Thank you to HomeAway and The Westin Princeville for sponsoring part of the cost of our accommodations. All opinions and recommendations are my own.

I finally finished my Kauai trip recap! Are you ready? It's a long one. The funny thing is, Hawaii was not at the top of my travel bucket list before this trip. However, we had a companion pass and some flight credit that we could only use on domestic flights, plus Ian was still under two (barely) so he could fly free as a "lap infant." We knew June would be our last chance to take advantage of that before we'd have to buy him a full price ticket, so we decided it was a good time to visit one of the Hawaiian islands. So many friends of ours have raved about Kauai, and after a bit of research, it definitely seemed like the island that would align most with our travel style. Annnnnd...we loved it! It was SO beautiful and much less crowded, touristy, and cliché than I expected Hawaii to be. We didn't have the best weather (lots of rain), but we still had the best time, and we already can't wait to go back. And now I want to see the other Hawaiian islands too!

This was our first time flying with kids (we did a road trip and a cruise the last two years), and our first vacation as a family of four. So I was nervous for sure, and skeptical of how relaxing it would really be. I'm not gonna lie, it was exhausting at times and certainly a different kind of trip than if it were just Ben and I. But so worth it!!! Some of the best moments that I'll look back on fondly were watching how much FUN Ian had, whether he was playing with sand toys on the beach, throwing a coconut in the water, chasing chickens around, or eating shave ice. When we're at home in our normal routine, we have to cook, clean, do laundry, wash dishes, mow the lawn, etc. while simultaneously taking care of our kids. On vacation, it was so nice to be able to focus on having fun with them instead of multi-tasking! I felt like we were able to give our boys more quality attention and have some special moments with each of them. That's true no matter where you go on vacation, whether it's a five hour flight or a fifty minute drive from home...just break out of your normal routine.

I'm sure, one day Ben and I will take a trip without the kids...but in the meantime, we are actually having a lot of fun traveling with them (ok, the flights weren't exactly FUN but they were endurable). If you're taking a trip to Kauai soon, and especially if you're traveling with little ones, I hope you'll find this trip recap helpful!

Where to Stay:

Let me start off by saying, Kauai is not a cheap place to stay. When Ben and I used to travel by ourselves, we always tried to save on accommodations so we could spend more on activities and food. But with young kids, the place you stay makes a huge impact on the overall experience, so on this trip we prioritized accommodations where we could all be comfortable and get good sleep. We were able to offset the cost by booking four free nights at the Grand Hyatt in Poipu using credit card points (more on that later).

But first, we started off at an awesome HomeAway in Princeville. It was perfect!!! Three bedrooms, two bathrooms, a full kitchen, laundry, gorgeous view, and a hot tub--all for less than the price of most hotels on Kauai. Such a good value. I love vacation rentals with kids because you have more privacy and space to let them run around and make noise, without worrying about your neighbors. It's also nice to have a driveway where you can just pull right up and unload, instead of lugging a bunch of stuff from the parking lot. We saved a lot of money by having a kitchen, since we ate breakfast at home, made our own coffee, and warmed up leftovers several times. Plus, we got to enjoy the hot tub during the kids' naps and after they went to bed, which was amazing! I can't recommend this place enough! We would definitely stay here again.

The next place we stayed was the The Westin Princeville Ocean Resort Villas. We also LOVED staying here and would highly recommend it for families. We got upgraded to a one bedroom villa, and it was spacious, nicely decorated, and very comfortable. It included a good size kitchenette, laundry, a pull out couch for Ian, a jetted tub and a walk-in shower, a king size bed for us, and an exterior balcony with a view of the ocean. They also provided a crib, and even offered us a high chair, diaper pail, and other baby gear (so nice!). Best of all, the grounds were absolutely beautiful and easy to navigate with a stroller, which was perfect for evening walks. We loved walking around with all the tiki torches lit. There were several pools and hot tubs, including an awesome kids pool with a water slide and spouting turtles. It was the first time we ever put Ian in a pool, and he had a lot of fun! We also took advantage of their "You Tidy, We Treat" program. By foregoing housekeeping, we received a free breakfast buffet at the Nanea Restaurant for each night we stayed. Since kids under 3 were free anyways, that meant we were able to feed our entire family an all-you-can-eat breakfast for the price of one adult--not bad. I loved the pancakes with coconut syrup!

