Perhaps you are the ‘Avid Shopper’, excited for the chance to browse the internet and favorite decorator blogs for inspiration. A chance to do some enjoyable shopping and give your home a fresh look. (As long as you’re getting a new sofa, you might as well get a new area rug, end tables, and lamps, right?)
Maybe you lean toward being a ‘Hunter – Gatherer’. You know exactly what you are looking for, you purchase it as quickly as possible, and you’re done. For you, shopping is a chore and a necessary part of home life.
Whichever type you are, the reality is that eventually our belongings wear out, ruined or out-dated and need to be replaced. Perhaps the sofa has lost its shape, or your charming dining room table that was fine before the kids came along now makes mealtime feel a bit cramped. Is it finally the time to upgrade to the luxury of a king sized bed? Whatever new furniture you need, Barefoot Organics would like to offer some help.
For the past 8 years, Barefoot Organic Carpet Care has had the privilege of being a part of people’s lives as they move in and out of their home, redecorate, remodel, and, yes, buy new furniture. It’s our passion to provide families in our community with safe, non-toxic, and organic carpet, upholstery, and tile & grout cleaning services. We have extensive experience organically cleaning homes across the valley: from Ahwatukee to Scottsdale, Gilbert to Glendale, and pretty much every corner of the Greater Phoenix area in between.
Let us consider 3 important topics from our point of view when it comes to this pricey endeavor:
- Look at what it’s actually made out of
- Re-stretch and repair carpet
- Clean your floors
Through the years and the many homes we’ve seen, we have acquired some valuable tips, tricks, and resources that can make the process of purchasing new furniture just a little bit easier. We are pleased to pass this knowledge on to you. while the room is empty
#1 What is Your Furniture Made of?
Your furniture is an investment for the future as well as a choice for today. What looks attractive in the showroom or a magazine, may not be practical for your needs. Ill-chosen furniture may unnecessarily need replacing in a shorter period of time which translates into a more costly investment for you in the long-run. So you may want to make it your aim to choose with your head first and your heart second, no matter how good a piece of furniture looks.
You can try asking yourself and your family such questions such as:
Who will primarily be using this piece?
How much daily use will it receive?
How much care and maintenance am I willing to invest in it?
How long do I need it to last?
One of the more challenging options to navigate is that of choice of fabric. Each fabric type requires a different level of care and maintenance. Check the label and do your own research. If you a knowledgeable salesperson, they can usually help out but remember that they are sales people and won’t know everything.
Some fabrics that we suggest to be particularly aware of are Viscose, Rayon, Cuprammonium, Cupra, Cupro, Bemberg silk, Bemberg Rayon, Nitro Silk, Acetate, Modal & Bamboo Silk. These fibers are really all one in the same. These fibers a very soft but very challenging to clean and if they get wet or moist, it can cause damage.
Using A Designer To Help Pick Out Your Furniture
We love working with them too. Many have a keen eye when it comes to what goes best with what room. Just remember that the type of fabric is also vital for a longer lasting look.
What amount of care and maintenance is practical for your lifestyle, time, and budget?
For instance, perhaps you are drawn to the casual chic look of a white slip-covered sofa. If so, are you comfortable with the frequent washing and pressing it may need? Do you like the informal look it provides?
If you have your eye on a classic tufted leather chair and ottoman, are you okay with the reality of it taking on a distressed look over time? What type of maintenance will the leather need? For instance, will you need to regularly condition the leather to avoid splits and cracks? If so, what chemicals are in the leather conditioner you will need?
A few other considerations; If you have children or pets, your furniture will eventually need professional cleaning. Even if you choose gentle organic upholstery cleaning, such as the type Barefoot Organics provides, how will the fabric respond to frequent cleaning and stain removal? Does it show watermarks or spills easily? Is the fabric color-fast (the dyes from the fabric run when wet)?
Every fabric choice has its pros and cons, so taking the time to do research will allow the savvy shopper find the perfect fit.
Thankfully, there are a plethora of fabric choices out there and there is certainly one to fit your taste and needs. Check out this article at Architectural Digest for information on a wide variety of fabric types.
Fabric with some texture. As light moves across the fabric, there is a subtle contrast of light and shadow, making minor spots or flaws much less noticeable.
Patterns. This is a wonderful way to camouflage minor imperfections that invariably will happen over time. If you are concerned about growing tired of a pattern, consider a subtle, classic pattern that is limited to two colors or two tones of the same color.
Synthetics. Modern engineered fabrics are main stream. They often mimic the look of high-maintenance fabrics but offer low-maintenance advantages. You can find engineered fabrics that look like velvet, linen, cotton, leather, and even silk. You will want to review and research the fabrics well in advance.
A stain resistant treatment. Barefoot Organic Carpet Care offers a non-toxic and organic fabric treatment service that doesn’t contain the harsh chemicals that traditional treatments involve. This will help your upholstery resist staining and make cleaning up spills and messes so much easier.
Another factor to consider is the sustainability and environmental impact of the furniture we choose. We are more mindful than ever that the everyday choices we make affect far more than just our own home and family. Making new purchases can provide an opportunity to select options that will benefit the environment as well as our home.
