My grandparents had lovely, hand-crafted, European furniture. It was quite an investment – one which they carefully preserved. Their couches were covered with a durable plastic that prevented stains while also maintaining the filling of the cushions. The covers were a point of jest, not only because of their appearance, but because of the farting noises the plastic would make when bare legs stuck to it during balmy summer months. Yet the undisputable fact is that the care my grandparents gave to their furniture was so effective that even after they passed away, their couches and other pieces still looked brand new.
With regard to cleaning, my grandparents had a similar attitude emphasizing obtaining the maximum lifespan of everything they owned (clothes, dishware, carpets). They took pride in the diligence they exercised when housekeeping. Though they had a dryer, during the warmer months, my grandmother would hang their clothes on the line outside. When my family would pull up their narrow driveway to visit, my grandmother’s pantyhose would gently blow in the breeze like a welcome banner. Along with flowers, candy and other odds and ends we’d bear, the pantyhose we’d take down from the line was always part of our offering.
Today, we live in the Swiffer Generation: a use once culture where nearly everything is seen as (more or less) disposable. In a day and age when we have dishwashers to clean our dishware, Roombas to vacuum our floors, self-cleaning sprays for our oven, toilet and shower, not to mention litter boxes which automatically detect and clean when waste is present, our way of life looks uncannily like The Jetsons. Yet, I wonder sometimes if our reliance on technology has skewed our perception of cleanliness while simultaneously fostering laziness or even levels of apathy.
Good Housekeeping review of modern cleaning devices: http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/product-reviews/research-institute/work-saving-cleaning-robots-and-appliances.
I’m a proponent of traditional methods and tools for housekeeping. Although I’d been aware of products like Swiffer, I was skeptical about their capabilities. I wondered if something with such flimsy design and disposable counterparts could truly get the job done. However, I have to give the good people at Procter and Gamble credit; their TV ad campaign condemning traditional sponge/soft cloth mops as being bacterial cesspools caused me to have an “ew” moment. Consequently, when I moved into my condo, I pitched my mop and bucket and purchased a Swiffer Sweeper starter kit, and a container of wet mop refills.
With the sweeper’s stick-like design and wet paper towel-like mopping pads, I have not been impressed and am not a fan of Swiffer’s sub-par results. Over the years, message boards have lit up with debates on the effectiveness of Swiffer products. The consensus seems to be: while Swiffer is helpful for small jobs or touch-up work, traditional tools (such as a bucket and mop) are still the authority when it comes to deep cleaning and better looking results. Regardless of how Swiffer is or isn’t used, P&G is raking in profits with 6% sales growth in their cleaning goods segment reported during the third fiscal quarter of 2014.
Just as technology constantly adapts to and for the times we live in, the appearance, functionality, durability and lifespan of furniture has evolved drastically to meet the needs of today. My grandparents were very much of their generation (The “Greatest Generation” born around 1901-1924). They married young and only lived in one home throughout their marriage. As a result, their furniture reflected the one-time large investment that was scrupulously taken care of so that it would last a lifetime.
My parents (from the “Baby Boomer” generation born around 1946-1964) married while in their 20’s, spent the first part of their marriage in New York, but moved across the country to Chicago when their family was still young, and lived in an apartment before settling into a home. They purchased furniture from furniture stores and in sets. Compared to my grandparents furniture investment, my parents investment was more of a medium one, made on more than one occasion. They took care of their furniture, but it was neither made nor used to last a lifetime. Rather, it was functional and comfortable and used for a period of 10-15 years until it needed to be replaced because of moving to a different setting, or due to wear and tear.
Being born in the early 80’s, my sister and I are on the cusp of Generation X (early 60’s-early 80’s) and Generation Y (early 80’s-early 00’s). Our generation has chosen to settle down later in life. We tend to move around more frequently from city to city and through permutations of roommates, romantic partners, or single dwellings. If we are the Swiffer generation when it comes to cleaning, we are the IKEA generation when it comes to furniture. Obtaining furniture is not an investment the way it was for our parents and grandparents. It is a practical purchase that offers flexibility.
My apartment in Chicago was a studio, so my living room was also my bedroom. Therefore, I bought a Beddinge futon from IKEA. It was a piece of crap that made guests fall on the floor when in “couch” function because the cushion was Velcroed onto the frame, and the frame wasn’t really anchored down. Yet it was compact, pseudo-functional and fairly comfortable. Because IKEA furniture comes apart so easily (in fact, a mover once told me that IKEA’s furniture is called “exploding furniture” due to its tendency to lose random bolts, buttons and other pieces when in use) I was able to fit the futon into a pod with no problems and it traveled from Chicago to Seattle. Since IKEA is relatively affordable, it’s not frivolous to purchase new pieces when moving or when a lifestyle change occurs.
The IKEA Beddinge in all its crappy glory.
In my opinion, balancing our previous generations’ hardworking principles and attitudes while leveraging today’s technology as a tool will yield great results. Because our generation is constantly on the go, perhaps the prudence our grandparents exercised when purchasing furniture would be a mistake for us. The level of investment should match the investor’s current to near-future needs. However, there’s something to be said for taking pride in setting up and maintaining one’s space, even if it’s just for a temporary period of time. Instead of relying on technology to do our work for us, we should be the ones to control our environment. Which brings me to this week’s Old-fashioned Challenge: Roll up those sleeves and put some elbow grease into housekeeping. Even if it’s just for you (especially if it’s just for you) there’s nothing like a truly clean home. It’s a doubly good feeling knowing you are the one to make your home sparkle and shine.
©Tia Gargiulo, 2014
Interconnected Disconnectivity 