Ask The Helpful Housewife

Silent Night, Cozy Night

 

During the holidays, even our master bedroom gets some decorations added to it.  I have to admit, I don't do a lot with the kids' rooms because they are little tornadoes in their own space most of the time!  They get a simple door hanging and a candle in their windows.  It's all I'm capable of handling.  Honestly, they couldn't care less!  But in our bedroom, I like to create the cozy, Christmas-y atmosphere for Andy and I.  During this season, we spend a lot of time here in the late evenings.  We plan parties, discuss gift-giving options, what we have gotten ready, what we still need to get ready...  You know.  Parents at Christmas stuff.  It's our fortress of secrets we send up to Santa!  It just feels more, well, special to talk about family holiday plans when you have the twinkle of lights.

My great-grandmother Attie had this ceramic tree in her farmhouse for many years.  After she passed away, my great-uncle Lee kept putting out every December.  After he passed away, the tree came to me.  It will eventually go to my own daughter, Attie, but for now I like to put it on my bedside table at Christmas time.  Grandma Attie holds such a large and special place in my heart.  It's as if she is still watching over me as my guardian angel.  I've been told I'm a lot like her- feisty, passionate, stern, yet fun.  To me, that is the ultimate compliment.  I still miss her.  We were partners in crime when I was little!

To make the garland feel more coordinated in here, I wrapped blue and pearl toned beads around the pre-lit branches and added blue satin bows at the end.  I've always been more of a red and white decor kind of gal at this time of year, but I think I may be smitten with the elegance of this color combination!

As you can see, even Charlotte, aka "Bitty", the kitty is cozy in here.  Last year, Andy gave me this wonderfully cozy fleece and sherpa throw that had the beautiful blue and ivory snowflake print.  Immediately after I opened the gift, Bitty decided it was hers.  I keep it on the bed for her to snuggle on so that she will at least share it with me! Between the lights, the wonderful conversations with my husband, and the sweet purr of this creature, they truly are cozy holiday nights!

Before & AFTER!!!!!

The old fireplace:

UGLY.  When we moved in we vowed we would do built ins.  We moved in May 5th 2001.  This photo above was taken Christmas 2008.  Seven years of procrastination.  (And 4 kids! lol)  Fast forward to this past fall....  In October 2011, the carpet was already ripped out and the fireplace torn apart.  And then Andy got down to work.

There were tears, fights, words, conversations....  he was building something completely different than what I wanted.  (See previous post.  He tends to do that.)  He couldn't comprehend what I was trying to describe.  And then it began to come together.  And by Christmas, I had my dream gift!  I love my incredibly talented husband!

I LOVE the bamboo flooring!  It is from Lumber Liquidators. It is the Carmelized Strand floating floor.  And I can't say it enough - I truly love it!

Beginning to move back in....

Back in our comfy family room!  And in love!  We still have to finish up the lower cabinets - the doors still need to be made and installed, and drawers built and installed in the lower left cabinet, but that will happen soon.  I'm just thrilled with how the whole thing turned out! And I finally have my crown moulding.  Now that he sees how it really does finish off the room, he has agreed it does need to go throughout the first floor.  YAY!

NOTE:  The tree, stockings, and general Christmas decor are gone now...  but it still looks beautiful to me.  I may never put up window treatments.  I love how the light makes the floor glow, and I know I will never get a rug to hide it!  :) Over time, I will take care of all the little details that will finish it, such as what will go on the shelves and walls, but the big job is done.  And I am so proud of my husband again!

I Love My New Pantry!

Come on in! Right through this door....

OK, so my pantry isn't NEW, so to speak.  It's been finished for over a year.  But I love just as much now as I did when I first walked in the day Andy pronounced it finished.  We had this weird extra room under our front porch that made no sense.  So we stuck some old metal shelves and a freezer in there as a makeshift pantry as, even though our kitchen has plenty of cabinets, it still didn't seem to have adequate or even useable storage.  So he built me a proper pantry in here!