There's something so cute about a little baby on a big bed!

For our last four nights, we left the North Shore and headed to the Grand Hyatt Resort. It's normally over $600/night to stay here, but we were able to book four nights totally free by using credit cards points. If you're interested in doing the same, I used signup bonuses from the Hyatt credit card and the Chase Sapphire Preferred card, which got me two nights each. If we had planned ahead, we could have had Ben sign up for the same two cards and gotten eight nights total! This was my first time trying to do anything with travel credit cards, and I'm totally hooked now. It's a great way to drastically reduce the cost of travel without sacrificing anything (in fact, the Grand Hyatt was swankier than any hotel we would have booked if we were paying with cash). I will say, after having a kitchen, laundry, and multiple rooms at our first two places, the standard room here felt small...but the resort itself was absolutely gorgeous. The pools were open 24-7, there was beachfront access, and they even had parrots and black swans on the premises (so fun for kids!). Overall, we liked the North Shore a little better than the South Shore, but we still were glad that we split our time between both. There is so much to see on both sides of the island! Plus, you won't hear me complain about four free nights at a five star resort. :)

What to Do:

Bringing the kids along may have caused us to get more expensive accommodations, but it actually helped us save money on activities. Almost everything we did was free! Kauai has so much to see and do in nature, from sandy beaches to plunging waterfalls to canyon vistas. We didn't want to spend a bunch of money on expensive attractions that our kids wouldn't appreciate, like a helicopter ride or a luau. So we stuck with the free stuff, and guess what? We never got bored! Since it was our first time there, it was all new to us anyways. We did spend $5 per adult to go the Kilauea Lighthouse (big spenders!) so I guess our activities were not 100% free. ;) Here's what we did.

East Side

Lydgate Beach - The first beach we went to in Kauai, pretty close to the airport. It's nice and is supposedly a good spot for sunrise.

Wailua Falls - Picturesque twin falls that have been in a lot of movies. You can drive right up to the viewpoint.

Opaeka'a Falls - It's a short easy walk on a paved "trail" to see this waterfall from above, or I heard you can hike down to the bottom (we didn't attempt the hike with our kids).

Tree Tunnel - Beautiful tunnel of 500 eucalyptus trees. I wished we could've stopped the car, but it was fun to drive through!

Kamalani Playground - I saw lots of recommendations for this playground, which looked super cool (it's a huge wooden structure)...but we weren't impressed when we went. It seemed to be in disrepair (a big jagged hole in the slide, loose boards, etc.). Maybe older kids would like it better than Ian did?

I also saw recommendations for the Kuilau Ridge trail (supposedly it's short, easy, and safe for young kids) but we never had time for it.

North Shore

The North Shore of Kauai was flooded just a few months before our trip, so unfortunately the road past Hanalei was closed except for local residents as there were repairs being done. We heard the fine for sneaking past the road block was $5,000--clearly not worth trying. So we didn't get to see some of the cool beaches up north, and the Hanalei Pier was closed as well. :( Still, we loooved how wild and jungle-icious the North Shore was, and had an amazing time at the places we did see.

Anini Beach - Super shallow and safe for young kids. We went snorkeling here and saw lots of colorful fish, and there was even a sea turtle on the beach! We went to the shady cove at the end of the road (as recommended by some friends of ours). It was nearly empty and the BEST spot with a toddler and a baby. Shade, shallow waters, seclusion, snorkeling, and a sea turtle...what more can you ask for?!

Hanalei Bay - Beautiful spot to sit and watch surfers...but not a place for little kids to get in the water, so we didn't stay long.

Wai'oli Hui ia Church - Worth a stop when you're in Hanalei. It's a gorgeous green church that was built in 1843!

Kilauea Lighthouse - The northernmost point of the Hawaiian islands. Also a bird sanctuary! We saw an albatross take off and fly, as well as lots of other birds.

Plus all the vegetation on the North Shore was just amazing! I was obsessed with the albizia trees by the Kalihiwai Bridge. Apparently they are very invasive and problematic (now that I'm doing some research, I see that Kauai plans to spend $3 million to get rid of them)...but dang they are beauuutiful.

