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Okay, I never thought I would say this, but some 2-in-1 cordless stick vacuums actually make cleaning fun! As a general rule, I used to hate all household chores equally. But there’s something about using these cool devices that doesn’t feel like I’m completing a tedious task. Here’s the best analogy I can think of: If a regular vacuum cleaner is a minivan, the right 2-in-1 cordless stick vac is a sports car.

It’s not hard to understand the appeal of machine-washable rugs, especially for families. Rather than panicking when you knock over your glass of wine, your kid leaves muddy footprints, or your furry friend has an accident, you can simply throw the rug in your washing machine on the cold setting and go back to enjoying your life. So, the case for buying a washable rug is obvious, but what’s not so obvious is where to buy one.

This piece was created for Cubby, our weekly newsletter for families at home. Want more? Sign up here for a weekly splash of fun and good ideas for families with kids. Join us over on Instagram for more! My wife and I live with our three young daughters in a 700-square-foot railroad style apartment in New York City. We enjoy the simplicity of living in a small space and creatively thinking about how to make the most of it.

When considering a rug for a kids’ room, style should not have to take second place to durability. Thankfully, many modern furniture stores carry lines of rugs and floor coverings that look great in a child’s room and are built to last.

Last spring as the world shut down, I snapped up masks, Purell, and something expensive and seemingly frivolous: an outdoor sectional. I’m not kidding when I say that impulse purchase saved us. It got me through the long, lonely first months of quarantine, the worry about my kids’ emotional health, and the heartbreak when I suddenly lost my dad in early summer. It’s like we magically got a bonus room in our cramped house.