Oh, hey. It’s Friday and I’m just hanging out in my laundry nook posing all The Price is Right beauty-like. I am so weird. My idea of a good time is staging amateur photo shoots in my house. Not necessarily with me in the picture but I like seeing other bloggers in their homes, so I thought I’d give it a go. I should have put on shoes.

The last time I showed you the laundry nook it looked like this…

Not too much has changed but I would like to point out my recents tweaks and then give you the full monty. Of the laundry nook’s innards, that is.

First up, I took all y’alls advice and rehung the homemade curtains {I cut up and hemmed IKEA linen panels} under the DIY countertop. Instead of clipping the curtains across the top, I gathered the fabric and clipped it about 2″ from the top hem. I guess you could call it the poor man’s pinch pleat. And it rocks. You guys are awesome with a capitol AWE! The gathered top looks more polished and pulls the curtains up off the floor a bit which makes sweeping easier. I haven’t heard other bloggers say this but I, for one, think a great advantage of having a blog is receiving ideas from the peanut gallery. Sometimes, even as a blogger, it’s really helpful to see my house through others’ eyes. Thank you!

The other obvious change is the mirror. The original mirror wasn’t the best shape for the vertical space between the two upper cabinets. The round mirror hung above the mantel in our previous home and there was no harm in trying it out but, once I hung it, I knew I’d eventually replace it with something taller and leaner.

I spotted Feiss’s Cleo mirror on Wayfair and the measurements were perfect. Its shape is curvier and a bit more feminine than I’m usually drawn to but I thought the curves would help break up the straight lines of the cabinets and countertop. Plus, hello, I am a girl {I don’t think I’ll ever be able to call myself a “woman” and feel comfortable saying it} and I am the only person in our household who uses this nook so I’m entitled to a little girlification when I’m handling dirty underwear, no? I clipped some forsythia, redbud and other green stuff from the backyard and threw them in a vase. Along with the leaning mirror, they give the nook a relaxed feel.

Please note the reflection of the dining pendant light in the mirror. Money shot.

I also enjoy seeing pictures of all the people whose dirty underwear I’m tending to while I tackle mounds of laundry. The second tier countertop was the best idea I could come up with to hide the dryer’s control panel. The magnetic photo strip is angle iron that you can find at any home improvement store. Ideally, I would prefer a dryer with controls on the front but there’s nothing wrong with ours so I made do. I strategically placed a few horizontal photos near the start button for easy access.

The photos can be removed to change the dryer’s settings but I rarely change them from load to load.

HH made the wood countertops using boards he found in the attic during renovations. He secured them together lengthwise with joiner biscuits and wood glue to get the depth we needed. The lower counter rests on wall cleats at the sides and a 2×4 in the middle. I painted all the supports white to blend in. The upper counter rests on the wainscoting.

There’s a secret trap door that gives me access to the washer’s control panel.

HH installed sliding latches to lock the door in the closed position. The door itself can’t support much weight when closed {a full laundry basket is fine} but the rest of the countertop is really sturdy. I can stand on it, no problem, and I have. Both countertops – the lower, deeper one & the higher, shallower one – are removable in case we ever need to get to the water/electric hook ups for the washer or dryer. They just slide out.

And now for the full monty…

BAM. The cabinets and woven baskets hold laundry supplies, lightbulbs, a water pitcher and our owner’s manuals. We have empty shelves!

The washer and dryer take up most of the floor space under the countertop.

There’s room next to the dryer for a rolling cart, drying rack, petite ironing board and small trash can. I hung the ironing board from a hook that’s screwed into one of the wall cleats.

My little laundry nook isn’t perfect but it makes me happy and I’ve come to love it. Since it is part of our mudroom/dining room, I keep it tidy and it keeps me honest. I try not to let laundry pile up in here. And whenever we get around to having a party {we are so due for a party}, I think it could moonlight as a bar.

Everett really, really, REALLY wanted me to take his picture. He says he’s going to be a principal when he grows up {lord help us all} and this is his attempt to dress like one. A clip-on tie on top of an argyle sweater vest on top of a striped polo and everything tucked in to show off the *reversible* belt. So smooth.

