Thursday, February 7, 2013

Living with White, Kids and Pets

I love decorating with white. It makes me happy, it feels refreshing and uplifting to me. People ask me all the time how I live with white furniture with 3 children, 3 dogs, 3 cats, 3 hamsters and a Chincilla! Well, I wouldn't have it any other way, and so I thought I would share how I do it.

 I have Ektrop furniture from Ikea. I love it! I bought the above couch on Craigslist for $35. I was so tickled. This furniture is slipcovered and I will never have a couch again without a slipcover. I love that I can just throw it in the wash whenever I want too!

I also have this large chair that I love. It is so comfortable! We call this Janae's sleeping chair because when she stops by after work for a visit she often falls asleep in it.


I paid $25 for the chair (again on craiglist) and Janae bought me the ottoman ( I believe for Mothers day)  a couple years ago. I also have a Tullsta chair but Janae borrowed it and I am yet to get it back :)

I also have white curtains, white table covers, white bedding--I just can't have enough white!



Then there is the fact that I have kids and pets...



The way I feel about it is we all have dirt. You have a brown couch and the dirt doesn't show..you have a white couch and it does. Personally I would rather sit on a clean laundered couch then a brown dirty couch that looks okay and has been sprayed with Fabreze.

I can go the whole summer without cleaning the slipcovers but in the winter I do wash them probably every six weeks. Though I try to wipe the dogs feet when they come in after being in the wet yard we still get the occasional dirty footprints on the furniture. This is not an advertisement but I will share my favorite product...


These little power paks are the secret to living with white..in my opinion. I always make sure to not overstuff the washing machine and I let the covers soak for about an hour with these power paks. I do not use bleach, though I know some people do. Sometimes when I buy a tablecloth or something that has a lot of bad stains I use another product that I really like...


I have found this makes your whites really white and stain free.

My son Gage occasionally gets really bad nose bleeds. There has been times our livingroom looks like a crime scene! I discovered  that hydrogen peroxide works wonders. Just pour it on, let it fizz, and the blood disappears!

My kids and pets always come before my decorating..so I am so happy that living with white works so well for our busy family! I do cover the furniture with a lightweight blanket or comforter to help keep those doggie pawprints away when the yard is muddy.




I so love my white decorating.


Thank goodness it works with our family!

I have been really excited for spring..I even planted some paperwhites in the house.


My Mom's new baby Annie is doing really well. She looks adorable on my white furniture!



We love her!

So please share if you have any secrets for living with white!

Thanks for visiting!

38 comments:

Janae said...

Great post mom! It's so very true I would much rather sit on a white clean sofa then a brown one that who knows whats on it aswell!!

Inspired by you said...

So pretty!

Ivy and Elephants said...

You make white living beautiful!
Hugs,
Patti

Roxanne Reinhart said...

I love your white decorating!! It always looks so fresh and clean! So crisp!!

Kerryanne @ Shabby Art Boutique said...

I'm with you all the way on this one Sandy. Far better to sit on a clean couch than a dirty one that looks clean.

I'm not sure if you have a product called Nifty there in the US, but it is my little secret cleaning agent. It'a an all purpose cleaner mainly marketed for wiping down benches etc, but I found that it disolves almost any kind of stain on fabric.

The Polka Dot Closet said...

I'm all white too and love it, I love having white slip covers. I have found some great white sheets at the thrift store with lace edging and I throw those over the couch and tuck them in, kind of a lived in feel. I only wash the couch slip cover a couple times a year...Yep, I'm a bleach girl! But, I am going to give your oxy a try!

Carol

Sweet Melanie said...

What a great post Sandy...it really lets people know that living with white is an advantage. I love knowing my things are clean and I can actually see the difference. I will never go back to unslipcovered furnityre again. I even love using duvets too for that simple fact that it saves on your comforter. My mother used the White Brite and I had forgotten all about it until now. We had iron water and that stuff worked wonders! I'll definitely get it since I use bleach(which tends to weaken whites after awhile). Thanks for sharing!

