Well, we finally found a place in Oregon. A cute little house with four bedrooms (one for my husband and I, and each of the girls, and an office for me!), and a great room, small dining area, and nice kitchen. It should be nice and cozy considering we’re down sizing from our current 2,400 square feet to 1,700 square feet. 8O Wish us luck on that!
The movers are scheduled to arrive here at our California home the week of June 23rd, and if all goes well we’ll be living in our new home by July 1st. After being apart from my husband for four months (five months by the time all is said and done), I’m ready for us to all be together again and have things back to normal. :hug2:
Well, back to this little house of ours. As I said, it’s everything that we need (temporarily) until we decide what we want to buy, and where. There’s only one thing that has me concerned . . . the light beige carpet throughout the house. I’ve always had darker carpeting that cleans out stains very well. But this beige carpeting, in a house that we’re renting, makes me very, very nervous. Not so much because of the girls (they’re older and don’t track in mud and dirt like they used to!), but because of our dog, Sandie, who is mostly an indoor dog. I can already envision muddy footprints running across the carpet after she’s gone outside (in the rain, of course, since this is OREGON :doh:), and me unable to get those stains out! I already see myself investing in throw rugs. Lots and lots of throw rugs! But will that be enough? :scratch3:
So, I’m enlisting advice and suggestions from you all today. If you have light colored carpet and a dog/s, what do you do to keep those carpets clean and free from the dirt and mud that dogs track in from outside on wet days? I know I’ll be drying Sandie off whenever she comes back inside after doing her business, and wiping off her paws, but is that going to be enough? :pray: Is there some other way to ensure her paws are clean, or an easy trick to cleaning them before letting her loose in the house and on the beige carpet? And should I invest in a steam cleaning machine for the carpet? Any suggestions are welcome and appreciated! :grin1:
Janelle Denison finds it hard to believe that it’s been nearly 20 years since she first started writing romance novels. At first, it was a way to pass idle time while her husband worked swing shift, but before long it became an obsession to get published. Luckily, she kept at it (it took her over 5 years to get that first book published!) and is now a Waldenbooks, Barnes & Noble, and USA Today Bestselling author! Now, after selling over 40 plus novels, she finds that her Plotmonkey pals help to keep her stories fresh and unique, and she can’t imagine writing a story without their input. Janelle lives in Oregon with her husband, Don, along with two teenage daughters that keep life interesting.
ANOTHER WILD WEDDING NIGHT
Hard to Hold
Love Me If You Dare
Wild For Him
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Is this an actual picture of it? Looks really nice, and sounds cozy.
We always had outdoor dogs, they rarely came in the house, so I can’t help you with that, but boy are your furbabies just the cutest. Look at that smile on Sandie’s face. Just adorable.
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I don’t have an answer for cleaning up after Sadie (muddy paws), but I do know my mom has her dog trained to stop in the mudroom and wait for her to clean her feet. But then this is my mother, the person who insisted we have white carpet growing up and yep, she pretty much had us trained to do the same thing.
I love the look of the house, and much luck on downsizing.
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BOOTIES! Seriously. I just remembered people who use them on my Wheaten Loop! I’ll get you the info!
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Meant to add, LOVE the house!
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I found that any steam cleaner you buy, unless you spend a huge amount, is terrible. Rent one as needed from the market. And do it regularly or it can be a problem. I had the same thing with a rental and we didn’t do it frequently enough and wound up with stains that wouldn’t come out, while the newer ones did.
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Nice house. I would love to have to move, just to clean this one out and get rid of 60 years of crap!!
As for the dog- I gave up. The back door, in the dining room, is where the dogs come in. I had the room tiled. I use bathmats instead of throw rugs because they are easier to clean- I just throw them in the machine and hang them up to dry. The only carpeting left is in the upstairs part of the house and as soon as I can, the stuff on the stairs and hallway are going. I hate vaccuuming carpet.
Keep towels by whatever door you use to bring the dog in. Mine are pretty good about being told to stop and in the case of the doxie, go “belly up”! She knows it means her paws and belly need drying off. She wasn’t brought up with booties, but we tried them. She ate them.
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Janelle, I think that G has the right idea…do the wipe-off thing, but then plan to rent a steam cleaner every month or two. Best thing I ever did for my sanity was get rid of the carpet in our living area. Now I just sweep! But you can’t do that in this house, so I think regular cleaning is your only option.
