A memory – my mother's battle with the floor

Parents (of children or pets!) know more than anyone that accidents happen. And by accidents, I mean messes. The bane of my mom's existence was dirt, spills, smears, and germs. As a stay-at-home mom, she spent most of her time on the upkeep of our house, trying in vain to keep up with two kids and a dog (who admittedly didn't get bathed but once a year, due to her feisty resistance of water). It was a constant battle – one that she didn't always win. Especially when it came to our furniture and flooring!

It was while I was at an early age that she decided she'd had enough of carpet (and only partially due to developing an allergy to it, though I'm sure its deterioration and unkempt state had something to do with that). I still remember my dad pulling the stuff up, leaving rows upon rows of teeth-like nails standing proud against the perimeter of the room as he fought the stubborn floor-beast. It was a pain to get up, but it would've been even more of a pain to keep clean! My mom greatly preferred the hardwoods, and often bragged about how much better they were for our health, how much more thoroughly we could clean them. As kids, we were given the brunt of the dirty work, having to sweep, dust mop, and then vacuum the entire house each Sunday. Yes, it did make spills and dirt easier to get up, but that wasn't to say it was without a price; we soon had another problem – scratches.

Whether it was by furniture, a toy, or some horrible freak accident, the scratches started appearing. The once beautiful honey-color of the hardwood faded to a pale, sickly version of itself, sad and worn out thanks to constant abuse of kids' feet and unclipped doggie claws. By the time we sold our once home, the floors were beat-up and dingy, a shell of their former glory. Maybe it would've been better to have kept them covered – if we could've found a way to keep the flooring clean without leaking money trails out of our pockets every time we walked on it. For a time, we'd used rugs in the bedrooms but those, too, were unacceptable. Beating them out was a pain and the latex base smelled funny. I can still remember burying my face against the plush loops of fabric and breathing in the distinct odor. It didn't help that my mom was still allergic to those, and my dog only wanted to lie on them – again leading us to the same reason we rid of them in the first place!

I'm sure many of you can recall such a time in your own lives and your own struggle with carpeting, whether it was in the past or the present – an echo or a deja vu of times before. Either way, it feels like you can't win; you keep the carpet and deal with the allergies and expense of upkeep or rip it all up and risk damage to your precious hardwoods. I'm sure my mom would've loved to have had access to machine washable rugs when we were younger; I bet it would've changed a lot of things (including replacing that smelly yellow bathroom rug that became my dog's bed!).

But those were the 90's, and this is the present. And today we do have access to machine washable solutions! So when I become a pet-parent and the tradition is passed on to me, I'll certainly be using rugs to keep my hardwoods clean and unmarred. I'm sure it'll help the value of my home considerably!

About FlexiRuggz

FlexiRuggz are awesome customizable rugs that you can design yourself! Pick out the color, fabric, and pattern of your squares – then have fun mixing and matching. And it's completely machine washable too!

Check us out at www.flexiruggz.com. It's hip to use squares!

Want to be a mompreneur?

One of the buzz words these days is "mompreneur." These super women know how to manage it all – their kids, their households, their businesses. If you have friends who are moms, you might wonder how they manage to have the time to do all that and stay sane. It's not easy, but it can be done. And one of the best ways to do this is to plan ahead. That's one of the reasons FlexiRuggz was started – because Betsy knew she wanted to be a mom one day, and she wanted to get her business established before she had kids.

It's so true. Starting a business and getting it off the ground requires a lot of dedication and a lot of time. You're never done working, and that seems to be a misconception many people have about owning their own business. I've known people who think being an entrepreneur means rolling out of bed at noon and taking sporadic vacations whenever they feel like it, maybe even working fewer hours for less days a week. It couldn't be further from the truth. When you're an entrepreneur, you're always busy, always thinking of new ideas to further the company, always going and trying to find new leads. As an entrepreneur, you have to find new opportunities; only when you're established will they also come to you.

That's why it's good to be prepared ahead of time. But moms starting out, don't be daunted or think you can't do it too! If you manage your time and work hard, you'll get there too. Anyone who's dedicated and works hard will be more likely to find success in entrepreneurship. Oh, and it doesn't hurt to have a support network along the way! Never stop making new connections, and you'll go lots of places.

We'll have more tips for you guys on starting out and managing your new business soon. In the meantime, keep an eye out for our press release! It will also contain some other Little Idea customers, including, Leap of Faith clothing, a fellow entrepreneur who plans on being a mompreneur one day!

About FlexiRuggz

FlexiRuggz are awesome customizable rugs that you can design yourself! Pick out the color, fabric, and pattern of your squares – then have fun mixing and matching. And it's completely machine washable too!

Check us out at www.flexiruggz.com. It's hip to use squares!