Diane said...

Thanks for sharing all your lovely white with us and how to keep it clean with a family and pets. I still love my color, but I'm accenting with white more these days. Those pics of Annie are so sweet, what a cute puppy.

Mary Anne Komar said...

oh dear, we live on a half an acre north of Seattle. We have 5 chickens, 2 dogs, lots of mud and pine needles! I love white too, and have some white furniture and a dyed ektorp sofa as well, a Swedish Blue color. Can't eat off of these floors, but people always say how much they love our home inside and out!

Junkchiccottage said...

I have white white and more white in my home too and I often get asked how I keep it so white. I too use washable slips. I have used that bright white and it is wonderful to really brighten your whites. I do not like to use bleach as that sometimes yellows things. It is possible to have white with kids, pets and husbands!!!!!
Kris

Heirloom treasures said...

I love your home Sandy. As you know I am introducing some white in some rooms,which is a compromise and makes me happy too.
I soak too,mostly in Vinegar and water,but sometimes a little environment safe commercial soaker similar to yours,but never bleach.

farmhouse-story said...

thanks for sharing the white brite, sandy--i didn't know about it. it must work well, because your home is beautiful:) annie is adorable cute!

Sissie's Shabby Cottage said...

I love your white decorating too. I say if you want white then go for it because like you have demonstrated there are ways to have it with a family and pets.

I too like those products. Bleach can sometimes yellow stuff so I try and stay away from it.

Your home is so pretty. Love the new fur baby too.

hugs
Sissie

Grandma Carolee said...

Enjoyed this post so much. Annie looks especially cute on that white chair. She is sitting on my lap right now, "helping" me write. :-)

MONICA LIVAS said...

Your white decorating is fabulous!

Anonymous said...

You are so Brave! I love all your white, and the tips, I am going white one room at a time, thanks!

Lisa @ HouseOfFabForLess said...

Visiting you back from House of FabuLess! I don't do too much of the white but this post was great! I too have always wondered how you ladies keep your whites white! Thanks for the tips! I did just slipcover my sitting room sofa with a cream slipcover - and wouldn't you know it - there is already a spot on it! ~Lisa

Lisa @ Fern Creek Cottage said...

Such a beautiful room!! I am going to have to look for the Oxi power packs for my Ikea slipcover! Thanks for the great tips!

JP said...

I love white, but I hate cleaning, thus not a lot of white in my house. Yours is just dreamy to admire...love it all!

Marissa said...

White is my favorite! I love how clean it makes a room feel!!! Thanks for sharing your favorite products.

Lady Pamela said...

I, too, am all about the white. I agree with everything you said. Even the Oxy Clean. The other product we don't have where I live.
It has been said that if you sit still too long, Grandma will paint you white! Ha Ha. Love my grandsons.

Lady of the Woods said...

I love your house too, and I too use oxy clean, though not the original but one from the Dollar Tree and it works well especially if soaked overnight. And peroxide too lol, I just got a stain out of a shirt by spraying it everyday with the peroxide and this stubborn one faded until its gone. Bright White I've not seen, but if I get challenged I'll look for it. Some say Biz also gets the yellow out of old things and stains and such....coming from Robin of Magnolia Pearl who purchases lots of antique fabrics etc, she should know. :D

Kadee Willow said...

I couldn't agree with you more about the white slipcovers. I've had them for years and they wash up beautifully! Great tips on what to use for those stains that seem to want to hang on! And another reason to have white slipcovers? Black and white doggies look divine on them!!!!

Ana said...

I love slipcovers too. I made my own several years ago and I don't think my sofas would have lasted this long if it weren't for my slipcovers. Believe me we have had our share of incidents but all I do is pull them off and throw them in the wash. Easy. Love it.. I don't think I have seen or heard about this "White Brite" product before. Will have to look into it. Thanks for sharing. Wishing you a wonderful weekend.

