Ahhh, spring is just around the corner so it’s time to get a jump start on home cleaning projects. Here are a few tips and tasks to make your cleaning efforts more efficient.
Breathe easier: For pollen sufferers and those allergic to dust, deep cleaning carpets will help rid your home of dust, allergens and pet dander. Go over them thoroughly with the upholstery attachment on your vacuum and remove dust from sheers by placing them in the dryer on low with a fabric-softener sheet.
Switch it up: Most ceiling fans have a switch on the base that allows you to adjust the rotation. Running the fan clockwise in cold weather creates an upward draft and redistributes the warm air to heat your home more efficiently. Switching your fan to the counterclockwise rotation in spring will provide a pleasant breeze during warm months. You’ll also want to wipe down all the blades and dust off light bulbs.
Nooks and crannies: A good rule to remember is to “spring high and low.” That means reaching up and down into all the nooks and crannies where dust and grime may gather. Use the vacuum hose to reach under the refrigerator to brush dust away from the condenser coils. This will help keep the system from overheating. Dust under all furniture and above all cabinetry, and clean all items on high shelves. Wipe down walls, door frames and window sills, too.
With a little elbow grease and an organized approach, you’ll soon be finished and on your way to enjoying summer fun!
Chairs on rollers, leaky pens, and the occasional coffee spill don’t have to mean the end of beautiful flooring in your home office. Protect your floors with just a few simple steps.
Your office chair can cause ruts, crushing, indentations, and scratches in your carpet or hard surface floor. Keep damage at bay by simply purchasing a plastic chair mat at your local office supply store.
When the occasional spill disaster strikes, be prepared with a few cleaning supplies. For ink and coffee stains on your carpet, blot up any excess, then apply a mix of 1/2 tsp. of clear dishwashing detergent and 1 cup of warm water. Blot, then apply straight white vinegar using a damp towel. Wash with a water-dampened sponge. Weigh down a half inch thick pad of white paper towels to absorb the moisture.
Today’s romantic styles are soft, fanciful, sweet, warm, and personal, and there are numerous ways to add them to your home decor.
Find your color: Pinks and roses of every shade, subdued corals and terra-cotta, rich plums and violets, apricot – select hues that are designed to create dewy, flattering glows and bring out natural skin tones. For more sophistication, keep the chosen color scheme monochromatic, like barely-there blush pink walls paired with neutral furniture and deeper pink fabrics.
Treasures new and old: Antiqued mirrors, mercury glass lamps, bird cages, silver trays, crystal vases, shiny candleholders – you can literally find your treasures or create them. From tarnishing and distressing to weathering and faux patina treatments, there are a variety of techniques to apply to new items that will create an old-fashioned appearance.
Mood lighting: Douse the fluorescent lights. Wall-mounted sconces or elegant chandeliers diffuse light and create a softer backdrop for your room. Choose lower-wattage bulbs to give off a warm ambiance. Better yet, group together a variety of white or cream candles for accent lighting.
Send flowers: Whether you’re adding real flowers, artificial greenery or floral patterned wallpapers, fabrics, rugs or carpets, the key to achieving a romantic look is to stick with florals that fall into the same color family. Too much of a good thing will take your design from sweet to saccharine.
For more tips on creating today’s fresh-faced romantic style, check out these tips from Houzz.
While a fresh blanket of snow may bring joy to the heart of your inner child, it can wreak havoc on your beautiful floors. But, with a few simple precautions you can keep flooring safe from rain, snow, salt, and mud.
Keep the outdoors out with mats both inside and outside every door to your home. Outdoor mats should work like scrub brushes – with tough bristles for removing larger particles of ice, salt, and mud. For inside, use a softer mat to catch liquids and any remaining debris.
Should any water, mud, or ice make it onto your floor, wipe it up right away. Standing water is a sure way to damage your floor.
Train Fido to wait by the door before re-entering your home and keep a towel nearby to wipe muddy paws. Too late for training? Stash a leash by the door to keep your pet under control while you clean up.
There’s no better way to start off Spring, than with a clutter-free home. The hectic rush of the holidays has passed, decorations have come down, the weather’s warming, and now it’s time to sort through the stuff, both new and old. Just as the saying goes, with a place for everything and everything in its place. Read on for three great tips for keeping your resolution to get organized this year.
Don’t wait, donate! Tackle your rooms one at a time, armed with a few empty boxes and a trash bag. Sort everything into four piles: items to keep, throw away, or donate, plus one pile of the “maybes”. Take donation items to your car so they’ll be there ready to drop off at a local charity. Then take a hard look at your “maybe” pile. If you simply can’t decide on an item, put it on probation – leave it out for a month or so somewhere where you’ll see it every day. If you use it, put it away, but if it’s still out when time’s up, give it away.
