Adventures of a First Time Housewife. Day 56

To catch everyone up, Michael and I have a rent house! We have everything moved in and he is living here.  I am here all the time, but still staying overnight at Mom and Dad's house.

We love our rent house! It's on a main road and is 10 minutes across town from my parent's home, which will cut down just a tiny bit on my commute to school after we get married- yay! It is a two bedroom, one bath, pier-and-beam that we estimate was built in the 1940's.  Our landlords recently renovated it- only one couple has lived here for a few months while their home was being built, so it's very fresh and clean! 

But, as all of you who have lived in a home that is pier-and-beam or was built over 50 years ago, there are downsides.  Like that musty smell that can so easily occur.  It is my arch enemy.  In the past 56 days, I have figured out ways to defeat this thing that I so despise.  

Clean.  

 Super basic, right? I clean constantly.  I also clean with products that are either scented neutrally, or that I really like their smell.  I use Comet in the kitchen and bathroom for the "hardcore" cleaning, and I love Fabuloso for spills, countertops, and incidentals.  I really don't know how we cleaned the house before we knew about this stuff.  If you get the big bottle of concentrate (I like the lavender kind) and water it down in a big spray bottle, it lasts for a long time.  It guestimate that I use one part Fabuloso to 4-5 parts water. Maybe more.  I dunno.  Water it down until the smell isn't overwhelming.  

Yay standardized picture from Google image search!

Laundry. 

 Once we got the washer and dryer hooked up, the smell got better instantly.  I wish the dryer vent ended in our garage so it would smell good too! Again, use scents you love.  Tide is a faithful standby.  I'm a Cheer girl myself, and I like the Downy Simple Pleasures sheets in the lavender serenity scent.  (noticing a pattern of lavender??)  After I use these, I tuck a couple in the return air vent and change them out regularly.  If I have company coming over I take them out so they don't think I'm crazy.  I learned this trick in the college dorms. (The sheets in the vent. not the "I'm not crazy" act.) 

Air Fresheners.

 Occasionally I use Fabreze Air Effects, but only if we've cooked something that smells strong.  I'm sure if we had a vent-a-hood this wouldn't be near as bad.  I currently have the linen and sky scent, but I would probably like the lavender too. Surprise.  I don't use this as much as I use anything else because it can come across as overbearing and chemical smelly.  I don't like that.  

Candles.

 I love candles.  Probably because my mother didn't love candles and I always had a fascination.  Plus my friend's mom let us dip toothpicks into her candles and make crayons that didn't really work anyways but it was still fun and I couldn't do that at my own house.  I have two that I really like the scents of right now, both are pricey, but totally worth it.  First, Jonathan Adler's Hashish Candle.  It has a very woodsy smell, but it's really strong.  I only burn it in short intervals. 

I know, I know, crazy packaging.  and name.  No, there is not weed in it.  

Then, this weekend, I found THE HOLY GRAIL of candles. That's right. I'm serious about my candles now.  Let me set this up for you.  It's your first time at Northpark Mall in Dallas.  You've wandered about aimlessly and can't figure out why the only entrance into Neiman Marcus on the second floor requires you to walk through the children's clothes.  You ride down the escalator and see it: Anthropologie.  Walking in, you notice the beautiful clothes and gorgeous pieces for you home.  Then, you're over taken by that sweet, sweet smell that is in all Anthropologie stores.  I have figured out what that scent is.  It is the Capri Blue Volcano Candle.  And it is perfect.  

Any other tricks you have to keep your home smelling great?  I would love to hear them! 

-xo_vw