 

You can see he went way above and beyond what I asked for.  I just wanted him to build me some real wooden shelving that would be stable and efficient.  I got that obviously.  Along with wood laminate flooring and  even dimmable lighting above each of the built in wine shelves!  He is kind of like Tim "the Tool Man" Taylor, and usually in the bad way.  He always makes things bigger than they need to be.  But in this case, it really worked out. 

I now have space for all of my appliances I only use occasionally.....

And room for my pantry stock of non-perishables....

And it's easy to keep organized.  When I originally moved everything in, I took the extra time to clearly label every thing.  This way even my kids and husband can make sure to keep it from becoming a chaotic mess!

Behind the door is where I keep all of those extra things that take up space but we always seem to need more of! I can keep a stock of paper towels and paper plates and that type of thing here, because there is nothing worse than needing a paper towel, reaching for one, and finding an empty cardboard tube and no more in the house!

 Last but not least, here is the little extra Andy built in just for me.  He is so thoughtful!  He thought I might want a "desk" in here for looking through cookbooks, setting down grocery bags, etc.  It is a great bonus to the room!  I use it a lot.

I know, the drawers underneath are a MESS! I need to get on that.  I threw all the plastic picnic ware in there after the summer and didn't get back to it yet.  I need to asap.  But I love this area.  The walls are all done in white board material, so I can just grab dry erase markers and scribble my grocery lists on the wall! I have found this makes it really easy for shopping.  I simply take a photo of the wall on my cell phone, and then I have my list with me, no matter where I am! 

Across from the desk under the snack shelves are drawers for potatoes, onions, etc.  And next to that is the upright deep freezer.  So there really is a place for everything!

So, there's the pantry.  You can see why I am in love!  One of these days I'll have to show you the built-ins he did for me around the fireplace in our family room this Christmas. OMG!!!!!!  This man missed his calling!  But for some reason I can't find a before picture.  I have to find one of those first.  Otherwise it doesn't really do it justice!  (Can you tell I'm really proud of him?!?!)

My Dirty Big Secret Is Now SMALLER!

No, the basement isn't finished yet. Not by a long shot! I still have to sort out each individual box and purge/re-organize them, but at least I have the space to do it in now. I ended up taking 3 very full loads to Goodwill on Tuesday, including 2 dressers, a table, a desk, and tons of miscellaneous other stuff. Boy, was I tired! Hauling furniture up the stairs, outside, then loading into the vehicle in 100 degree heat was exhausting! But it definitely made a difference. Now I can work on making it NICE. By that I mean re-vamping the craft area with the other table that will be replacing the existing one next week and making the area inspiring; getting rid of boxes I empty and making sure I have all the same type of plastic containers, labelled and on shelves for storing keepsakes and Christmas decorations; and by putting up some pretty curtains in the window and adding some more drywall, a drop ceiling, yada yada yada...

But I have room now.  And, as promised, here is the fruit of my labor...

 

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Quite an improvement, don't you agree? Obviously it still has a ways to go, but for a good 12 hours of steady work, I'm happy with what I have at the moment. This winter will be perfect timing to go through boxes. I'll be stuck inside most of the time anyway!

So, have I inspired you to declutter and dig out a little? I hope so! It is such a liberating feeling - you really should try it sometime!

 

Digging out from under the avalanche...

Yep, I've been AWOL for a week or so.  I know! I know! Why haven't I been posting? Well, the Helpful Housewife has a dirty little secret. Well, not so little in size, once you see it.  I've been in my basement.  Before we left on vacation, we had a water heater incident, and I also had to empty some bins to use on our cargo carrier that attaches at the hitch.  It's time to clean up the mess, but instead of just putting everything away, I got carried away! As usual...  I made a bigger mess instead.  You know how sometimes you get the urge to purge and reorganize?  Big mistake to get that with a basement! Too big of a project!  Here's what I'm dealing with:

 

I feel so ashamed! But I have always been about full disclosure on here! It wasn't this bad when I started.  I'm tearing a lot of stuff apart to get rid of the last of the old furniture that's down here from when ANDY WAS A KID!!!! Yeah, sad, I know.  But in the meantime, I need to sort to purge/store what's invading my life and basement.  If I don't return in the next week or so, send in 911. I may have been buried alive!