 

Next time we go, if the road is open, I want to see Tunnels Beach, Ke'e Beach, and the caves. Since our kids will be older, maybe we could even hike the first two miles of the Kalalau Trail to Hanakapiai Beach!

South Shore

Spouting Horn - A blowhole that spouts water every time a wave crashes. It's pretty cool, and a nice spot to stand and watch the ocean for awhile.

Poipu Beach - Nice beach with good, shallow spots for kids. Ben went snorkeling here and loved it! We also saw a sea turtle and a monk seal while we were there. 

Polihale Beach - This beautiful, remote beach is the furthest west of any publicly accessible area in Hawaii. It's a journey to get there (several miles down a dirt sugarcane road), but you're rewarded with a pristine sandy beach and no crowds. We almost felt like we had the whole beach to ourselves! I wished we would have planned a little better and brought shade umbrellas, because it was hot and sunny and there were no trees there. I also wished we would have gone a little later in the day, so we could have stayed for sunset! The road to Polihale is totally doable in a regular car, but do not try to go through the soft sand that leads to Queen's Pond (a swimming area there). We had an SUV and it still got stuck...which was terrifying...and once we got free, we were too freaked out and just headed home. I've heard Queen's Pond is a good safe, shallow spot for swimming though, and you could park on the dirt and walk the rest of the way like we should have done. Learn from our mistakes! 

Red Dirt Waterfall - This is just a little pull-off on the way to Waimea Canyon, but it's worth stopping for in my opinion. It's not really a legit waterfall--more like a stream that's running down over the red dirt hills--but it's still very picturesque!

Waimea Canyon - "The Grand Canyon of the Pacific." This is a Kauai must-see. It's 10 miles long, 3,000 feet deep, and there's a waterfall on one side! The entire drive is beauuuutiful, with multiple lookouts to pull off at. Try to go on a sunny, clear day.

Kalalau Lookout - The two furthest lookouts on the Waimea Canyon road offer views of the stunning Na Pali coast. They're often socked in by clouds, but we got lucky and the clouds lifted enough for us to see a glimpse! AMAZING. The cliffs are jagged and gorgeous, and the ocean was incredibly blue.

Kauai Coffee Company - They offer free guided tours throughout the day, as well as unlimited free samples of all their coffee varieties. I had never seen a coffee tree before, so I thought it was interesting and worthwhile.

 

Glass Beach - I had seen this on Instagram...it's worth a stop if you're already in the area but I wouldn't make a special trip. The sea glass there is really tiny and part of the sand, which is unique and makes for a pretty photo. But it's right behind an industrial plant so I wouldn't want to hang out there for an extended period of time! 

We almost went to the Allerton Gardens (right across from Spouting Horn), where they have the super cool Moreton Bay fig trees from Jurassic Park. But there are no self-guided garden tours and I didn't think Ian would endure a 2.5 hour guided tour--so we saved our money. Next time.

What to Eat:

I had read that food in Kauai was super expensive (makes sense, everything has to be flown in)...so I was nervous that we'd really blow the budget on food. But I think having a toddler along actually kept us in check (again)! We weren't even tempted to try any of the nice restaurants, since we knew we'd be stressed out about Ian throwing food around...so we ate almost entirely at food trucks and casual spots, where service was quick, food was reasonably priced, and we could sit outdoors and relax. I will say, we did not feel deprived at all! The food trucks in Kauai were amazing! We also treated ourselves to shave ice every day (melt-in-your-mouth goodness...so much better than the snow cones we have in Washington), and we got lots of fresh tropical fruit from the grocery store. In other words, we ate very well! Some of our faves included:

East Side

Java Kai - Cute little hipster spot for coffee. I got the mac nut latte and it was delicious!

Nom Kauai - We went here for breakfast. It had great reviews, so maybe my expectations were too high. I thought it was good but not amazing.

Tacos Al Pastor - Our first taco truck of the trip! It hit the spot. The fish tacos were made with fresh-caught ahi, and the asada tacos were yummy too. There are a few other food trucks in the same area, including a cute shave ice truck, and there's a beach where you can sit and eat.

North Shore

Village Bakery - Small bakery in Hanalei. We only got the malasadas, but I saw that they serve traditional Hawaiian breakfast too, and there seemed to be a lot of locals. Not a "cute" place per se, but very fair prices and the malasadas were good!

Trucking Delicious - My favorite food truck up north, and probably my favorite food of the entire trip! We came back a few times and everything was AMAZING.

Hanalei Taro & Juice Company - Another food truck. You can try traditional Hawaiian dishes like lau lau (pork or chicken cooked in taro leaves) and poi (taro paste)...but our favorite thing there was the kalua pork tacos. So yummy.

Chicken in a Barrel - Really good barbecue. We got the sampler plate and loved the beef and the chicken. It's right next to Jojo's, so obviously you have to get that for dessert.

Jojo's Shave Ice - Our favorite shave ice place! So good, and they have locations on all the sides of the island so there's really no reason to go anywhere else. ;) I loved the "Tropical Breeze" (guava, passionfruit, and mango with mac nut ice cream and coconut-vanilla cream on top). My mouth is watering just writing this.

Hanalei Gourmet - I wouldn't really call this restaurant "gourmet", but it was good food at reasonable prices. I really liked my fish 'n chips, but Ben's fish sandwich was so-so.

Hanalei Bread Company - Best place we found on the whole island for coffee. Cute setting too!

We tried to eat at the Kilauea Fish Market, but the wait was 45 minutes and we were too hungry. Also, if go went back without kids (or when our kids are older), I would try Bar Acuda. It was recommended over and over as the best fine dining on the North Shore!

South Shore (totally failed at taking pictures of the food down here)

Dim n Den Sum - Yummy food truck in Koloa. Asian food with a Hawaiian twist. I liked the pork baos!

The Fresh Shave - We tried this shave ice place because of the excellent reviews. It was delicious, but still not our favorite. The place is cute (run out of a silver camper), and they top all their shave ice with fresh fruit--but the portions are smaller and the prices are higher than Jojo's.

Island Taco - This place is unassuming, on the side of the road in Waimea...but it's amazing!!! Their cajun ahi tacos were my favorite fish tacos of the whole trip (and we ate a lot of fish tacos). The pork tacos were also really flavorful and delicious.

Paco's Tacos - Yeah, more tacos! These ones are traditional Mexican style tacos. We got the asada tacos to go, so I can't speak to the restaurant itself, but the food was good!

Koke'e Lodge Restaurant - Really the only option in Koke'e State Park (Waimea Canyon area) so we didn't expect much, but were pleasantly surprised! I got the Portuguese bean soup based on a recommendation from Instagram, Ben got the burger, and we split the chocolate coconut pie. All were good.

Lappert's - Delicious ice cream in unique Hawaiian flavors. Yum!

Kauai Juice Co. - I'm not really a kombucha person but Ben loved it. They have cool flavors like lilikoi (passionfruit) & lychee.

Hanalima Bakery - I wish we would have found this place earlier in the trip! We went there on the way to the airport and got pastries to go. The apple bun, coconut turnover, and malasadas were all SO good, and the prices were fair.

We also heard Little Fish Coffee was good, and it probably was because the lines were ridiculously long every day. It's right by a Starbucks and we weren't patient enough to wait in line on vacation just for coffee, so we never tried it. I also heard Puka Dog was a Kauai institution, but we were never really in the mood for hot dogs.

Other Advice:

If you're traveling with kids, you can check car seats and strollers for free, so I would recommend bringing your own rather than renting. The stroller actually really helped us get through the airport...not only did it transport our kids, but we also piled some bags on top so we didn't have to carry them. Then we just gate-checked it right before we got on the flight. It was great!

If you have a bulky everyday stroller, it might be worth getting a small, lightweight travel stroller. We used the Roll & Go from Babyroues and it was awesome. We were originally planning to bring baby carriers since the BOB takes up a lot of trunk space, but we got the opportunity to review the Roll & Go right before we left for Kauai. Throughout the trip, we kept saying, "I can't believe we were going to do this without a stroller!!! I'm so glad we got this!!!" The Roll & Go is super lightweight, packs up really small, and has a telescoping handle like a piece of luggage, so it's easy to roll around even when folded up. It folds and unfolds one-handed (so nice!), and rolls well (it's awesome on flat surfaces like the airport or sidewalks, and still pretty good on uneven surfaces like grass). It also reclines fully which made it so Ian could nap on the go. A great stroller all around, and especially ideal for travel.