Unconventional uses for rugs

Despite what people might think, you can do more with a rug than just lay it down on the floor. Rugs are actually quite versatile if you get creative; you can use them for not only practical purposes, but also for decoration too! Like we've said before, your rug is more personal than carpet because you can take it with you, so you're safe to pick a crazier pattern than you would for wall-to-wall carpeting. And even if you move someplace new and don't think you can use your rug anymore, there are some other ways you can use them that you might not have thought about.

Wall hangings. Did you know you can use your rug as a work of art? If your rug has an interesting pattern or ties together the room décor, you can hang it on your wall like a tapestry. This works best for rooms where you have a lot of wall space and the wall color is more neutral. And, having looked at some examples, I'd say it looks pretty awesome. I've yet to try this one, but if I'm ever designing a cozy, country-themed room, I might have to try it. So don't be afraid to pick out a pattern and go for it!

Door hangings. Much like wall hangings, door hangings can also be used to give a room a cozy atmosphere. This design tip isn't as versatile as wall hangings, but I think it could definitely work depending on the size of the rug and what door you decide to hang it on. I think it could even be practical, adding to insulation. I've never tried it; have you?

Dog bed. This is something I've done. If you have hardwoods or would like to add some extra comfort, then you can use a rug instead of a towel or a pet bed. My dog used a rug for a long time; it made it easy to keep the floor clean and gave her a designated place to lie – plus it can be easier to clean the rug too, if you get one that's washable like FlexiRuggz! So instead of shucking out a lot of cash for a pet bed, you can buy a rug that you can use for a few different purposes, including decorating your room when your pet's not asleep.

Mats. I have known people who used a rug instead of a door mat or a welcome mat. Although I'm not so sure about exterior use, I think it's great for using indoors. When coming in from outside, you can bring a lot of dirt or debris in, and having a rug right at the door will help prevent some of that from getting tracked inside your house. Again, if the rug is washable, you can easily keep it clean. You also have more choice over how it looks than if you were to use a regular mat.

Bedding décor Believe it or not, rugs can also be used on your beds. You can hang them or attach them to a headboard or footboard to give it a softer feel or emphasize the space. If your rug is soft, you can also lay it across the end of the bed for decoration. It gives it a heavier feeling than regular bedding, which may be something you're going for if you want a cozier, warmer feel.

These are just a few different ideas for how you can decorate with rugs. So tell us – have you ever done any of these before? What are your unconventional ways of decorating? Leave us a note in the comments and we might include your stories in a future blog!

About FlexiRuggz

FlexiRuggz are awesome customizable rugs that you can design yourself! Pick out the color, fabric, and pattern of your squares – then have fun mixing and matching. And it's completely machine washable too!

Check us out at www.flexiruggz.com. It's hip to use squares!

Product review – Room Sketcher

How many times have you watched HGTV and wished you had the money and the resources to redesign your home? How about the interior designer inside you just begging to come out? Maybe you thought it was impossible to create and share your vision because you weren't able to draw or it was slowing you down when you had too much to do. It's not impossible, though. These days, you don't have to draw to be able to decorate—not when you have awesome software to generate your ideas! However, architectural software such as CADD and Chief Architect is expensive and complicated to use; you'd probably need to take a class in it to figure it out. Thankfully, there are free solutions. One of those free solutions is Room Sketcher.

Room Sketcher is awesome. It's easy to use and it comes with so many options—plus it's fun! You can create your own designs; choose everything from where windows are located (and what kind they are) to furniture and accessories. You can create additions to the basic floor plan by adding walls – and you can move and delete all items too. Add in windows, doors, furniture, and flooring, then position it to make it your own. Everything you can think to add to a home is available on Room Sketcher.

When picking out decorations, you can choose from many categories of items, which you can roll over for a bigger view, the dimensions, and the artist/manufacturer. One of the things I love most about Room Sketcher is that it uses real world products from stores like Ikea and Crate and Barrel, so you can actually go out and buy the items you designed with. It allows anyone to be a designer—without having to take all the messy drawing classes and remember all the details, so you can get to the fun part instantly.

Another thing I love is that you can use a camera and fix the settings to get the snapshot you want, which will appear in the upper right hand corner. If that's too small for you, you can get a bigger view of the snapshot by clicking on Gallery and checking out the Current Snapshot. You can also use something called Home 360, which gives you a 360 degree view of your current snapshot, as though you were actually in the room. There's another feature called Image Gallery which gives you snapshots from every room that you can save and print. You also have the option of using different floor plans (a level image, 3D floor plan (with 3D rendered items), and a 2D floor plan that just shows the architectural features) if you want to upgrade your account.

To access all the features, you will have to sign up but I say it's worth it! It lets you save everything in one place, so you won't have to fumble with everything on your hard drive trying to find where you saved your files (though backing up on a hard drive is always recommended).

All in all, Room Sketcher is one of the easiest design programs I've used. It's also much faster than drawing elevations and perspectives from scratch using a board and a straight edge. So if you want to create your own designs or if you are a designer and want an additional tool, then check them out at www.roomsketcher.com.