Thanks to Wayfair for supporting my habit.

images: Dana Miller for House*Tweaking

I didn’t realize what a pain it is to make bunk beds until we got them for the boys’ shared bedroom. It makes me sweat. No joke. After struggling with the beds for a while, I thought “there’s got to be a better way!” When I googled “how to make bunk beds” all I came up with were a bunch of tutorials on how to build bunk beds. Not what I was looking for.

I thought maybe something was wrong with me and possibly bunk beds were to be dressed just like a regular bed. When I read about how to properly dress a single level bed, I was in shock. WTF?! I’m supposed to iron bed sheets? You’ve got to be kidding me. Me, the girl who doesn’t even break out the iron unless there’s a wedding or a photo shoot. And all those layers of bedding – sheets, blankets, duvets, coverlets, throw blankets, pillows?? Um, that’s so not happening in my kids’ room. So, I set out to find little tricks for making bunk beds easy – or at least easier – on my own and I’m happy to share those with you today. Let’s do this.

Tip #1 Use a stool. Unless you’re 7′ tall or have go-go gadget arms, you’re gonna need a step stool. At the beginning of my bunk bed-making journey, I would get up on the top bunk and try to make it. Do you know how hard it is to make a bed that you are in? It doesn’t work. Now I keep a small stool in the boys’ bedroom just for making the bed. It’s a lifesaver.

Tip #2 Use sheet clips. From what I can tell, plastic surgery is glorified bed-making. You’re not going to get good topical results unless everything underneath is smooth. Some kids are the busiest sleepers, aren’t they? When my oldest wakes up in the morning, it looks like he’s been practicing swimming from sharks all night.

I use these bed bands to hold his fitted sheet in place. He’s on the top bunk so I can fasten them from the bottom bunk. Basically, you put one clip in each corner, grip the perpendicular sides, clip shut then adjust the tension to hold the sheet snugly. Even if you don’t have a busy sleeper on the top bunk, I’d still suggest using sheet clips to keep the sheet in place.

Tip #3. Skip flat sheets. Kids + flat sheets = balled up flat sheets at the foot of the bed. It never fails.

After trying unsuccessfully to teach my kids the “right” way to sleep – with the flat sheet OVER their bodies – I gave up the fight. We parents must pick our battles.

I did away with flat sheets on the kids’ beds all together and instead use a thicker, heavier cotton blanket right on top of the fitted sheet. Go ahead. Say it. Domestic rebel! I’m a happier mom because of it. Sometimes the boys sleep on top of the blanket {who am I to judge?} but when they do use it as a cover they don’t kick it off.

Tip #4. Choose a fluffy down comforter + duvet cover. It’s nearly impossible to get the outermost bedding on bunk beds perfectly smooth because you don’t have direct access to both sides of the beds. I’ve found it’s easiest to go with bedding that looks good kind of rumpled and that’s thick enough to disguise wrinkly imperfections. A down comforter inside a duvet cover fits the bill. In the winter I use a down comforter with a higher warmth rating and in the summer I use one with a lower warmth rating.

On the top bunk, I tuck the foot of the duvet first. Then I pull the duvet all the way up to the head of the bed. I tuck the wall side then the wall-free side.

On the bottom bunk, I do the same but fold the duvet back a bit just for something different.

Tip #5. Use comforter clips. A duvet cover is essentially a really big pillowcase. There’s a lot of room for the comforter to shift. I use these padded clips to hold the comforter to the duvet cover. It makes for less duvet adjustments in the morning.

Tip #6. Go easy on the pillows. One standard pillow for sleeping and one or two throw pillows are plenty.

Kids don’t care about pillows. Moms do. Keep it simple for your sanity.

More than likely they’re going to end up on the floor anyhow.

And that’s it! Six tips for making bunk beds. None of which require an iron. Of course, you can apply these tips to regular beds as well.