The best prices I saw for rental cars were through Discount Hawaii. We got upgraded to an SUV for free too!

I had heard that the local grocery stores were really expensive, so we stocked up on food at Costco (near the airport) before heading to our Homeaway. We mostly got fruit and breakfast stuff, as well as some Hawaiian snacks.

Speaking of...some of our favorite grocery store snacks were Hawaiian shortbread (comes in yummy flavors like Kona coffee, coconut, and pineapple), POG juice, and Dave's Hawaiian ice cream in the coconut macademia nut flavor.

Our Homeaway had a Kauai coupon book with some good coupons in there for restaurants (we got a free pork sandwich at Chicken in a Barrel), as well as activities (I saw discounts for mini golf, gardens, etc.). I think it's a book you could pick up anywhere that has tourist brochures...worth looking for.

WHEW, that was super long!!! I had a lot to say about this trip, apparently. If there's anything I missed, feel free to ask. :) We loved Kauai, and definitely want to go back someday!

It's been 2 weeks since my last blog post (oops!) but I've actually been quite busy behind the scenes. Besides taking care of our sweet new baby and our busy almost-two-year-old, I've also been working on the itinerary for our upcoming trip to Kauai and making plans for our first real remodel project--our guest bathroom! I never realized how indecisive I was til I started trying to plan out this bathroom. I feel like there are sooo many decisions, and it's just one little room! Decorating is so fluid, and can be quite inexpensive to change. But a remodel is much more permanent AND so much more expensive. Plus, most of it we can't take with us when we move, so there's the added complication of considering resale value. My design-loving side and my money-saving side are at war! Please, if you've done a bathroom remodel before, I would LOVE your advice. We are total newbies, and we're feeling intimidated by all the decisions! Let me talk through everything we've decided so far (mixed in with some lovely before photos) and you tell me if you think we're making a mistake anywhere, k???

We have three bathrooms in our house, and all three look very similar: beige walls, builder-basic tiles, 90s oak vanities, and tub/shower combos with plastic surrounds. The light fixtures are dated, and the bath accessories (towel bar, etc.) are the same honey oak as the vanity. The rooms are in decent shape, but they could certainly use some cosmetic improvement! We hope to update all of the bathrooms eventually, but with a limited budget we can only do one right now. We went back and forth on which bathroom to start with, and finally decided on the guest bath since it's on the main level and everyone uses it when they come over. Selfishly, I would also like to make the master bathroom feel more luxurious, but for now we can live with it since we're the only ones that use it. I do think an updated master bathroom might be better for resale, but since we plan to do them both eventually that doesn't really matter.

Next, we debated over doing another tub/shower combo or a walk-in shower. We went back and forth on this sooo much. At first, I thought it would be nice to get a deeper, soaking tub for Ben since he's fairly tall. But then he pointed out that it's a guest bathroom, and guests will rarely (if ever) need to take a bath at our house. Plus, an extra-deep tub means extra-tall walls for guests to step over (not ideal for older people including our parents). So we decided to save that idea for the master bath. But it felt like a waste to rip out a perfectly decent, workable tub just to put in another standard tub. I know we could have saved some money by leaving the existing one, but I hate the plastic surround. So the next idea we had was a walk-in shower. We both like that idea, but we're not sure what it will do to the value of our house. We don't plan to live here forever, so we want to be conscientious of making smart decisions for resale. What do you think??? Walk-in shower is where we're leaning, but they're sooo trendy right now, I worry that they won't be popular anymore by the time we're ready to move.

The next decision was, to hire or DIY? There are aspects of it that we feel comfortable doing ourselves, like painting, installing the vanity, switching out the light, and hanging a new mirror. Those all seem pretty straightforward. But removing the tub, getting the walls prepped and waterproofed, and doing all that tile seems intimidating. Part of me thinks, if we're planning to do any more remodeling in this house (which we are!), then it will totally pay off to learn how to do tile and basic plumbing ourselves. But another part of me thinks, if we mess up, we're going to be so annoyed that we wasted part of our summer and part of our budget on something that looks terrible. Also there's a part of me that's straight up lazy and just wants to enjoy our summer, which is already going to be fairly busy! :) What would you do?

