6 Tips for a Pet Friendly Home
We love our fur children and so much so that Americans spent over $75 billion on them last year. Nearly two out of three homes in the U.S. have a pet and while it’s so easy to say yes to an animal, the quality of your home could take a hit. If you are bringing a pet home, moving into a new home with your current pet, or refurnishing your home to better accommodate your furry friend check out our 6 tips for a pet friendly home.
Contain the Clutter
A pet tends to come with an array of belongings and accessories just like everyone else in the family. To keep pet clutter from crowding you out of your home, choose your “pet stuff” zone and keep things together. We also love a good basket to help corral like items together.
If you start overflowing this area later on, try to sort, eliminate, and reorder your pet’s things rather than expanding it into other parts of the house.
Get Washable Everything
Choose the “washable” version of everything possible. Pets, like children, will increase the wear and tear on surfaces, so no animal-loving home will be show-room perfect for long. However, when your belongings are built to withstand washing, they’ll look better longer.
Protect Your Floors and Furniture
Whether this means laying down skid-proof rugs on hardwood, stain-proofing your carpet, or spreading a blanket down where your pooch naps, it’s the same principle: an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
If you’re choosing a new carpet, opt for low-pile, which holds on to less hair. Patterns hide fur well, but if solid colors are more your taste, read on to tip #2.
Consider a Grooming Station
To keep your home looking (and smelling!) its best, it’s important to keep your pet clean! Speak with your vet about the best methods and products for your animal’s specific needs, then keep up with the grooming schedule your vet recommends.
If you’ll be grooming your pet in your own home, we strongly recommend setting up a dedicated grooming station. If you have the space for it, a complete table with necessary tools and a nearby bath with a detachable sprayer are life-savers for owners of cats and dogs alike.
Nail clipping, ear cleaning, and constant brushing are excellent ways to practice proper pet husbandry as well as protect the surfaces in your home.
Know Your Textiles
The right textiles for your sofa, armchair, and flooring all depends on the type of pet you have. The trick is to consider your pet’s species, coloring, and habits while you’re decorating. Long-haired white cats are never going to get along with a highly textured, dark sofa, after all, and a bulldog’s drool would wreak havoc on natural suede.
While it is reasonable for the owner of a dog to teach their pet to stay off furniture, owners of cats and other less tractable animals must be more proactive. Cats famously enjoy shredding wood trim, couches, and carpets; by choosing slick surfaces that prevent their claws from sinking in, you’ll take the fun out of attacking the couches.
In general, strong leather or pleather, manufactured suede, smooth (stain-resistant) textiles, and washable wools are the best choices for homes with pets.
If you purchased your furniture before taking your pet home, or have inherited heirloom pieces, it may be necessary to cover them with washable covers.
Consider Color/Coat Coordination
If you have a tan dog, choosing tan flooring, rugs, or furniture would be the simplest way to keep fur from being immediately visible. Even homes that are vacuumed twice-weekly, as recommended, will probably have visible fur accumulation otherwise.