Store in plain sight. There are a number of furniture items and accessories that can do double duty in your home by offering a place to store things inside. Consider storage ottomans, coffee tables with drawers, even couches with a space to hide things right under the seat. For a list of ideas, check out this article from RealSimple.com.
Closet overhaul. Sometimes it’s necessary to rethink your storage solutions from the ground up. Make a list of categories of stuff to be stored. Then, make a list of the available closet and storage areas in your home. Assign categories to storage places, ignoring what may already be stored in those spaces. Once your lists are paired, go through a little at a time, making changes to follow your list.
For more de-cluttering tips, check out this list from OrganizedHome.com.
There’s nothing like holiday decorations to get your home into the spirit of the season, but don’t forget to keep your floors in mind.
Often, it’s necessary to rearrange your room to accommodate a tree or other holiday items. If you’ll be moving heavy furniture, you can protect your floors by using a dolly with wide-base air tires or furniture movers which help slide your heavy furniture effortlessly. Put down a clean sheet of quarter-inch plywood before you begin to stabilize the tree stand.
If you’ll have guests dining with you, consider slipping some festive holiday socks over the legs of your kitchen or dining chairs to protect your floors as they’re moved around.
Real holiday tree? Be sure to use a tree skirt that is at least as big around as the widest part of the tree to catch sap drippings.
If you’ll be enjoying wood fires in your fireplace this season, protect the floor nearby with a hearth rug. It will catch and protect against floating embers, sparks, and soot.
For more tips on keeping your floors beautiful, click here.
When winter’s chill hits the air, there’s often nothing more we want to do than snuggle up with a comfy pillow, a warm blanket, and a good book. From warm textures and fabrics, to cozy colors, to thick, soft area rugs, there are a number of ways to prepare your decor for nights spent cuddling by the fire.
Create a Cozy Place Underfoot. Change out your everyday area rug for one that is extra soft and cuddly – such as a thick shag or plush. Or, consider layering a textured rug in a different shape on top of your everyday rug to add warmth and depth to your floor.
Color It Warm. Now is the time to put away the summery pastels and try rich reds, deep blues, and shimmery golds on for size. When paired with deeper colors, even white can shake off its warm weather ways and perform beautifully in a winter room. Try these colors in chunky knit afghans, throw pillows, and candles to transform your room for wintery weather.
Focus on the Fireplace. Center your room design to highlight the hearth. Dress up your mantle with greenery, candles, or throws, and toss comfy pillows and blankets nearby to encourage relaxing evenings spent by the fire.
Saturday, November 24 is National Small Business Saturday, a day dedicated to supporting small businesses all across the country.
Flooring America stores are locally owned and operated small businesses, and we’re sincerely thankful for the year-round support we receive from our communities. We’d love for you to visit us on Small Business Saturday – that’s the Saturday after Thanksgiving – and enjoy special savings on carpets and floors storewide. See you then!
Whether retro or rustic, classic or woodsy, your table setting this holiday season is the perfect way to highlight your unique style. Inspiration can be found all around you – from beautiful fall leaves to pumpkins and squash, all of which make great centerpiece additions on their own. Here are three more ideas for DIY decor:
A Centerpiece You “Can” Do. Re-use cans as vases for a fall floral arrangement. Find a can3 table setting ideas to fit any holiday style. that speaks to you, and use it as inspiration for the rest of your table design. Pureed Pumpkin is a great choice for capturing that fall feeling, like this one from KitchenDaily.com.
Harvest Style. Celebrate fall’s harvest with an arrangement of natural grains. Gather wheat and other dried grasses (get them at craft stores) in your favorite vase, or tie them together with a simple satin bow. Check out this step-by-step how-to from MarthaStewart.com.
Rustic Shine. Dress up a few hurricane glasses from the dollar store with a layer of beautiful copper leaf to add fall glam to your holiday table. Pair it with candles in brown or cream colors and fall fruits or veggies to complete the look. Follow these easy tips from HGTV.com.
Halloween stains are nothing to fear with just a few simple ingredients – many of which you may already have lying around the house! Watch the video with Flooring Frank to find out how to handle these scary spills, including:
Colorful Drinks
Halloween Make Up
Chocolate Candy
Look for our next episode coming this November for tips on how to clean up pet messes around the house.
Whether retro or rustic, classic or woodsy, your table setting this holiday season is the perfect way to highlight your unique style. Inspiration can be found all around you – from beautiful fall leaves to pumpkins and squash, all of which make great centerpiece additions on their own. Here are three more ideas for DIY decor:
