apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

i think i do, but since you asked, i'm blanking i'll have to think about this come back :)

hmmm well..for the past year since i have a stand up shower, i have a small bucket in the shower so after my shower is done i use the water collected in the bucket to shave my legs...ah good ole water conservation.

this is a struggle for me.

there is a vintage furniture/clothing/tchotchke/game store in carroll gardens, brooklyn that is so amazing that i selfishly want to keep to myself. in fact when i first found it i told the owners, "i will never tell any of my friends about you because i want first dibbs on everything here."

then i proceeded to buy an incredible lamp, an old mille bournes game and a gorgeous end table -- all for less than $250.

the place is called Go Fish and it's on Sackett Street between Henry and Hicks. they get new stock weekly. they have an unbelievable supply of seriously beautiful pieces (including a couple of authentic tulip chairs, a new stash of heywood wakefield furniture that came in last week ... i check in most weekends)

the most amazing thing is the prices. this is the most reasonably priced vintage store on the planet. in a land of insanely overpriced vintage stores (williamsburg, i'm talking to you.) this is utopia.

Use a french press and japanese charcoal to make your own tasty tap water.

http://online.wsj.com/public/article/SB117650064931669567-FkhYspL6ayWy2WvGskGlsKgCNmU_20080412.html

sticking a lemon in the disposal and running it makes it smell fresh.

toilet training your cat ensures that you never have to worry about kitty litter again. i recommend the citikitty (google is your friend) and flushable kitty litter for six weeks and tons of patience.

vinegar used to clean stainless steel without leaving streaks is a myth. barkeepers friend is better.

Can I ask for a tip? I need a non toxic way (preferably no ammonia) to remove old dirty wax from a linoleum or vinyl floor (I'm not sure which one it is - what is the diff?) so I can reseal the floor. Any ideas for me?

The Container store is coming to Cherry Hill, New Jersey. I don't have a date for opening day.

to the big d:

Is it really possible to toilet train your cat? Anyone else? I'm skeptical but very interested in the possibility.

Rinse out your bottles and cans before tossing them into your recycle bin. This prevents those annoying fruit flies from showing up in your house.

Does anyone have any tips about drains?

I have long hair and it's an eternal battle. The mesh hair-catcher I bought gets gross so quickly (seems to collect soap scum like nothing I've ever seen). And for kitchens with no in-sink disposal, what is your secret ?

procraftinating,

Have you tried one of the plastic hair catchers - the ones you just place over the shower drain and that are sort of hat-shaped? I use one because I too have long hair and shed like crazy every time I take a shower. It works ok. I just clean it off after I get out of the shower -not so pleasant, but it works. The only real downside is that it takes longer for the water to go down the drain.

the big d-

Club soda is also a great cleaner for stainless steel. It also cleans windows and mirrors.....

Mitchell Gold & Bob Williams at 1308 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA [ 215.732.2001] are having their bi-annual sample sale. Now through July 29 up to 30% off stock.

To keep long hair under control in my drains I have a long handled hook I use to fish the globs of hair out. I know it is VERY disgusting to fish the smelly hair globs out of a drain but it sure beats paying the plumber to do the same after the drain is completely clogged. The tool I use is a sewing notion called a tube-turner and can be purchased in most larger fabric stores. The loop turner is about 12 inches long a wire with a latch hook on one end and a circle loop on the other so it doesn't fall into the drain. Have a plastic bag and paper towels handy to dispose of the hair blob and your drain will be good to for a another 6mo or yr.