I’ll be honest. I don’t make the boys’ beds everyday. Some days I ask them to make their beds themselves because it’s a chore I think they should be responsible for. But seeing as how I have a hard time making the bunk beds, you can only imagine what the beds look like after an eight-year-old and four-year-old work their magic on them. When company’s coming, I make the beds.

Or I just close the hideout curtains.

The step stool {nearly five years old}, bedding and curtains are all from IKEA. I didn’t plan it that way. It just happened. IKEA has really great inexpensive bedding which is perfect for children. 

I know what you’re thinking. THOSE WALL STRIPES! Sorry, that’s another post.

Do you have any tips or tricks for making kids’ beds? Do your kids make their own beds? Do you make your kids’ beds? A little of both? A little of neither? Yeah, we have those days too.

images: Dana Miller for House*Tweaking

*THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED.*

Congrats to Giordi who says her friend, Beth, is the most genuine {sometimes to a fault!} person she knows.

Since being introduced to Bona® earlier this year {thank you awesome readers!}, it’s now the only product I use on my wood floors. {You can read more about our engineered hardwood flooring here.} This week I’m happy to pay it forward.

When wood matters™, Bona® is the quick, easy, non-toxic and biodegradable solution. I love the way it brings my floors back to life when they’re looking a little dull. And the fact that it doesn’t leave behind any residue or harmful chemicals is icing on the cake. The hardwood floor sprayer mop comes with a refill cartridge and the microfiber mop pad is removable and machine washable. It doesn’t get any easier than that! Well, unless you had someone else do it for you. I guess that would be easier.

Want the chance to try Bona® for yourself? For free? Great. See entry details below.

PRIZE: one Bona® hardwood floor mop and one bottle of Bona® cabinet cleaner {$49 retail value}

RULES: You must be at least 18 years old and have a U.S. shipping address {no P.O. boxes please} to enter. One entry per email address.

TO ENTER: Leave a comment on this post proclaiming “I’M BONA FIDE!”

DEADLINE: Enter before Friday, November 2nd at noon EST. One random winner will be announced later that same day.

WHILE YOU’RE AT IT: Since we’re talking bona fide…tell me about a person in your life that is sincere and genuine. Is it a relative? A friend? Maybe a pet? I’ll go first. When I think ‘genuine’, I think of my younger sister, Rihana. {pronounced ree-ANN-uh} She’s open, honest, funny and wears her heart on her sleeve. If she’s excited about something, it shows in her smile and eyes. If she’s not having the best of days, she’s the first to admit it. There’s nothing fake or phony about her. What you see is what you get. My only wish is that I got to see her more often. She lives all the way over in Virginia and I miss her!

BUT, WAIT!, THERE’S MORE: Go to the Bona® home page and join the BonaFide Fanatics mailing list to receive $3 off the purchase of hardwood floor cleaner.

image: Bona®

I thought of about a dozen other titles for this post:

Water and Wood Don’t Mix

Why Don’t the House Gods Like Us?

$#!*

My Nightmare Come True

Further Proof That We Live in a Real House

No, HH, You’re Not Lazy or Stupid

Rolling With the Punches

Two-Year Warranty, My Ass

To make a long story short, the pump that pumps condensation from our furnace to a drain pump failed two weekends ago. It was 100+ degrees that weekend and the heat pump was running non-stop. We were home but we didn’t catch the problem right away because we were busy tackling other home projects.

The faulty pump ended up filling with water then overflowing. As you can imagine, water seeped under the floor in the hallway. If you’ll remember, we have engineered hardwoods. Wood + water don’t mix. As soon as we noticed the leak, we started cleaning it up and HH made a mad dash for Home Depot to pick up another pump. The Flotec pump was only a few months old and came with a two-year warranty. {HH has already contacted the manufacturer to put in a damage claim and complaint.}

For now, we’re still using the same Flotec model pump until HH installs another brand of pump that is more highly recommended. To give ourselves more time before water hits the wood should another leak occur, the new pump is sitting in a plastic container with an alarm that detects moisture. When he first detected the leak, HH kept saying he was stupid and lazy for not catching it sooner and for not putting some sort of secondary barrier/alarm around the pump should it fail. Of course, I told him he wasn’t stupid or lazy.