❤Ana

Anonymous said...

Too funny. I was just browsing the white Ektorp lounges on the Ikea website and trying to decide whether I could live with white, then flicked over to my Blog Reader and saw your post! Thank you for all your tips. We have 2 small kids who love their icecream and chocolate. It would have to be a food free zone. Do you iron your covers every time you put them back on?

Burlap Luxe said...

Whiteness to love over here, and why can I not find the white deals like everyone else does on Craigslist?
I am going to search there listings more often, but here in Southern Calif, it's snagged up as quick as it hits the listings.

Have a beautiful white month of hearts, hugs, and kisses.
Xox
Doré

{Carrie} said...

I always send white towels with my kids to camp. I go buy them at a dollar store. Every year Mom's shake their heads and wonder why in the world I would do it. Same disgusting towels come home, at least I can bleach them and don't kind myself about the dirt.

Jamie-So Much Better With Age said...

Sooo pretty ;) Glad I found your blog. I'm your newest follower!
Jamie ~ Better With Age

Annesphamily said...

I love your tips keeping your white furniture looking brand new and beautiful! What a delightful family you have too!

Your home is lovely and I am happy I came by.

Enjoy the weekend and thanks for sharing!

Anne

elizabeth said...

I'm thinking of one of those chairs for my little home office/sanctuary. I love it!
Re. my clam chowder recipe, so sad your Hubs is allergic to shellfish. Guess you'll have to try the recipe when he's out of town or something. It's easy and delicious!

Pam Kessler said...

There's your paperwhites! Good to know ho you keep everything clean. I'm thinking of buying a new sofa in the next few months and would love to get one with slipcovers. It would be so much easier to just throw the covers in the wash.

Little Miss Maggie said...

Thanks for letting us know about the oxy clean max. Good to know with pets and kids around.

Janet said...

I have the same sofa and am glad to learn about White Brite. We have two dogs and love that I can wash the slipcover, too!

Deborah said...

Hi Sandy! Im following you in friendship ;)
I love your couch and it has been on my "wish list" for a few years now. That has got to be the best deal ever that you got for the both of those items! Wow!
They are gorgeous! Im a lover of whites too and have been creating white in our home too.
We have 5 dogs, so I know what you're talking about here ;)
Thanks for the hints on the whitening products...thats great to know!
And love those sweet dogs...oh my!

All my heart,
Deborah ;)

Heaven's Walk said...

Hi Sandi! I LOVE my white slipcovers. And yes, I've used bleach - but always use the Brite White to take any yellowing out. Works like a charm! I've actually bleached oatmeal colors pillow slips back to white using bleach and Brite White. :) I will definitely check in to the OxyClean packets, though. Always looking for something new and better to try! Thanks for the tips!

xoxo laurie

Holly @ Bella Nest said...

I'm so with you on the white couch vs. the brown. I can't imagine how filthy our last couch (that actually was brown) was after seeing how quickly my white gets dirty! I have the most people come over and comment that they couldn't handle all this white in their home and my reply is that it's not for everybody! The slipcovers are lots of work and I'm cleaning spots at least once a day, but it's totally worth it to me! Thank you so much for sharing your stain tips, Sandi! I'll keep these in mind from now on!!!

Holly @ Bella Nest said...

I'm so with you on the white couch vs. the brown. I can't imagine how filthy our last couch (that actually was brown) was after seeing how quickly my white gets dirty! I have the most people come over and comment that they couldn't handle all this white in their home and my reply is that it's not for everybody! The slipcovers are lots of work and I'm cleaning spots at least once a day, but it's totally worth it to me! Thank you so much for sharing your stain tips, Sandi! I'll keep these in mind from now on!!!

Vintage Street Designs said...

I have this same furniture in my living room. Just purchased my second sofa cover. Thanks for the tips. I'll give them a whirl! :)