I think the house is adorable. It will be a tight space, but you’ll manage. You’ve already downsized!
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I really like the way it looks like a triple A-frame. Very nice. Four bedrooms are good. I’d say plastic runners that you can lay throughout. They are generally 3 feet wide and you can have them cut to length. Can get this at any Home Depot and it’s not that expensive. Or tons of throw rugs would be a good idea too. Or both. That’s what I’d do. :-) I hope that helps, Janelle. :wave:
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Janelle,
Here’s my advice: Don’t sweat the small stuff. It’s a rental and carpets get dirty. Period. Especially light ones. And the owners know this. Just have them cleaned every couple of months if you need to. I’m assuming they know you have pets and unless you walk around in a hazmat suit 24 hours a day, the carpet is going to need periodic cleaning.
The house is darling and looks very cozy, a great place to land until you find the house you really want to buy. Relax, enjoy having your family all together again. The best is yet to come!
Cher
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The house looks really charming. Renting the steam cleaner every couple of months would be my suggestion too. I love the idea of bathmats instead of throw rugs. So much easier to keep clean. My dad’s dog always comes in the back door, and she knows if it is wet outside not to move until someone dries her off. Drying her off will help some, but the steam cleaner will do the best. Is there a mudroom/half-bath off the kitchen or anything at the new house?
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I have 2 dogs and they use the doggie door. I faced the constant chore of cleanup on rainy days, so I purchased a long runner that can be washed. It has really helped. For stubborn stains I use Chem Dry spot remover. Good luck on your move. I’ve been reading the excerpts of your new book and loving it.
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Janelle,
I have lighter carpeting in my house too. My family room being the lightest and that’s where my pup goes in and out all the time. And having a beagle, there’s lots of digging. I found this stuff called Simple Solution. They have it at PetSmart. It gets out mud, dirt, urine, feces, you name it. I think it’s great. Give that a try.
Love the house. Good luck with the move and cleaning that carpet!
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i would definitely suggest doggie booties, they sell them everywhere even walmart has them now.. i would also suggest the plastic runners or throw rugs.. my parents have a steam carpet shampooer and it was an awesome investment.. i borrow theirs..lol.. even has a car attachement for doing cars..
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Janelle, the house is beautiful. As for Sadie, I say buy a steam cleaner. I have a shampooer and wish I had chosen the steam cleaner instead. Best of luck with the move. I hope everything arrives safely.
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Janelle…I am so excited you are moving to my ‘neck of the woods” (anytime you want to go out for drinks… :tinitime: let me know and I will meet ya!). I am really not scary…
My mom has a collie (and has always had collies) and lives in Seattle. She has trained her collies to wait if they are muddy (Vicki said this, too) in an acceptable room to be cleaned off. Yes, she trained us, too. Also, is there a covered area where Sadie can do her thang? My folks only allow their collies to go in a certain place if it is raining (none of them ever want to go out if it is raining anyway, unless absolutely necessary….).
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Congrats on finding a house. Oregon is where I grew up most my life. I moved to WA state at 18 till 2 years ago when we moved to Florida we had light carpet and 2 dogs a black lab and a boxer we always put them out through the sliding glass door I bought one of the clear plastic runners and cut it to go in front of the door (not a fashion statement but it worked) we kept a towel and a box of baby wipes by the door and every time it rained ( a lot of the time) we would bring them in one by one and wipe their paws off. We also invested in a steam cleaner and last but not least we always had a can of spot shot on hand I swear by it. good luck :flower4you:
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Stacey — Yes, that is an actual picture of the house! :flower4you:
Lots of great advice here. I’ll have to try the dog booties, but I’m sure that Sandie will NOT like them. But hey, it’s worth a try. Good idea on the bath rugs so they’re easier to clean!
Unfortunately, there isn’t a coverered spot in the backyard for her to do her business, but the backyard does lead into a small dining area that is Pergo(?), and I see some training in Sandie’s future to “stay” until she’s cleaned up.
Ev — Love the “belly up!”. Too cute. We’ve taught Sandie to “shake” after her baths and after coming in from the rain here in California. Not shake your hand
, but to shake her entire body to get most of the wetness out of her fur before we dry her off with a towel. So, that’s a start, at least. :dog1:
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Katie — we’ll definitely have to do lunch! I would love to meet you in person! Or, we can meet at Powell’s and spend the day combing through that HUGE bookstore! :grin1:
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Hi Janelle,
It is a lovely new place.
