TIPS FOR A BEAUTIFUL HOME ALONG WITH A BEAUTIFUL LIFE (WITH PETS) Tips for a Beautiful, Dog-Friendly Home 1. Consider a ‘Mud-Room’. For instance, we have a small laundry room which can be used for this purpose. A mudroom is basically an easily accessible area, which you can use to clean your dogs before they enter the rest of the home. In this room, you can hang up doggie towels to dry them after a rainy day, dry shampoo, brushes etc. If you don’t have a mudroom, consider keeping these things handy in a little box outside your front door. 2. Invest in Satin or Egg-shell Paint Finishes Do your pets rub themselves against the walls? Are there brown smudges everywhere? Has it been a while since you’ve painted your walls? Block out one weekend in your diary for repainting. Painting a house is the cheapest way to modernise its look. But this time, use satin or egg-shell paint. It will be much easier to wipe down. And clean walls really do make all the difference. 3. Art Look around your house. Do you have old paintings that don’t really mean much to you anymore? Consider buying some new art. The dogs can’t get to it and it can really change the feel of your house. You could even get a portrait of your dog done. Art can be bought quite cheaply these days. There are even some great finds in second hand shops. 4. Don’t Forget the Basics. The best vacuum cleaner you can afford. The best, most washable dog beds you can afford. Regular (at least weekly) grooming of your dog. Changing your dog bedsheets at least weekly. 5. Consider Installing an Outdoor Doggy Shower I’ve seen a few pet-friendly homes that do this. It’s perfect to be able to quickly wash off and dry your dogs e.g. when you get back from a muddy run in the park or after the dog beach. 6. Make Use of Under-utilised Nooks and Crannies That space under the stairs? Use it as a “feeding station” for your dogs – set up a cute wooden tray with some stainless steel bowls in it. That corner wall which is just empty? Put a basket there and stick all your dog toys into it. That massive space under your desk? See if the dog crate will fit, or stick a cozy dog bed under there. Use wall space to hang up leashes on cute little hooks. A cupboard can be turned into an open-door ‘nook’ for your dogs (see below for examples). Look carefully around the house – there are endless opportunities. 7. Smile and Be Accepting Your house won’t be perfect. Slobber, fur, muddy paws, ‘accidents’ are all a fact of life for dog owners. The way I see it, a home ain’t a home without a dog. So smile, accept it all and enjoy your dogs, even if your home is a mess. Via Karen Friesecke
Posted on: Mon, 22 Jul 2013 21:55:12 +0000
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015