investing in big kid toys

this past weekend was my cleaning weekend. i've really dropped the ball in the last month or so, and i didn't have much planned so i knew it was time to scrub down the apartment.

to be honest, i didn't get as far as i would have liked--the laundry took forever, and i started watching "circus" on netflix (it's a FANTASTIC mini-reality series that aired on pbs. basically follow the big apple circus for one season. only 6 1-hr episodes, but it was really interesting.)

but! i did get to try a homemade cleaning solution. this is my favorite source for the recipes so far. the one i used is easy as pie: equal parts water and vinegar.

months ago, i bought a sort-of natural all purpose cleaner. i ran out a week or so ago, so i kept the bottle, cleaned it out, and filled it with the homemade cleaner! a bottle of vinegar is super cheap, and i was able to fill the spray bottle and still have plenty left over for recipes and/or a new batch of cleaner.

i've been using it for simple kitchen/bathroom clean ups...and it works! my only complaint is the vinegar smell...but it doesn't stick around for long.

i've also read that if you have a "heavy" stain/clean up, heat up the water in the microwave before you add the vinegar. that makes it a little more powerful.


i'm also looking forward to using the baking soda/sponge idea in the bathroom soon.

oh, the thrills of being a housewife...er, housegirlfriend?

anyway.

on a similar note, i nearly exploded yesterday while trying to vacuum the floor/couch.

charlie, my precious angel baby, sheds like no dog i've every known. this is especially frustrating because he has light colored hair and it's short and wirey. so once it's stuck on something, it's visible and really hard to get rid of.

when dustin and i moved in together, i went out and got a new vacuum sweeper...it was $30 on sale and i thought, "whoa! it's a bargain! i need this one!" (oh, and guess where i bought it? TARGET. natch.)

anyway--the sweeper sucks. but i couldn't bring myself to buy a better one--i mean, who spend $100+ on a sweeper? i could be using that to buy all manner of interesting, neat things. but a vacuum? no way.

this weekend, though, i had an epiphany. rather than repeatedly buying cheap vacuums that only work for a little while, why not invest in a more expensive one! with a warranty!

it's something we use daily weekly (let's be honest) and it's not a frivalous purchase like a purse or a pair of shoes...

so, i went to walmart (NOT target!) with a list of some things i needed, and i bougth a fancy $140 vacuum. certainly not top of the line like a dyson (someday...sigh) but it's pet hair specific AND i sprung for the 1 year warranty (only $10!)

oh, and the best part--i RESEARCHED the purchase beforehand! checked around the internet for reviews and made my decision before i even got to the store.

now, the only bummer was that i picked up the last one off the shelf...with the beat up box. i assumed it was fine...so bought it, got it home, and realized that the wheel had broken off.

tonight i return the vacuum and tomorrow i'll let you know how thrilling it was to use it for the first time...

so, maybe not the most exciting weekend--but i'm making changes and shopping smarter--and i'm proud of it!

xoxo