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!