Pet proofing for the holidays
You love the holidays and everything that goes with it — the lights, the ornaments, the tree, the candles. But you have pets, which is like having toddlers all over again. Cats climb trees, make off with figurines from the crèche, swat at candle flames, and dogs crawl under trees in search of food.
But it doesn’t have to cramp your style.
TRIMMING THE TREE
Designer Karen Chadwick of Queensbridge Mills in Markham always raises her tree off the ground high enough to keep her two cats from climbing on to the trunk. She spreads out a large remnant of fabric, puts four milk crates upside down, positions the tree and secures the stand with wire to the crates’ open weave. She then gathers the fabric or burlap up and around the tree trunk, tied with nice ribbon.
When decorating, use common sense: make sure nothing dangles within tempting reach, tie the tree to the wall to secure it against flying cat leaps and hold off on the heirloom ornaments until the cat is old or too lazy to care, whichever comes first.
Add floral ornaments as they’re easily secured and won’t break if the tree comes crashing down. If you want lights, keep them in non-flashing mode. And never use tinsel — cats eat the stuff and it gets tangled inside meaning an emergency vet clinic visit.
To keep pets away from the tree altogether, here are a few preventive measures that may help:
• Sprinkle black pepper on the floor around the tree. When kitty goes to lick it off her paws, she gets a hot mouth.
• Certain smells repel cats so spread dryer sheets on the floor around the tree, or spray air freshener on the tree daily, or place orange peels under the tree (cats hate the smell of oranges)
• Keep a spray bottle filled with water handy and when they get close spray them.
• Skat Mats gives a small electric shock to keep kitty away (available at Pet Valu).
• Since cats cannot resist catnip, set up a “sweet spot” well away from the tree. Chadwick suggests a chair in the kitchen with bunches of curling ribbon tied to the back and a nest of catnip on the seat. “They’ll make that their play area and sleep there, and leave the tree alone.
Kid Style Entryway Benches - News
For colour in the hall and entryway, decorate the banister. Just make sure the boughs are well secured to the rail and refrain from trailing ivy or raffia twine, which cats cannot resist. • Hang ornaments from the window transoms.
Kids Cubby Storage: Entryway Benches - How To Choose Yours
That welcome mat outside the front door says it all; you want people to feel welcome in your home. But what have you done to make them feel welcome once they come inside. If you have a beautiful carpet, as soon as people come in, they may be quickly struggling to take their shoes off so they aren't the one to track dirt into your home. Depending on how your foyer is designed this may be just part of the welcoming experience, or an inconvenient and uncomfortable situation.
Consider a guest who has a pair of lace-up boots on. They want to be polite and remove their shoes. But, the entry way offers little help, as there is only an accent table and umbrella holder. They could put their weight on the accent table as they try to do this, but what if it's not as strong as it looks? They could also put their hands on your wall, but that may leave marks. The last option is hopping on one foot while trying to pry a shoe off of the other. If you turned to entryway benches this would not be a problem. Your guests would be happy to sit down, and talk as they unlace and take off their shoes.
Kids Cubby Storage These days, entryway benches come in designs to match every décor, and some even come with a few perks, being more than just a place to sit.
kids can use when they go out, but don't have to be strewn all over the hallway when they come in. If you have a lot of guests coming to your house, you may even want to use this space for extra bedding items.
A Place to Hang Your Hat
If you want a piece of furniture that looks as if you have gone back in time, consider entryway benches with treetops. This does not mean a bunch of branches are coming out of the entryway benches, but it has a back or posts rising up out of the back that offer coat and hat hangers on the top, so as your guests come in, they can truly feel welcome, kicking off their shoes, hat and coat all in one place.