I'll share the plan for this bathroom, since that obviously makes a difference in how DIY-friendly it is. We have a pretty small budget ($5,000 or less) and we want to use it wisely so any improvements we make will pay off in resale value. As such, we are keeping the layout the same and not making any major changes to plumbing or electrical. Ben really wanted to add multiple showerheads (which does sound amazing!), and I loved the look of custom tiled shower pans. But for the sake of saving money, I think we'll just do one showerhead and a ready-made shower pan. Do you think that's the right choice? There's a fine line between being smart with money and being too frugal, and I tend to be a cheapskate (I know this about myself!). Do you think we'll wish we had splurged to make it amazing...or will we be glad we scrimped so we could afford to do other areas of the house sooner?

As for the design, I'm going for classic and neutral. I'd rather err on the side of boring than do something super trendy that we'll be sick of in a few years! We're using basic, inexpensive subway tile for the shower walls, and a Carrara marble hex tile for the floors. We're also getting a new vanity, new fixtures, a new mirror, and of course we will paint the walls too. I'm planning to be pretty budget-minded with the things that stay in the house (tile, toilet, faucet, etc.) and splurge a little bit on items that will be easy to switch out and take with us when we sell (like the mirror).

That's basically it! I'm excited to get started on this room, and I would love to hear your thoughts. I know it's just a tiny project compared to making over an entire house, or changing the floor plan, or doing an addition, etc. But for us, any remodeling at all is new and nerve-wracking!

This post is sponsored by Bali Blinds. All opinions are my own.

The last few weeks have really felt like spring around here, and I am lovvvving it. Not only is the sunshine a mood lifter, but it also means I can let Ian run around in the backyard. That's been a lifesaver for me, as I get adjusted to life with two kids. I've been thoroughly enjoying sitting on our deck with a popsicle in my hand, the sun on my face, and Emmett in my arms, watching Ian play. We're working on getting our backyard ready for summer (we just got these outdoor chairs, and are making more plans for the deck), and we're also making a few tweaks inside the house. I recently updated our family room for spring...no major changes since this post, but I added some storage for toys, new decor for spring, and (finally!) some window treatments. These windows had been naked since we moved in, so it was about time we got them decent! I went with Roman shades again, but this time I decided to get the Tailored Roman style, with a thermal liner for energy efficiency. I was fed up with how much heat we lost through these windows over the winter! I love how they look, and I'm looking forward to smaller utility bills in the future too.

I feel like my tastes have gotten simpler over the years, at least with things like window treatments that I don't want to switch out anytime soon. When I was ordering swatches to consider, I skipped right over the patterned fabrics (even though there are some pretty ones!) and scrolled right past the deep colors...straight to the neutral solids. I ended up choosing the Colletti Blizzard fabric. It's the one on the bottom right below: a polyester/linen blend in a pretty ivory color.

You get ten free swatches with Bali Blinds, and I would recommend using all of them. It's so hard to tell whether you'll like a fabric from the tiny photo on screen. You really need to get a physical swatch in your home and into your hands, so you can feel the texture and compare the color to other elements in the room (your furniture, the rug, etc.). I actually picked out some other options first, and this was one of the last fabrics I added just in case, since I had a few more slots in my swatch allowance. Surprisingly, it ended up being my favorite for this room! So you never know.

Besides the new shades, I also added some decor for spring...like these flowering branches I clipped from the trees in our yard. This is our first spring in this house, so it has been fun seeing what's blooming and budding out there!

I also organized some toys to keep on that bookshelf. Right now, we have toys all over the house so there's something for Ian to play with no matter where we are. Eventually, as he gets older and can entertain himself, I want this room to evolve into more of a playroom. But for now, it's kind of scattered. A little here and a little there.

The quote on the letterboard says, "Spring cleaning with a toddler is like brushing your teeth with Oreos in your mouth." I saw that somewhere and it made me laugh...too true. But we're still gonna try! We've been focusing on the yard over the past few weeks, but next weekend we're turning our attention indoors. I want to wash all the windows, and clean the window treatments too. Not these ones since they're new, but all the rest!