But I have made some progress... the playroom is at least acceptable, though still not up to my standards.  My kids will be happy with it, and since I avoid it like the plague, I don't care all that much!

 
   

But I am on my way to Goodwill with load number two in just a few minutes.  I have a photo to prove it! And the car was just as full yesterday with load number one.  I'll most likely be making even one more trip today with the truck, loaded with old furniture... there IS a light at the end of this tunnel!

 
YIPPEE!!!! I'm making progress! It's a turtle's pace, but I'm getting there.  I promise to let you see what the final dungeon looks like!

 

Brightening up the Family Room a Titch...

Sometimes things get boring. Really boring. And sometimes you just can't justify an entire furniture suite just because you need a change of pace.  That was me today.  I was feeling a bit blah over the family room, and mainly the furniture.  THIS furniture:

 
It is a large sectional sofa that just blends into the walls.  Again... blah. I know I keep harping on you lovely homemakers and wish-I-were-a-homemakers that it pays to have the skills to knit or sew.  Well, I put it to use today!

 
Yeah, I know - whooptidoo! But to me it made a BIG difference! This one throw pillow really brighted up this area and opened it up.  I ran out of polyfil, so I had to put my project on hold.  I did get out to the store tonight to get some more, so tomorrow I will whip up one or two more for the other sections of this huge sofa, but for now I am so much happier about my space! And it was much cheaper than new furniture.  I already had everything on hand!  And the print was so darn cute:

 Sorry, it's fuzzy.  The other photo I took was kind of flourescent and I have no idea why.  But it's called "Balanced Bird" by from the echino collection by etsuko furuya.  I paid way to much for it and had hesitated to cut it for years. It was time.  And I am so happy I did!

A Photo To Prove It!

I hate my kitchen flooring.  That is no secret.  It is Armstrong Congoleum, and it simulates grouted tile, but it has tons of tiny grooves and lots of texture in  it.  In other words, it is a dirt and stain magnet.  I hate it.  It's designed to be a hard wearing, dirt hiding floor. It isn't.  I love that it isn't actual tile and grout (the only thing I hate worse!) but it shows the dirt horribly, and it is so hard to clean with all those microscopic crevices. Gosh, how I wish I had good old fashioned linoleum! That nice, smooth surface you could actually mop clean! Whatever happened to it? Now, if you want a smooth surface, it's wood that requires special care.  Sigh....

Anyway, I have tried EVERYTHING to clean this stinkin' floor.  I've used every floor cleaner on the market.  Every soap, detergent, mop, device.  You name it.  Nothing got it clean.  I've bought the expensive steam mops, the Hoover Floor Mate (don't bother -it's junk), and have even used a bristle brush on my hands and knees.  NOTHING worked. I even called the flooring manufacturer.  Know what they told me?  Use the Swiffer Wet Jet! Yeah, right....  I gave it a go.  What a joke! It didn't even get the surface dirt!  It works great on my hallway where there's wood flooring, but it's a smooth surface. 

So today I had enough.  I filled a bucket with hot water and a generous amount of Borax and stirred it in to dissolve.  Borax is pretty basic in ph (as in alkaline).  It will cut even the worst grease and dirt in other yucky jobs, so I thought, why not give it a go?

PRAISE THE LORD! Wanna see the difference between Borax and Swiffer Wet Jet?  Here's the photo:

 
On the left is where I simply wiped over it with the Borax solution with a rag.  To the right is where I was almost breaking the darn Swiffer Wet Jet apparatus by pushing down so hard and scrubbing with all my might when I mopped earlier in the day.  You have to click on the photo to open it in a larger view to really appreciate it.  I wish I were an actual photographer who could take a decent photo to really appreciate it.

Anyway, the old school, cheaper version won out.  I am going to save so much money on cleaning products from now on! As it is, I use baking soda and vinegar for most of my cleaning, along with a few products from some Eco lines to supplement for laundry.  But I always have Borax on hand as a laundry booster and a toilet cleaner/dishwasher detergent ingredient.  So yay! Win-win for me! But I still hate this flooring.... 

Dinner Tonight

 
Going into the oven right now: my fast & easy version of Swiss Steak.  Today the weather really changed on us.  It's chilly and rainy, so I don't mind doing some actual cooking in the oven for once, and this seemed like the perfect meal tonight! I've been distracted today with all of the kids being home this afternoon, now that school is out for the year, so anything gourmet and complicated was out of the question.  But homecooked was still in order, and I wanted to put forth SOME effort!  Here is the easiest way in the world to make dinner tonight:

Preheat oven to 350 deg.  Drizzle a tablespoon or two of oil in the bottom of a 9 x 13 pan.  I prefer olive oil for this, but you can use canola oil, vegetable oil, whatever you have on hand.  Lay round steak in the bottom of the pan.  Sprinkle one envelope of Lipton Onion Soup Mix evenly over the round steak.  I usually just use the regular mix, but sometimes have used the Beefy Onion flavor and it works well!  Lightly drain one 14 oz can of diced tomatoes and pour evenly over the steak.  Slice one large green bell pepper and one medium to large sweet onion.  Spread these over the top evenly as well.  Cover entire dish with aluminum foil, place in oven and let it go for about 3 hours to make it nice and tender and have the flavors really combine.

Serve with mashed potatoes.  This dish creates a lovely sauce to pour over the mashed potatoes, and the onions and peppers really accent them as well.  Add a tossed salad and ouila!  Dinner is served!

More Clutter Control Tips...

I thought I would pass along a couple things that have worked for me in the war on excess household "stuff". I am not great at the whole 'minimalist' lifestyle, as there are lots of things we do use on a regular basis that many professional organizers would probably throw a fit over us having in this house! Maybe someday I can be ultra streamlined! But I'm realistic, and we have found a happy medium for our family.

First, if you are a music lover like my husband and I, it really makes sense to invest in an external hard drive or a separate server.  We copied all of our cd's onto our NAS server in mp3 format.  Now we can stream them through our wireless router to the Blue-ray system in the family room, to the tv in our bedroom, or play them on any computer in the house.  We can also download them to any mp3 player, and to our vehicles.  I took it a step further and sold all of my cd's at a garage sale; he still has his in bins in the basement. But it's nice not to have cd's lying around the house! A HUGE space and clutter saver!

Secondly, I am a big book lover.  I still buy my knitting books, because the patterns are easier to read and follow when they are full size.  Plus I can write notes in the margins, etc.  But as for the rest of my books? I now download them onto my Nook 3G/Wireless.  I didn't bother with the color because my books are all in black and white typeface anyway! lol  But what a spacesaver that has been!  I did hang on to a few favorites, and a couple books that are very special to me. And, of course, our Bibles! But the rest were sold, or donated. Now I get books on my Nook.  And since my Mom also has one, she and I can "lend" each other books to read.  Although she still hasn't used her Nook - my Dad has commandeered it! He loves it, and has begun to fill it up with books he has read, including the Steig Larssen series.  Go Dad!

Third, for an easy way to store cloth napkins, save the plastic zippered cases that sheets/pillowcases come in!  You can simply pop the entire set inside and they stay folded and wrinkle free, and remain all together.  You don't have to search for the missing napkin at dinner time.  If you have a set of matched placemats and napkins, they will even fit inside a larger zip case from a blanket.  These set well on a linen closet shelf or even in a drawer.  It's perfect organization!  I also use these zippered cases when we travel.  I pack all of my clothing and the kids' clothes in one large case; each of us get our own zippered case for undies and socks, and one zippered case for toothbrushes and toothpaste to prevent the icky mess on everything. These zippered cases have a million uses.  I'm sure you can come up with your own!

And last, but not least, some nice woven baskets are great for holding the kids' books in.  I have a lovely woven basket in my family room that we can just toss the random kid books in when they are done reading.  It fits the decor, but keeps reading material handy to encourage them to pick up a book. Of course, when they get older, they can enjoy the benefits of an e-reader. But for now, we love that they are diving into the stories they have.  And this keeps everything corralled.

Hope these tips are helpful.  Perhaps I'll make this a regular thing on Sunday nights?  Maybe each week I'll post some organizational tips? Hmmm.... guess I better get organized to do that!

There's a Place In the Sun...

I love that song by Stevie Wonder.  It's so happy, and upbeat.  It puts a smile on my face every time I hear it.  It's even a favorite among my kids, who are all now of the opinion that Mom and Dad are totally "uncool" when it comes to music! It's just such a universal favorite, though.

This morning it occurred to me that, att our house, we all have our "place in the sun". Mine is out on the deck.

 
Right now it needs a bit of attention, such as powerwashing and picking up all the towels and junk left out from the kids invading the pool last night, but it is still an oasis for me.  I love sitting out here in the mornings before the heat becomes unbearable.  It is a great place to enjoy the morning sun with a fresh cup of coffee, collect my thoughts, do my morning devotions, and make my list of things to accomplish for the day.  Birds are always singing, and when there is a light breeze, it almost feels like being away at a nice resort. 

Even our cats, Pippi and Charlotte "Itty-Bitty" have their own place in the sun!

 I plant cat grass in a large, flat pan for them to enjoy.  Turns out, it's large enough that they can lay in it and pretend they are brave kitties out in the wild peeking out at the world through the long grass!  They love to lay here and soak up the sun from the deck, too.  You can tell, by how matted down it is, and this is a fresh batch of grass. 

Everyone deserves their own little place in the sun, even our kitties.  I wanted to remind you of that today.  When you go about your routines, contemplate where your place to go relax is located.  Do you have one?  It doesn't have to be anything grand.  If you live in the city, and all you have is a lawn chair on a rooftop, that counts and you should treasure it!  Part of being a happy, organized, and productive modern domestic engineer is providing yourself a spot to sit down for a minute or 30 to recharge and collect your thoughts.  By no means am I encouraging laziness, and trying to breed you to become a muu-muu wearing slob who does nothing.  It's just that this week it occurred to me that the only posts I have ever put on this blog have always been about the productivity factor.  HOW to do things.  WHEN to do things.  WHERE to put things.  WHY, WHAT, etc....  I've never addressed the fact that we all need a few moments in our day to reflect on our thoughts, or simply just "be" in order to maintain mental health.  This is why I start my day the way I do - out on the deck, in peace, taking care of me before my rat race day begins with 1 husband, 4 kids, 2 cats, 50 chores, and 1000 errands.  Staying centered and calm and peaceful is such a help in my life. And I would not be a very 'Helpful Housewife' if I didn't share that wisdom with you!

"Window" Shopping

I've been indulging in some eye candy this morning...  I found two emails in my inbox that I absolutely couldn't resist opening.  I'm going to put lots of pictures in this post as I just can't help myself!  I have to share these lovelies with all of you! 

First, I opened my email from a London-based shop called "Plumo".  I'm positive I've posted about them before.  It's where I got my sweet little lollie makers from!  Anyway, they are having a big summer sale, and I had to peek.  I fell in LOVE with so much!  Here are some items that I added to my wish list (and may even be ordering by this afternoon if I lose my willpower!)  As you click on each photo, it should then change the large image to the one you just selected....  I hope it works. 

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I can't decided which of these items I like the best!  I absolutely ADORE the retro doilies and the polka dot pots.  But the Lena Totebag is near and dear because my nickname all through highschool and college was "Lena".  There is so much more on their website than these goodies.  They have gorgeous clothes, shoes, bags, accessories, home items and gifts.  And once in a while I get an email from them that offers free shipping, which is always wonderful when it's coming from England!  Sign up for their newsletters.... you'll get those notifications, and will always know when the next yummy thing is coming!

I also happened to check out the April Cornell website.  In their email they showed some beautiful new summer prints for the kitchen.  The Blueberries print and the Strawberries print collections are so cute, and perfect for those picnic-like days of summer.  And then there was the  California Check print collection....  so reminiscent of the 1950's, and fresh and bright to really perk up your day!  Sigh.....  I want.  I want. I want.  (My husband would tell me to want in one hand and wish in the other and see which one fills up first. But I am so tempted to take advantage of their sale as well!)

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 I personally love the watering cans... how sweet! If you click here it will take you to the table linens section, by category/print.  If you click here, it will route you to the watering cans.  But also be sure to check out the exquisite clothing lines, too!  When Attie, my oldest, was not quite 2 years old (and still an only child for a few more months!), I went to the actual April Cornell store here in town and got her an absolutely amazing Christmas dress, and mother/daughter matching aprons in the same fabric collection.  We still wear those aprons every Christmas when we bake cookies together!  But I have to admit, I only purchase from this site once in a very great while, and only when on sale.  Kitchen linens, especially table cloths, are my weakness.  I have way too many already that I have found at antique sales, flea markets and such.  I love the vintage ones, but when I find a brand new one that is a replica of a retro design, I have a tendency to get it.  I don't feel as bad when I use it daily and wash it so frequently.  But I'm an addict.  I have an entire shelf in my linen closet devoted to kitchen linens, and two drawers in my dining room "buffet" that hold the rest of the collection.  And I can't squeeze another in either space.  That's the main thing stopping me from going nuts on these items today.  Especially the California Check pattern, as it's on sale!

Hope you all enjoy browsing these sites like I did!

Soap Slivers Get a New Life!

Are you sick of those little slivers of soap that are too tiny to use once the bar has been worn down?  Don't save them and melt them into a new bar!  It's time consuming and a hassle.  Here's an easier solution:

Get some inexpensive tulle from the craft store.  Cut about 4 10x10 inch squares.  Lay them all on top of each other.  Set the soap slivers in the middle and gather up the corners and sides.  Secure it all with a strong rubber band.  Ouila!  A shower pouf/scrubbie with the soap built right in!

Another option is to just purchase the little organza party favor bags that have drawstrings attached.  Just put the soap slivers in there and tie it shut, and you have another simple scrubbie to use!

Musty Linens Must Get Clean

I had the incredible fortune of buying several vintage quilts for only $10 each.  I don't think the seller knew their worth?!  Usually these quality of vintage quilts go for a couple hundred dollars or more. 

Anyway, they all had that old musty smell to them.  They smelled of dust and damp, like an old attic.  And I really wanted to keep them out with my collection of other vintage quilts.  But with the smell, I just wouldn't be able to!  So, I got to work.  And they are now smelling fresh and lovely!  This method can be used for just about any fabric that needs to be rid of unwanted "old" smells.  If it is dry clean only, then DON"T do this, take it to a professional.  But if it is a washable fabric, then by all means give it a whirl!  For especially stinky fabrics it may take 2 or 3 times through the process to really get the ick out.

Fill the bathtub with cool (not cold or warm) water. 

Add about an 1/8th of a cup of a mild detergent, such as Ivory or Dreft, and slowly swirl it into the water to disperse it well.

Add about 1/8th cup of Arm & Hammer washing soda and dissolve by stirring.

Add in 1 cup of vinegar.  (The smell will dissipate, I promise!)

Gently lay the quilt, blanket, etc. into the water.  Using your hands, softly press it into the water, pressing in different areas each time.  Slowly turn it over to the other side and repeat.  Let it sit for an hour or so.

Drain the water from the tub, and refill with cool plain water.  Then repeat the process above with the quilt, pressing the suds out of it into the plain water.    Repeat until the water is  clear, and no more suds come out of the fabric.