I have a snady beige carpet. If the carpet is pretty new it probably has the stain guard stuff on it. My carpet does and it is 10 years old this year and my Bridgette( my dog )turns 9 in June. She has been an inside dog from the beginning. She is a 50 pound English springer spaniel.
From the picture of the house there isn’t too much dirt around.
We have tile at the main door that Bridgette goes in and out at.
The only time I have a bit of trouble is after the yard has been mowed and grass clippings get hung in her fuzzy feet.
I did invest in a Bissell Carpet Cleaner I bought at Sam’s Club years ago and that thing has been wonderful.
I would just put rugs at the door inside and out and see how that works.
:dog1:
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I don’t really have much advice on the doggie situation, but I can give you lots and lots of advice about downsizing!
We moved from a 2600 sq. ft. house (with a 1000 sq. ft garage) into a 1000 sq. ft. house!
At first I loved it and really wanted to stay in the smaller house. It’s so much easier to clean – less floor space, less furniture, less bathrooms – all around it’s easier.
But this house has gotten smaller and smaller over the past year – That saying: “Love grows best in smaller houses” – pffff!
But your girls are older and so it won’t be as difficult as having a hyper 12 year old boy. And you and Don will be back together and I can only imagine how ready you are for that!!! Sending good vibes on getting everything and everybody moved with minimal drama!
and for Sandy figuring out the muddy paw routine quickly!
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Jodie — we looked at places as small as 1,000 SF and there is NO WAY we could have done that, LOL! We all need our space! Really the only thing this house lacks is a formal dining room and formal living room — both of which I rarely used here in the current house we have, so no big deal on not having those rooms in the Oregon home. And as I said, this is only temporary until we figure out where we want to eventually buy a house. :wink:
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Janelle…I would love to do lunch or Powells (can you believe I have lived here for over three years and have NOT been to Powell’s????). All I gotta do is get a sitter and I AM THERE (since I am not going to SFO)! WHOO HOO!!! Now, we gotta convince the rest of the plotmonkeys…I owe Julie some MARGARITAS, baby!
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That really is a nice looking house, Janelle. It’s got to be a huge relief to have that all settled and know your seperation is almost over. My cousin and her husband were dealing with a similar separation while he was down in Tampa finding a place for them and attending the police academy there while she remained here in Colorado with the kids. She’s very relieved and happy to have him coming back to help with all the packing and everything so they’ll be ready for their move.
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Best wishes on our new home. It looks beautiful.
Get a rug vac cleaner. My daughter and son in law have light carpets and they got one. As for me, I tend toward darker colors to hard the dirt. But as for rugs – the dark shows all the fuzzies, etc. I went with multicolor in several rooms and that hides the dirt. Don’t know if you chose the carpet or if it was already there.
I like your cuddly icon.
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Karin, if your cousin needs any information about the neighborhoods, city, etc, let me know. I’m a Tampa native!
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Thanks for the offer, Julie. I’ll check with her to see what kind of information she might need and let you know. :)
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Well have you missed me??? I’ve missed U.
Zoey is now 1 and still only 3 lbs.
I haven’t been here and I try not to post negatives here so a quick run down would go like this:
House was robbed lost so many memory items broke my heart but they didn’t steal or harm Zoey.
Neighbors tree fell on our house and took out part of roof.
Month later his other tree fell on my car.
Changed job positions within company and was just getting the hang of it when I fell at work and broke arm in 3 places, shattered shoulder and joint and cracked collar bone. Good news beautiful new grand daughter and some out of work time for the summer.
So I am writing today only because I needed to let you all know I am alive and on the mend. Today my husband and caregiver (Oh that is a comical book in the making) brought me home some books to cheer me up and low and behold Leslie’s Slow Hands. Now you might think the
“Oh my God!” was me reading the first paragraph out loud but it was much better than that. Yes, I read every page Dear Reader included. Low and behold there are Zoey and I mentioned in print. Leslie you have no idea how you made my day. I have to go read the book now. You guys are the best Thank-you so much! I am on the mend and will be back when typing isn’t quite so painful/ Hugs to all Jeannie and Nursemaid Zoey.
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Oh Jeannie—big big big hugs! I can’t tell you how many times I’ve thought about you; we were really worried and wondering where you were and then thankfully Carly got your post card!
