Getting it Straight

Anyone who has a duvet has experienced this dilemma, guaranteed. You are so sleepy and ready to crash for the night, you hop in bed, get ready to pull the covers up and you grab... nothing. You reach for the comforter and you pull up a duvet cover. This is because your comforter inside has slipped down to the bottom of the duvet that hangs over the end of the bed. It is awful a lumpy bottom- that isn't good in any situation. Bed, Bath and Beyond to the rescue.

I found these life-saver clips at B,B & Y on the recommendation of my sister Becky. They clip the corners of the comforter and duvet cover together to ensure that they never do part, until the next wash.

So I took my comforter out of the cover, and put the cover in the washing machine for a good cleaning. When the dryer buzzed I popped it out, got my clips, and was ready to go... but, when I put my hand inside the duvet cover I discovered an amazing surprise: my West Elm duvet cover already came equipped with ties!!

Finally someone realized the heartache! I went through all the tugging and pulling daily to find out that I had the solution the whole time. I never wanted another duvet because of this problem, but duvets seem to be the only stylish solutions to bedding these days. They don't make cute comforters unless you are 12. And when I fell in love with my organic cotton pin-tuck duvet I had to have it, little did I know that it was a smart duvet!

So I turned the cover inside out, tied the comforter in, flipped it through and was good to go! Thank you West Elm for being REALISTIC, and making my life much EASIER. It's the only way to go.

*Note: the clips were not returned, they have found a lovely new home with Lesley, next door- sadly Dwell has not jumped on the tie bandwagon. No one's perfect, right?

Sweet Dreams

How-To: Cleaning Your Ceiling Fan

{ Tools of the Trade: Swiffer, Pillow Case }

How does dust collect on a moving surface? I have never understood how ceiling fan blades get so dusty, especially ours since it is always running. Well, somehow it does collect, and ours needed cleaning. I have used many methods to banish the fuzzy stuff: a swiffer, vaccum attachments, and a damp wash cloth. All of these strategies worked, but not as good as the latest way I have just discovered (maybe you already knew, but I am slow sometimes so it's just getting to me) A pillow case! Say what?! Yes, the bed linens make a lovely pocket to catch all those little, height-lovin' bunnies. Here's my breakdown:

Pillow Case Dusting

1. Observe nasty fan blades... gross.

2. Place pillow case (I wouldn't use a white one, just in case) over fan blade, up to the bracket.

3. Using one hand pull pillow case snug around the blade. Then with the other hand pull the pillow case down the blade.

4. Catch any leftovers with a Swiffer duster.

And hello gorgeous!

Total time: 5 minutes

Cost: $0!

Benefits: A less sneezy husband.

Have any cleaning questions? Send me a shout!

I (heart) 3M

Anything that makes life easier is a must for me. 3M is one of those wonderful companies that creates products that make my heart swoon. Their line of removable, yet very strong wall hooks and mounting velcro make hanging anything possible, anywhere. I use them in my classroom because our cinder block walls are near impossible to hang things from. But around the house I have even more uses for them. Besides who wants to move into a house full of holes?

{ Evenly spaced decorative mirrors that are easy to hang without measuring with 3M removable velcro, genius. }

{ The large hooks are perfect for holding heavy bathrobes, even with the moisture in the bathroom they stick like glue. }

{ Who wants to put holes in beautiful cabinets? Use the mini hooks to hold up your plastic bag caddy. Save space and recycle those bags! }

They also have a designer line of brushed silver, gold, bronze, and copper finishes for those that use them in a more visible location that needs some style! A simple solution and a must have.

*Note: This is not a paid advertisement, just a girl who is in love and likes to tell others about it.

Simple Update

I must share my favorite tool when it comes to yard work: THE COIL HOSE! It is amazing, especially since we have to drape our hose over a railing to reach all of our plants. The standard hose just kept getting tangled and would break the limbs of a hydrangea near by. Target to the rescue! We got a 50' hose with a multi-head sprayer for $19.99!

But I was using a nasty old plastic pot to hold the old hose. A score from my mother-in-law- a coil basket, for free!!- was a must have. I spray painted it white because it already had some paint drips on it.

And now my new lovely hose has a lovely house to match!

Yay for easy, free fixes!