We bought our first house recently. After years in a rental where we couldn’t nail a picture up without security deposit panic, we were excited to make our new place feel like home.
Our kids finally got a playroom, so we thought it would be fine to make our open plan living /dining area more of an adult space. A decorator friend helped me design everything from rugs to window treatments. I spent days creating a massive family photo wall that crawls up an entire flight of stairs. And we invested in some new furniture, including one major splurge: a custom-built bookshelf/cabinet unit, hand-painted in a warm gray tone that complemented our new couch.
Do you know where I’m going with this? If you’ve ever raised small children, then I think you do.
Our 2-year-old contributed to the decor by scrawling in black Sharpie all over the custom-built unit. Since she’s not very tall, she pulled a kitchen chair over to the shelves and worked her way up. (This all happened while I was in the bathroom, by the way.) When I got done crying, I asked Google for help and set about scrubbing the multiple marker stains with toothpaste and rubbing alcohol. It did not get rid of the Sharpie. It did, however, destroy the finish on the furniture.
Please read the rest it’s funny I swear over at mom.me…