And I am so sorry about the awful time you’ve gone through. That dedication was very heartfelt (so far you and Ardie are the only ones who’ve noticed…lol!) and if it gave you a smile at a crappy time, that makes me very happy.
Please stop in and visit when you can…at least to let us know you’re hanging in.
Missed you!
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I had four house dogs and a steam cleaner. The cleaner was great for cleaning up the messes the dogs made. Of course, spot remover was a great help, too.
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I noticed, Les!!!
Jeanne!!! I’m so sorry for the trials and tribulations of your life, lately, but I’m SO GLAD you stopped by to say hi and catch us up and I’ll put you on my prayer list for a quick recovery. We’ve thought of you often, trust me! Hugs to you and Zoey!!
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Hi Janelle,
Congrats on the house. I am with Cher it is a rental house so don’t sweat it. Just take your shoes off before you come in the house. no shoes allowed in my house. dog booties sound cute too
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Jeannie and Zoey
Sorry to hear about all your misfourtunes hang in there
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Jeannie, OMG! How long ago was the Florida trip? I’m so sorry for all you’ve gone through!
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Hey I am in Portland also. My birthday present used to be dinner out and a couple of hours at Powells. There are some other local bookstores that are great to explore also.
Prepare for wet here but luckily you are starting out in our drier season. Your dog will be wet, wetter and wettest.
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Hi Janelle,
I am Leslie’s sister Cheri and thought I would post a comment…I have a~200lb all black great dane and light carpeting throughout the house. My backyard does not drain as well as I would like so I often have muddy spots in the yard. I have lived in this house just over 5 years and still have the same light carpet that came with the house…
My pup will not allow me to touch his paws to clean them let alone stand in one place to wipe him down after a bath, out in the yard, in the mud..so…my advice to you is invest in a steam cleaner. I absolutely love mine. I can’t tell you how many times he has ran into the house full of mud. He has broken his nails often and my bedroom once looked like a room from a bloody horror film. It was everywhere! He has started having accidents in the house when I am not home and can’t get him outside in time. Anyway, get a steam cleaner, be patient, its going to get dirty. What else are pets and kids for??
I wish you well on your move…
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Jeannie and Zoey — we missed you!!! :hug2: I’m sorry to hear everything you’ve been through, but I’m SO GLAD to hear that you’re doing better! Come back and play soon!
Cheri – I’ve seen pictures of your Great Dane “Pup”, and I don’t know how you do it! Glad to know that there is hope for our light carpeting yet!
Thanks everyone for the suggestions and advice! I appreciate it!
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Jeannie – OMG, I am so sorry for all you’ve been through! Good grief, when it rains it pours! I’m glad Zoey is okay and that you have a grand daughter to hug – I’m sure that makes you feel much, much better! Hugs and prayers your way! :hug2:
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Janelle,
Love your new house. I don’t have any more advice than what others have told you already. Keep towels and buy a steam cleaner vac… Does the house have a basement or mud room? I suggest wiping her paws in there. But if you don’t have either then i suggest the wipe down with towels.
Good luck with the move. Hope all goes well.
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Janelle,
I found that using Simple Solution-Oxy Solution which is found only at the pet store to work really well with stains and even odors. I tried all kinds of pet stain type sprays and this one seems to be the only one that works the best. My dog is very old now so he has accidents that can’t be helped.
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nice dog and cute house
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carly
was in florida first weekend in April. 4 days our first trip ever. stayed with
our friend in port st. luce. my dil works for so. west and so we traveled free and stayed free. it was lovely.
janelle
i can’t imagine being separated from Don that long. yikes i hope you llove your new home. booties sound like fun. steam cleaner is a must have here i love mine.
julie,
thanks for the prayers i sure can use all the help i can get this year.
leslie
i am loving the new book. it is fun, believable and i am already into the characters. noticed the santori’s cameo appearance too.
Thank to everyone for the good wishes. hugs to all.
jeannie and zoey.
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the house does look cozy indeed. it is hard when you have to downsize. especially when you realize all the stuff you’ve accumulated over the years, and there’s no place to put it! lol. plastic storage bins come in so handy for that lol. and your pup is beautiful. I’ve used that Resolve cleaner, for me, that worked like a charm. There’s also Resolve High Traffic that works wonders for light carpets. Good luck on the move! :wave: :wave: