seam2stressed's Profile

Um..."somewhat non-descript"???
Great deep molding, great doors, lovely hardwood and neat retro tile in the bathroom, and it's "non-descript"? I love what she's done with it- but as far as I'm concerned, the bones of the space gave her a running start!

Slamstead- Zero oder might be a good way to go, or few folks know that the Nature's miracle only works when it's damp. If you want to try it again, buy the jumbo jug, soak the area, put rags dampened with the same stuff over that and a garbage bag over that (hold it in place with weights). This will keep the enzymes wet and active long enough to eat up the uric acid crystals that are causing the stink. Hope this helps!

It's really lovely. And did you install it yourself? If yes, brilliant job! Those geometric designs are the devil to get (and keep!) even.
Our current apartment it the result of my moving in with my husband and, after a year of living in what felt like a refrigerator (all white walls) with various prints hung all over, I had enough. I got a fistful of paint chips that harmonized with the various paintings, asked my now-husband to choose the ones he liked best, and when he left on a business trip one week, I painted four walls (entry way, dining room, living room, hallway) deep jewel tones.
The apartment is large, sunny and airy so it works well, and I'm blessed that it worked out on the first try. :-)

We have a rent control apt. in Santa Monica, CA, which means it was pretty much a genteel slum until the landlord hired a good property manager last year. The landlord is scandalously cheap, so most of of the repairs I make are better than what his minions do. The new manager and I have a "don't ask, don't tell" agreement where she trusts me to be a good steward of the place and pretty much do what I want until we move out (when she will be "SO surprised!" ).

Prettybee- to elaborate:
Here in the U.S. you rent an apartment, and usually this means that you cannot make many changes (paint walls, change floor coverings, cut into cabinet doors) UNLESS you have written permission from the apartment's owner. If you do make changes without permission, you lose your security deposit (usually about a month's rent).
Sometimes, if you plan on staying in an apartment for a long time (as in the case of some people who are in rent-controlled apartments- ones with rent that is fixed below the market rate for as long as you live there) tenants will go ahead and paint/change things and treat the apartment like they own it anyway. Many of the older tenants in my building have paid for built-in bookcases, etc. for that reason.
However, if you own a condo, you must report to a common board of fellow owners if you want to make any changes beyond installing carpet or painting walls. Any structural changes must be voted on and approved by them (and if you aren't on good terms with your neighbors, or the board is just cranky, your plans can be held up indefinitely!)

Oh, WANT!
That is amazingly cool.
I wish we had more basements here in So Cal, I've always wanted a guest suite, and this would ROCK!

As for the windows- either the house is on a hillside, or they've used periscope windows- that's what I would do.

Actually, cleaning all these surfaces may seem OCD but it's just plain good sense. Especially with so many bugs becoming resistant, it's wise to minimize infection via cleanliness instead of waiting to rely on meds to get better (and since viruses can't be treated by antibiotics, that's an EXTRA reason to avoid infection!).
It's tough to remember to do all the surfaces we actually touch. I'm glad we have this thread! I think I'm going to go down the comments and make a list of all the things to wipe/clean when we get sick at our house. :-)
P.S. According to my science buddies, Listerine is pretty ineffectual. A soak in peroxide or a weak bleach solution is a better bet.

This IS a most excellent thread!!
Here's what I am taking away from this:

1- Delegating someone to handle announcements is a great idea.

2- Sending out a loving email to friends and family (pre-birth) expressing preferences about visiting rules, handwashing, etc. would be a lovely idea. Printing these out and posting them on the front door would be brilliant.
Including a pre-set visiting schedule might be nice:"We won't be accepting visitors at the hospital, and we will be in seclusion for a month or so. BUT starting at Baby X's third month birthday, we'll be all ready and expecting visitors who want to drop by for a half hour or so every Sunday afternoon from 2 to 3:30." Kind of a modern twist on the old fashioned "At home".