With the mess cleaned up {which included us mopping up excess water with old beach towels and sponges}, we assessed the damage. To the naked eye, everything looked fine. But we know that’s how water works. It can take weeks, sometimes months, for the real damage to pop up. From what we could tell, the water had affected the back half of the hall, the entrance to the boys’ room and about a 4′x4′ area just inside the master bedroom. We were more worried about the water that was between the vapor barrier and the actual flooring as that was what could cause the floor to warp and buckle down the road. The water under the pad had mostly been soaked up by the walls which are easier to dry out. From what we had read, any remaining water under the pad would eventually be absorbed back into the concrete slab.

Surprisingly, I was calm. I think in my sleep deprived state I’m just numb to any and all situations. It’s not that I don’t overreact. I just don’t react. I told HH, “It’s just a floor.” But it was a floor that we had both spent a lot of time installing and while it was a pain to do {because of our concrete slab we had to glue each and every plank of the floating floor to its neighbors}, we were in love with the results. Maybe it would have been easier if we didn’t like it so much.

HH contacted our insurance agent to see what our options were. Under our policy, total replacement of the floor would be covered but only after a restoration company tried drying it out first. We had three different restoration companies come out and assess the damage. The first two told us what we were expecting to hear. ‘Nothing we can do. You’ll have to rip it all up and replace it.’ We had braced ourselves for this but it was still hard to swallow. The third company gave us a different assessment. They said they could dry it out. Their drying method included heating the floor gently to evaporate any water between the vapor barrier and wood then suctioning it up with a high-powered vacuum. To help dry up any water under the pad and vapor barrier, they would run air tubes under the pad. They’d also pop off baseboards on the affected walls, drill holes and blow air into them to dry them out. Since they were the only company that had a plan and our insurance required us to attempt a dry-out, we went with them. They said it would take them 4-7 days.

The restoration company set up the same day of their assessment. Even though nothing they were doing was dangerous in and of itself, we were told it wouldn’t be kid-friendly. We wouldn’t be able to walk easily through the area. The machines would be loud. Oh. And they were going to shut off the A/C to facilitate water evaporation and drying. So, we headed off to my dad’s house for a few days. {My dad has no internet service. That’s why I was MIA last week.} It was a much needed distraction.

The restoration company came out daily to test moisture levels and tweak the dry-out. To me, it looked like our floor was on life support.

And it was hot, hot, HOT inside the house.

Yep. 95 degrees inside and out. There’s no way we would have survived comfortably. I’m so thankful we had somewhere else to stay while all this was going on.

The dry-out is complete. HH had the restoration company go over the results in detail. The wood is dry. There is no moisture between the wood and the vapor barrier. The pad {under the vapor barrier} still shows moisture readings but we were told this would go away slowly as the moisture is absorbed into the slab. The walls are dry. There is no mold or mildew. We submitted a claim to our insurance and they will guarantee the restoration company’s work {since we attempted to dry it out} for three years. So, if any problems arise in the future {say, warping, buckling or mildewing} our insurance would pay for total replacement of the floor. We still have a little while to withdraw our claim if we choose to. HH is leery of our rates rising. We’re just trying to see what all of our options are from here. We’ve even looked into new flooring should we need it later. The only problem we’re seeing with our flooring choice and install is that there is no good way to repair a damaged section. If you pull up one plank, you can’t simply replace it because each plank is glued to the next. Ugh. Theoretically, we could pull up all flooring in the bedrooms and hallway then have a threshold at the great room but we really like the seamless look we have.

Hopefully, we won’t need a total replacement but we want to be prepared if it comes to that. Right now, everything is looking good but you just never know.

I think that gets you up to speed with all the mishaps here. It was definitely a punch to the gut. Especially since we just moved in not even two months ago. I guess that’s just how things go sometimes. We’ll learn from it and move on.

What about you? Any problems with your house recently? Any experience with water under wood floors? Any ideas for us?

images: Dana Miller for House*Tweaking