About FlexiRuggz

FlexiRuggz are awesome customizable rugs that you can design yourself! Pick out the color, fabric, and pattern of your squares – then have fun mixing and matching. And it's completely machine washable too!

Check us out at www.flexiruggz.com. It's hip to use squares!

Decorating with rugs

As homeowners shift away from using carpet throughout their entire home – instead preferring hardwood flooring – there has been a rise in demand for rugs. One might think this phenomenon is strange, figuring hardwood floors were chosen for a reason. However, rugs have a lot to offer and are more versatile to design with. If you're thinking of breathing new life into your home, here are a few tips on how you can do just that with area rugs!

Use rugs to spice up your room and add interest. You can use a rug to add a pop of color, a contrasting texture, or an interesting pattern to a plain or contemporary room. Usually, when you use neutral colors throughout your room, there's a need for some sort of visual interest. And, if you're living in an apartment, it can be difficult to achieve that because you might not be able to paint the walls the colors you like. It's no problem – you can get a similar effect just by using accent colors through throw pillows, art, and your floor coverings! That brings us to the next tip.

You can use rugs to tie color and design elements together. This is particularly true if you're using accent colors. The best way to keep continuity and flow is to make sure you're consistent. So if you have a piece of art you really like, pull colors from it to help you choose other accent pieces – and your rug. You can also work the opposite way and design your room around the rug. Just make sure you blend the colors through several pieces; the whole room doesn't have to be monochromatic, but it does need to have pieces that echo each other in color and style.

Use rugs to create a focal point. Every room needs a focal point, whether it's a fireplace or a mirror hanging over your sofa. But did you know you can also use your floor coverings to create a focal point? In a simpler space, a brightly colored or patterned rug can draw attention to where you want it—including grouped furniture, such as a living room sitting area or a dining room set. It can be used to draw these elements together in a cozy, designated area—and also visually set it apart from the rest of the room.

Use more than one rug. If you want a shape other than a square (an L-shape for corners) or to make a bigger (or layered) rug, you can combine two. Just make sure the colors work well together to prevent it from upsetting the visual balance; you can also use different sizes to provide interest and keep them from making the room seem smaller. Finally, make sure the styles and patterns match (if you use more than one). Mixing patterns can make a space seem too busy—and could even draw attention to the room's flaws.

Spring is the perfect time to redecorate and reinvent your home. There are so many ways you can go about it that it might be difficult to choose! So tell us—what are some of your favorite ways to redecorate? Leave your tips and ideas in the comments!

About FlexiRuggz

FlexiRuggz are awesome customizable rugs that you can design yourself! Pick out the color, fabric, and pattern of your squares – then have fun mixing and matching. And it's completely machine washable too!

Check us out at www.flexiruggz.com. It's hip to use squares!

Why area rugs? Because they're rad!

As a homeowner, you might have already faced the decision – what type of flooring is best? There is no clear cut answer because everyone has his or her preferences, but there are pros and cons to anything. A lot of homeowners don't always have a choice right off the bat; most houses these days come with carpet already built in. So why should you shoot for area rugs when you have a carpet already down? Well, there's a few points you might want to consider:

They're easy and cheap to keep clean. You can't rip your carpet up and throw it in the laundry; instead, you have to use steam cleaners or hire someone to come in and do it for you. The money can really add up because you have to stay on top of a carpet to keep it nice and smelling fresh. Carpets – especially those with thick, long fibers – absorb a lot of dust and dirt. Plus, in humid climates, carpets can harbor mildew if they're not cleaned often. You can save a lot of work and money if you stick to area rugs!

They're allergy friendly! Since you can wash them more often, you'll have less dust and pet dander lingering in your home. That means less risk of allergic reactions. Plus, with area rugs such as FlexiRuggz, the base isn't made of latex – which can be a serious problem for people with latex allergies.

They protect your floors. But what if you already have carpet? You can always remove it or, if you want to keep it, you can use an area rug to help protect it. So if you spill that soda in your living room, it's no problem – just throw the rug in the wash. If you have hardwood, area rugs can also provide some extra security against scratches and dings.

You can take them with you. Not only are rugs easier to put in your room (all you have to do is put the base down and hook the squares in; how easy is that?), but you can also take it with you! When was the last time you were able to do that with your carpet? So even if you feel like a carpet would be a better investment, think again – you only have it as long as you have the house, and when you move, you have to shell out more cash to personalize your home.

You have more options when designing your room! Wall to wall carpets look best in neutrals, but there's not much fun in a beige or white floor covering. If you want to spice your room up, why not spring for a bold color or texture in an area rug? It brings the room to life and adds a wonderful pop of color. You can also use rugs to tie your design together or to set certain spaces off (like a conversation area between your couch and a couple of chairs). It can make your room cozier and more you!

So next time you're wondering whether you should buy carpet or a rug, keep these tips in mind. FlexiRuggz are the perfect solution to an easy, bold, and fashionable statement. Check us out today at www.flexiruggz.com!