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There’s a reason people often refer to their pets as fur-babies. Pets are loyal, loving, and a part of the family. But that doesn’t mean that living with furry, four-legged friends doesn’t come with its own set of challenges. For this reason, we’ve rounded up a few of our favorite pet tips for keeping your home so stylish your guests may even forget that it’s pet friendly, too.
Designate Specific Areas for Feeding Stations
Pets may feel like family, but that doesn’t mean that they have to eat at the kitchen table. Creating a feeding station that is convenient for your pets but also not an eye sore for your family is well within reach. Think about places in your home that are easily accessible but not typically visible to guests, like laundry rooms, a mudroom, or a bathroom. If the climate is right, some pet owners even opt to feed their animals outside on a porch or patio. Just make sure you store the food appropriately to prevent spoiling or unwanted critters and bugs.
Get Creative with Concealing
One of our favorite pet tips for designing a home that’s pet friendly but doesn’t scream “crazy cat (or dog) lady” is to get creative with locations for stashing pet necessities. If you have a cat, consider putting the litter box in a closet you don’t use often and installing a small cat door so the closet can stay closed. Use decorative bins and baskets with lids for food and toy storage, and closeable jars for treats. The items you need will be easily accessible but not nearly as noticeable.
Sweep and Lint Roll Often
We wish there was a quick fix for keeping pet hair off of floors and furniture, but the truth of the matter is that it requires diligent sweeping and lint rolling. Storing lint rollers in a few easy-to-grab locations like coffee and side table drawers will make it easy to roll down your furniture on a regular basis — or at least before company arrives. If sweeping doesn’t make your daily to-do list, consider investing in an autonomous robotic vacuum cleaner and let it do the work for you.
Treat Stains Immediately
With pets come stains, and even the best trained animals have accidents or get sick from time-to-time. The best pet tip for keeping your home smelling fresh and looking clean is to treat any stains as quickly as you can. Get into the habit of doing a quick walk-through of the rooms you don’t often use to make sure there aren’t any stains setting in without your knowledge. If you have younger or older animals that have accidents more frequently, consider getting a portable carpet cleaner for quick-but-thorough spot treatments.
Following these simple pet tips means you can enjoy living with pets without having to live with the clutter or messes that often accompany them. Now go give those (fur) babies some love!
