clean and tidy.

Some may call me crazy. Well, I take that back...MOST call me crazy because I am infatuated with cleaning and everything associated with it. There is nothing more satisfying than scouring my condo from top to bottom. The finished result and all the glory that accompanies it is well worth the three hours of my Saturday or Sunday afternoon. It completes me. No lie. I am a sucker for cleaning products, as well. My favorite? Clorox Clean-Up with Bleach. Clorox Green Works is for the birds. Fumes? Yes, please! I am also a huge fan of the Swiffer Duster. It is great for all of those hard-to-reach places. As for going to town on the drapes, couch, chairs, and bed, I use the Bissell Pet Hair Eraser Handheld Vacuum. The suction on this little gadget is UNREAL.

Now, my floors are a touchy subject. I have ebony hardwoods in my kitchen, dining room, and living room. Two cats + ebony flooring = not good (as in having to vacuum at least three times per day). Don’t get me wrong…I love to vacuum, but when you have a vacuum that weighs more than you, scratches the floor, and spits dust, litter, and pet hair back out, it’s not very enjoyable. So, on Saturday I decided that it was time to put the joy back in my daily chore of vacuuming and invest in a new vacuum. After not a lot of deliberation, John and I (more so I), decided on the Dyson Ball DC25. It felt like Christmas morning. Do you know that feeling when you are so happy that your heart feels like it’s about to burst?! Well, that is what I felt like when John took the vacuum out of the box and began to assemble it. After it was put together, John went to the gym and I vacuumed. Twice. I could not wait for John to walk through the door so I could show him the hair, fibers, dust, dirt, and litter that the Dyson picked up. He was shocked! I was exhilarated.

This is after my third go-around. Look at all of that! You may think it's gross. I think it's amazing.

If you are still not sold, let me tell you about a few of it's features:

1. You can use it on ALL floors. It has a motorized brush bar for carpet and at the press of a button you can turn it off to use on hard surfaces.

2. It's bagless! I know, "Welcome to the 21st Century, Lauren." But, not only is it bagless, it has another button that opens the bottom of the bin so you don't have to have any contact, whatsoever, with dirt and it's quick to empty. Brilliant.

3. It has Ball technology for easy steering. I no longer have to lift the vacuum to move it around corners and furniture. It glides at the turn of your wrist. So fun.

4. It has a lifetime washable HEPA filter, which is designed to trap microscopic allergens and is certified asthma and allergy friendly. It may be in my head, but I promise I feel like I can breath easier. Even better, the husband hasn't coughed or sneezed in two days.

Read on about this magnificent machine here.

Isn't she a beaut?

I could go on and on about our newest addition, but the cleaning process doesn't stop here. After vacuuming, I then steam mop the floor with the Shark Steam Pocket Mop. Again, another great investment. Lucky for me, it was a Christmas gift given to me by my parents (they know me so well). When I'm done, I let the floor dry and then let Goose, the wild kitty, out of the closet to frolic and shed his white hair on the spotless floor. The next night, I'm at it again...