Roll the quilt tightly while still in the tub to squeeze out excess water.  Then take it outside into the sunshine and hang it to dry.  Over a railing will do if you don't have a clothesline. 

The combination of the vinegar, washing soda and the fresh air should remove the musty smell and leave it fresh and bright.  The soap and washing soda will remove any dirt or dust that is keeping the odor in.  And the washing soda will leave it nice and soft.

Hotel Roman

I slept in luxury last night.  It felt like a four-star hotel.  Minus the room service, of course. Because I was at home!

Want to sleep more soundly than you ever have before?  Just do what I did yesterday!

All of the beds got stripped.  I know it wasn't bedding day, but I had the urge to take advantage of the sunshine and treat my family to scrumptious sheets.  I washed them in hot water (dust mites freak me out!) with Seventh Generation Lavender Eucalyptus detergent and softener, along with a tablespoon of the ECOStore USA whitening powder.  I then hung them all on the clothesline, where the sunshine bleached the white even brighter and the fresh air infused with the scent of lavender in the sheets.  When they were completely bone dry, I brought them in and ironed all of them, lightly spritzing them with lavender ironing water as I went.  Then they all went straight onto the beds. 

Everyone took warm baths before bed.  I insisted!  Even the hubby.  All clean and fresh, and enrobed in soft clean jammies, we took to our beds.... and went to heaven!  Ironed sheets are a luxury anyway, because they are so smooth and silky, but when they are permeated with fresh air and lavender?  Ooh la la!!!!  You fall asleep so soundly because you are taking such long slow deep breaths through your nose to smell them!

Try it sometime.  Trust me; you'll love it!

Low-VOC Is the Way to Go!

What on earth is VOC you ask?  Volatile Organic Compound.  And just because the word "organic" is in the middle, does NOT mean that it's good!  Chlorine is organic.  But it's very caustic and toxic.  Heck, in my organic chemistry class in college, we made all kinds of concoctions!  But just because any basic element is natural and organic, does not mean it's safe.  Ammonia and Chlorine are two examples I can give you off the top of my head.  Ammonia is used commony as a cleaner, as well as Chlorine.  Both occur in nature.  But if you combine them?  BIG TROUBLE!  Deadly fumes can kill you in even moderate amounts. 

When talking about VOC's, it's usually the result of combining different elements.  And when it comes to your home, it is the fumes that are being singled out.  Off gassing is the problem being targeted whenever the term VOC comes up.  Have you ever been in a home with new carpeting or paint?  Then you are familiar with the "new paint" smell!  It is the offgassing of the chemicals in the carpeting and paint.  And although I don't believe anyone has died from them (I haven't gone that far in my research), many people get severe headaches and nausea from it.  I know that I do! 

Thankfully, today we can combat this with new products on the market.  Benjamin Moore and Sherwin Williams both make low-VOC or VOC-free paints.  You can even buy a product called "Milk Paint" that is completely environmentally safe and works beautifully!  Some carpet manufacturers are getting on board and have low-VOC options.  Although an even better option is an environmentally friendly floor such as bamboo, cork, or other highly sustainable product.  Just be sure that the glue (if needed) for installation is also non-toxic.

Even after 9 years of being in our home, we still have this problem.  Our home was a new-build, and a spec home to boot.  If I had any choice, we would have requested the more friendly  materials, but the house was already completed when we purchased it.  When we go away for a long weekend or more, the house stays closed up the entire time.  When we return, it has a strange chemical smell to it.  It is the offgassing of the carpets, paint, and other items like cabinets, etc. 

Easy remedy?  Open all the windows for a day!  Fresh air does wonders!  And when it becomes time to replace our flooring, or repaint, or remodel our kitchen, you can bet I will be getting the non-VOC materials to do so!

I'm sick of headaches....  aren't you?  You can force the manufacturers to change by voting with your dollars.  If we all buy the non-VOC or low-VOC items, and leave the others on the shelf, they will get the message and completely switch over.  Isn't it about time?