Here are a few tips to keep in mind:
Fabric with some texture. As light moves across the fabric, there is a subtle contrast of light and shadow, making minor spots or flaws much less noticeable.
Patterns. This is a wonderful way to camouflage minor imperfections that invariably will happen over time. If you are concerned about growing tired of a pattern, consider a subtle, classic pattern that is limited to two colors or two tones of the same color.
Synthetics. Modern engineered fabrics are main stream. They often mimic the look of high-maintenance fabrics but offer low-maintenance advantages. You can find engineered fabrics that look like velvet, linen, cotton, leather, and even silk. You will want to review and research the fabrics well in advance.
A stain resistant treatment. Barefoot Organic Carpet Care offers a non-toxic and organic fabric treatment service that doesn’t contain the harsh chemicals that traditional treatments involve. This will help your upholstery resist staining and make cleaning up spills and messes so much easier.
Another factor to consider is the sustainability and environmental impact of the furniture we choose. We are more mindful than ever that the everyday choices we make affect far more than just our own home and family. Making new purchases can provide an opportunity to select home. options that will benefit the environment as well as our
A Few Ideas For Choosing Eco-Responsible Furniture:
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Check for FSC certification. The Forest Stewardship Council certifies products to assure the consumer that a product has been crafted with sustainably harvested wood.
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Consider furniture that has been produced with low toxicity. Look for a Greenguard certified logo. According to greenguard.org “GREENGUARD Certification is part of UL Environment, a business unit of UL (Underwriters Laboratories). GREENGUARD Certification helps manufacturers create (and helps buyers identify) interior products and materials that have low chemical emissions, improving the quality of the air in which the products are used.” Furniture produced with toxic stain guard and flame retardants used to be the standard practice, but more and more manufacturers are eliminating these products. Checking for the Greenguard certification will allow peace of mind in knowing that these products have not been used.
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Think minimal.
Theminimalists.com defines minimalism as “a lifestyle that helps people question what things add value to their lives. By clearing the clutter from life’s path, [one] can…make room for the most important aspects of life: health, relationships, passion, growth, and contribution.” While this lifestyle may not be for everyone, adopting some of its principles can help us make responsible choices. For instance, look for furniture that is useful as well as decorative. Furniture that has a multipurpose function will mean purchasing less individual pieces and saving precious resources. -
Invest in quality. While the up-front cost may be more, quality pieces are usually built to last. The longer a piece of furniture lasts, the less likely it will end up in a landfill. Even if you tire of the style eventually, a quality piece may be reused by passing it on to a good home elsewhere.
#2 Re-Stretch And Repair Carpet
Clearing out the old and bringing in the new can feel good, a chance for a fresh start and a new look. However, the ‘clearing out’ phase of this process is the tough part. Having to move furniture is never fun, no matter how many friends you are able to bribe with food and favors to help you. So as long as you are going to invest the time and effort in clearing out a room, we highly recommend making your hard work count!
An empty room is the perfect time to address any carpet repairs that are needed. This is especially so if a sizable area needs to be patched and blended. An empty room will allow your technician to ensure they have repaired the entire damaged area, not just the area that can be seen and accessed.
Re-stretching carpet is also best done when a room is empty. To get the best results, your carpet technician will need a room as empty as possible of heavy furniture and at least two completely empty perpendicular walls to perform a proper re-stretch service.
Since you have already cleared a room in preparation for new furniture, take advantage of that time to re-stretch and repair your damaged carpet. If you leave your carpet with bubbling, wrinkling or rips, they only get worse over time. Those areas can begin to discolor and look different from the other areas.
Did you know Barefoot Organic Carpet Care offers re-stretch and repair services? Our owner and lead technician, Justin, has more than 25 years of experience in flooring repair and installation. So, along with natural and organic carpet, tile, and upholstery cleaning, we are pleased to offer expert re-stretch and repair services too!
#3 Clean While The Room Is Empty
It’s amazing how clean our carpet and tile looks … until the furniture is moved. We’ve all seen the tell-tale grungy path in an empty room, marking out the shape of our formerly placed furniture. And who hasn’t been surprised by a lurking dust-bunny or two?
The truth is, our floors can become far more dusty and grungy than we realize. So why not plan ahead? If we are anticipating clearing out old furniture and purchasing some new pieces, this is the ideal opportunity to schedule a thorough carpet, tile, or area rug cleaning.
When carpet and flooring is cleaned in a room full of furniture, a cleaning technician can only clean what he can reach. So while periodic deep cleaning throughout our entire home is an excellent idea, you will reduce allergens and improve the air quality in your home even more effectively if you schedule your cleaning service while a room is empty.
Our natural, non-toxic, and organic carpet, tile and rug cleaning can make your new room makeover feel even more fresh and clean.
So now you’re ready. You’ve thought about what your furniture needs are. You’ve considered how you want your furniture to be constructed and what fabric is practical for you. You know you can call us to help you get the room thoroughly ready. What’s left to do?
It looks like you’re ready to do some shopping! We hope these tips and reminders we’ve learned over the years will help make the process a bit easier.
Happy furniture hunting, from the crew and family of Barefoot Organic Carpet Care!
