get the husband to clean the bathroom on Saturdays when I’m at work and he’s home. SCORE!

Mid-Century Chair Teaser

I’ll show you the “before” of what I’m currently working on now. By the end of the week, I’m sure you’ll see an “after!”

When I saw this chair i fell in love with the shape and size. I love the thin modern legs, but the slight angle between the cushion and back was the detail that clenched it for me. And the fact that there were two of them. The lumpy faded pink cushion? Not so much. (Actually, I don’t hate the color.) Thing is, the foam inside is all deteriorated and squeezes out in the form of suspicious fine yellow powder. Very no bueno.

So, I am undertaking my first ever upholstery project! The nice thing is that this should be fairly easy. No curves. No arms. Just pop out the bottom, dispose of the nastiness, create a new cushion and cover it in updated fabric.

Anyone wanna predict my outcome?  Guesses on colors or patterns?

(Adam, you are not allowed to guess)

Disappointed In: Towels

I always write “show and tell” posts about what I got at the thrift store recently and whatnot, but I thought I’d start a series. I’m not saying this whole week will be “Disappointed In” posts, just, whenever I write one I’ll tag it the same way, that way you can see all my bad purchases >:o

Actually, this inaugural Disappointed In post isn’t something I bought myself, which takes the sting off a little bit, but it is something I picked out (it was on my wedding registry) so, the fact that someone else spent money on something that hasn’t held up is still a bummer. Plus, if the whole batch was like this, hundreds of people probably got some bum product.

This towel is from Target’s “Home” collection circa May 2010. As you can see, the hem totally failed. And I think two out of four of our towels did this, but this is the worst one.  Thing is, before you say “You’ve had it almost a year!” I didn’t use them until July and this happened after two or three washings. Sad face.

My Kohl’s “Sonoma Lifestyle” towels, however, I got in 2007 are still goin’ strong. Still plush and absorbent, and the color hasn’t faded or anything. It’s that’s definitely the brand I’m going to stick with from now on.

On a happier note, we’re doing a little hallway bonding activity.

Here are our brackets, along with Adam (#1 commenter here on MFS) and our neighbor to the west (his wife didn’t fill one out). There’s a new guy moving in across the hallway soon and we’ll give him one as a welcoming present. These are taped in the hallway and Doug’s pumped about meticulously tracking the winners and losers of every game. I am the only one here who didn’t pick KU to go all the way. Gotta stand out, right?

Got any bum products you’re disappointed in? If you email me a pic or two, you could star in a guest blog!

Who’s gonna win the College Basketball championship?