Cleaning window treatments isn't as straightforward as washing windows, though. Depending on what you have, there are different methods you should use. Bali Blinds has a great guide on how to clean blinds & shades, with a chart to reference and thorough instructions for products that require special care.

Basically, there are three types of cleaning that will take care of most window treatments: vacuuming with an upholstery attachment (ok for all types), dusting with a feather duster (ok for most), and spot cleaning with a soft cloth, mild detergent, and warm water (check the chart to see if your window treatments can handle it).

Do you clean your window treatments regularly? I have to admit, it's not part of my normal routine. It's a great task for spring cleaning though, especially if you're already going to be washing your windows!

I'd love to hear what projects you're working on this spring, whether it's spring cleaning, redecorating, renovating, etc. What's going on at your house??

This post is sponsored by RugPadUSA. All opinions are my own.

Some purchases for the home are fun, others are more functional. I'll be honest, today's post mostly falls in the latter camp. But the functional stuff is important too! In fact, it often makes the biggest difference in how good you feel in your house--whether you realize it or not. So what am I talking about today? RUG PADS. Ohhh yeah! Ok, a new rug pad is obviously not as exciting as finding the perfect new rug. It won't make a difference visually, or pull the whole room together design-wise. But practically speaking, the right rug pad can really affect how a room functions and feels.

When you're dropping hundreds or thousands of dollars on a new rug, it can be hard to add on yet another purchase. You may wonder, is a rug pad really necessary? The answer is yes, it really is. A good rug pad protects your floor from scratches, spills, and stains. At the same time, it protects your rug from getting crushed by furniture and foot traffic. In addition, it holds your rug in place, preventing slips, facilitating vacuuming, and saving you from constantly readjusting your rug. It also keeps your rug cleaner, by allowing more air flow between the rug and the floor, which prevents mold, mildew, odors, and bacteria buildup. Finally, a rug pad adds cushioning and softness that feels great underfoot and dampens noise.

But once you know you need a rug pad, you still may wonder which one is right for your space? RugPadUSA has a handy guide that gives you recommendations based on your flooring type and the size of your rug. Here are some of the factors to consider.

1. Rug size. Small throw rugs and runners need rug pads with a strong grip to keep them in place. They tend to be placed in high-traffic areas like hallways and entryways, where door clearance can be an issue. As such, a low-profile non-slip pad is usually the best choice. Large rugs, on the other hand, are more stable on their own and often anchored by furniture that keeps them in place. They also tend to be placed in rooms where you want more comfort, such as living rooms and bedrooms. Thus, a thicker, cushioned rug pad is best. Medium size rugs require a combination of cushion and grip. 

2. Flooring. Many rug pads on the market are made with plastics, glues, and adhesives that can stain or damage your floors. However, RugPadUSA makes their pads with quality materials such as natural rubber and felt, so all their rug pads are safe for hardwood floors. With laminate or vinyl, you should check with the flooring manufacturer, as some recommend no rubber. And if you're putting a rug on top of carpet (I've done it!) then make sure to get the Carpet Lock rug pad, which is specifically designed with a felt under-surface that fastens itself to the fibers of your carpet, and a non-slip rubber surface that prevents your rug from shifting or wrinkling.

3. Function. Once you've narrowed down your options based on size & flooring, think about how the room is used before you make your final decision. Do you need to muffle noise from loud neighbors or a noisy appliance? Consider a thick soundproofing rug pad. Do you need to prevent spills from reaching your floor (like in the kitchen or bathroom)? A waterproof rug pad might be the way to go. RugPadUSA has a ton of options, so you should be able to find a pad that's just right for your unique situation. 

I went through the buying guide and ended up choosing the Superior Lock rug pad for our family room. I'm really happy with the amount of cushioning it adds! Plus all of RugPadUSA's products are eco-friendly, sustainable, non-toxic, and made in the USA...a much better alternative to the imported plastic rug pads that can damage your floors.

If you need some rug pads for your house, this is the perfect time to get them. RugPadUSA is having their Spring Clearance sale, with everything 15-20% off. Plus, you can get an additional 5% discount with the promo code ATHOMEINLOVE!