New stuff is great. But the best thing you can do — for your home, for your wallet, and for the planet — is to take excellent care of the things you already own.
Take, for example, your sofa. After years of getting plopped on, dropped on, and jumped on, it’s probably looking a little worse than it was the day you brought it home. Maybe a lot worse. But you’d be surprised how much those cushions can clean up and perk up with a little TLC.
Today, we’ll take care of the sofa. But let the assignment serve as a reminder of what a little effort can do for your well-loved things at home.
Day 13: Get your sofa into shape.
Spend a little time loving on your favorite seat at home. For most people, that’s probably their main sofa, but you can focus on a chair or any other perch.
Take the throw blanket and pillows off the sofa; give them a spin in the washing machine if you can (and if they’re machine-safe).
Remove all the couch cushions and give the naked sofa underneath a quick vacuum. Then vacuum and fluff each cushion as you toss them all back on. When you return the cushions to the sofa, try to rotate and flip them around to new positions, if they have multiple “good sides” — you want to reveal fresh fabric and also even out the wear.
If you notice any stains as you’re going, treat them tonight. And if you notice any tears or pills or other fabric fixes you can solve right away, take a moment to get them done. If you spot anything that needs a more major repair, you can add it to your future projects list.
Once you’re through with the vacuum-and-flip routine, drop your blankets and throw pillows back into place, giving each pillow a quick fluff.