3- Offering to be a "Food coordinator" would be a lovely gift. This would include sending around a sign-up list, setting up drop-off rules (just ring the bell and leave it by the door), calling people to remind them of their turn, and keeping contact with the new mom in case there's any tummy issues that warrant a change in menu plans.

4- Friends joining together to pay for a cleaning service for the new family (a REAL one that will pick up, do laundry, dishes, whatever is needed) for the first few months (and maybe starting a week or so before delivery!) would be a great thing. And maybe paying a local teen to rake up leaves?

5- If the in-laws are a handful make it clear to the hoard that your doctor has "Ordered complete rest" and nicely reserve rooms for them at a nearby hotel. If they protest,
smile and say "Sorry, doctor's orders. I actually have my very best friend already delegated to "repel boarders" (my loving, but utterly batsh*t and intrusive family) for my first week home.

6- For people who have trouble asking for help/knowing what to say: I belong to (and ADORE) www.flylady.net.
It's a free organizational website where they teach you how to get your sh*t together and run a house.
Besides having some great online support/discussion groups for new moms, they encourage you to start what is called "A Control Journal" that provides a daily list of tasks for cleaning/running the house.
A lot of new mums on the boards have said that their control journal made life with a new baby WAAAY easier, because the new dad or any friends who wanted to help could just be pointed to the daily chore checklist and pick something to do. Really good when you're not at your best or good at articulating things (some of us just aren't good at it. and it helps for everyone to accept that with patience and love.)

7- If you've got the dough, a doula would be most excellent! (I hope to ask the in-laws for our next baby).

First off, as much as it might make sense to use good smelling oil to cancel out bad smelling oil, PLEASE check with a dryer repair man before deliberately putting an oily rag in a heated environment. I'm not sure, but I think it screams "fire hazard"!!!!!

Secondly, here's a link to how a clothes dryer works, and how the air (and the oil) flows through the machine:
http://home.howstuffworks.com/dryer.htm

Your best DIY steps would be to clean the inside of the drum, the exhaust hose and the lint trapper.

You'll need the following:
A grease cutter to get the oil off. Formula 409 is the best there is.
Dawn dishwashing liquid
baking soda
A soft toothbrush
A dryer vent cleaning kit
(they sell them at www.flylady.net)

UNPLUG the machine, remove the lint trap and set it to soak in the Dawn, a tblsp of baking soda and hot water (if you use fabric softener, there's a coating of fats from that on the lint trap as well as the fish oil, the baking soda softens the water and helps dissolve the fats).
Use a soft clean cloth and the 409 to wipe out the inside of the dryer. Repeat a few times, changing cloths.
Use the vent cleaner to pull all lint out of the hose (there will be some in there) when you can't get any more lint out, clean off the brush, then dampen with the 409 and use it to clean out the exhaust hose again.
Use the toothbrush to scrub off the lint trap, and wash it a second time.
Let the trap dry, and let the dryer air out for a while, then give it a test run.
It the smell persists, the oil may be coating parts of the dryer you can't safely reach. Call your friendly local repairman for advice. :-)

I really don't think "guests" are a good idea until the baby is older and momma's more recovered.
Hospital drop-ins are only for first degree relations (and that with warning!).

But FRIENDS who don't expect a clean house/gerber-perfect baby/dapper new parents and who want to come by and HELP OUT- hey, those people are worth their weight in gold!!

If there's an older child (and you're a good friend of the family) offer to take them and a friend out for a "Big Brother/Sister Celebration" at McDonalds so Mom and Dad can get a break. Bring back lunch for the parents, hand over the kids and the food and Leave!

If the mommy is a good friend, instead of planning a ceremonious "look at the baby" visit, call, and ask, "What can I do to help?"
If she trusts you with kids, offer to be on bottle duty and change a diaper while she gets chance to shower and actually dry her hair. Do the dishes, help do a load or two of laundry or help fold laundry. All the stuff that gets left by the wayside when there's new baby.

(BTW- Depending on the size of the family, I like to divide a casserole between two "one meal" sized foil steamer trays from Smart and Final, so they can eat one at one meal and freeze the other for later- it's worked pretty well so far!).