Day Dreaming About My New Bed

My wife and I have been talking about getting a new bed ever since we met each other and decided to get married nearly 8 years ago. Wow, writing that out I can't even believe we've been together nearly a decade now. Ok, stay focused. The point of this article is focus on the bed, not what we do in the bed that has kept us together, that is a much better article for another time.

So, as I was saying, for nearly eight years we've been talking about getting a bed that was all ours. Up until this point we've been sleeping on the queen mattress she had when I met her, which she shared with at least the guy she dated before me, which is kind of a turn-off to say the least. I guess I never really thought about it too much, for the longest time I was just happy to be the one sleeping next to her now. Which is by far the highlight of my day. Falling asleep and waking up next to her every single day is the greatest blessing I could possibly imagine for my life. But the time had definitely come. It wasn't that we couldn't afford a new bed, our financial situation has been perfectly suited for some time for this type of investment, this real issue has been my wife deciding on what she really wanted. I can't tell you how many trips to mattress stores we've made over the last 3-4 years to lay on and try out the new latest and greatest, then to wait for a sale, only to let too much time pass and then there's a whole new line of mattresses with different names that we have to go and try out all over again, and that's just the mattress, we haven't even gotten to the bed yet.

Well a few backs, on a Saturday while I was at home watching some football, so came home from shopping and informed that she finally found a great deal on a new mattress and had purchased it. So that was great, finally a decision made and a step taken. I honestly have no idea what brand it was or how much it cost. I typically do not concern myself with those details as long as she's happy. She told me it was a king sized which sounded awesome. We had stayed a bed and breakfast a few months back and slept on a king bed that was just amazing, I think that is what finally pushed her to making the decision. She said this mattress felt really close to that one.

So now for the bed. She ended up picking out this bed from Overstock.com that is a replica of some really expensive bed she had been eyeing from Pottery Barn. Overstock had the king size for $999, plus we got $100 off for being a new customer. Which was a good deal. We we so excited, the bed was supposed to be shipped in a few day and we would finally have our very own bed together that no one else had ever been in.

Then, our shipment was delay, and then again, and again. We were getting pretty disappointed. Finally we called overstock to see what was going on and they offered up a $200 refund due to the delay. So hey, that was great. Then, the next day, I got an email offering up and $200 in store credit as well. Well shoot, we need a new light fixture for our bedroom as well. So we went ahead and got one she had been eyeing that was on sale for $179.

Bottom line, we ended up getting that king sized bed for $400, which is less than we paid for our sons twin bed.

When it finally arrived, about a month after it was originally supposed to, I was home also and was so exited I couldn't wait for help. I carried that whole bed upstairs myself and had it fully assembled before my wife got home.

She was so happy, she made it well worth my time and hard work. ;) And the bed, when we do fall asleep at night, is just amazing. It's so great I now spend half my day day-dreaming about being right back in it.

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Steps to Keep your Dish Washer Clean

Nowadays we have so many home appliances to make things more convenient. Unfortunately, we often forget that regular maintenance will definitely help to make sure our home appliances work far better for more time.

Today we're going to discuss cleaning and maintaining your dishwasher. Taking the time to do these steps once a year or so will keep your dishwasher happy and in working order for many years to come. The first step is to make sure the cycle has been run so that the dishwasher is clean, then empty it.

What Tools Do you Need?

Once the dishwasher is clean and emptied check the inside to find any visible screws, this will help you determine what size screwdriver or hex tool you will need.

Gathering the Needed Supplies

Once you have the appropriate screwdriver you will need to round-up a few extra supplies to complete the job.

• Baking soda
• Sponge
• Toothpick
• Dish soap
• Microfiber cloths or soft rags
• Toothbrush
• Stainless steel or multipurpose cleaner

Now that you have your tools and supplies we need to remove the racks so that we can begin cleaning.

What's Most Important?

Unplug the Appliance

Before you begin any work on your dishwasher make sure you know where it's plugged in. Find the plug usually under the sink and unplug it. You will not need to unplug the dishwasher for most of the cleaning but if you need to remove any parts you will want to do that first.

Make Sure All Cleaning Holes Are Cleared

One of the main components inside your dishwasher that need to be cleaned are the spinning holes. These are critical to your dishwasher functioning properly. If your holes become clogged up due to food, debris, or hard water build up, the effectiveness of your dishwasher will become lower. Check every spinning hole to make sure it is clear. If not, use a toothpick or other pointed object to poke into the hole and remove the blockage.

Check the Filter

Many dishwashers have a filter, usually located in the bottom where the water drains. Remove the filter and disassemble if needed. Sometimes this may require extra tools, so take note of this. Keep any screws that are removed somewhere safe so you will have then where you're done. Clean all parts of the filter with warm soapy water and let them soak for approximately 15 minutes.

Inspect Remainder of the Inside

Since every dishwasher is different you'll want to check yours for any spots that need extra attention. Some common spots are usually around the door seal and utensil rack. Clean any tight areas with a soft cloth or q-tip, soapy water and vinegar.

Run an Empty Cycle

Now you should be ready to put all the parts back together and run a cycle using only a couple cups of vinegar. Doing this will break up any extra hard water deposits that may be stuck inside the sprayers. You can do that step every few months as needed.