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!

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!