Aaaaahhhhhhhhhh……. the beauty and comfort, not to mention complete liveability, of a finished basement. After only eight-count ‘em: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7… ugh…, years, we have finally completed the perpetual, seeming never-ending, job of finishing the basement.

The finishing touch: cheap, nothing less than completely fake, laminate flooring. But, for those of you, like myself, who consider yourselves hardwood purists out there, let me assure you, it looks absolutely, remarkably, freaking fantastic- not to mention, complete!! The walls had been painted, the trims, mouldings, baseboards had all been installed, but the concrete floors remained all this time. With merely a coat of dark blue paint. And you know what… despite the lovely painted walls. Despite the lovely finishing carpentry. Despite being divvied up into tidy little rooms. It still felt very much the cold, concrete basement it was.

Until… the recent installation of our cheap, clearly fake, laminate flooring. It’s a revelation. It’s a total and amazing bloody reincarnation. Of what was previously just my basement. We have reclaimed a full 1000 square feet with this remarkable, albeit totally fake and pressboard, product.
Now it’s a place we will live. Amazing. Oh, and more amazing yet. I. That would be me. Myself. I did most of it- read: almost all of it- alone. Read: without husband.

It’s a surprisingly easy, practical…. downright magical, fix for what would otherwise be a cold, dreary, uninviting space.

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I need some good ideas for culling baby clothes. I thought I had a pretty good handle on it.

But really… nope.

I currently have four legal sized file boxes full, with nowhere really to store them. I’ve compromised and sent some things to my sister (with the caveat she return the cutest ones). When I do muster up the emotional energy to go through them I find myself oozing like a total sentimental sap overwhelmed and see every stained little onesie or outfit- girl or boy- as completely impossible to pry from my shaking hands adorable and so very difficult to part with.

There’s always the possibility menopause isn’t just right around the corner I might need them again, after all.

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Here’s a tip for those of you in need of an adhesive to end all adhesives. It’s been about a year since I have owned and seriously put to use a lovely IKEA coat hook/shelf. I also bought the matching bench/cubby unit. Love it!

Several months ago the hooks, which hang down from underneath the shelf of cubbies, started to become loose. By and large they can simply be tightened again, except for two of them. Two of the hooks are placed directly beneath the upright cubby dividers and the entire thing would have to be dismantled to get at them.

In comes the handy dandy PL400. It’s a construction adhesive and comes in the big missiles that have to be used with a caulk gun. The great thing is that the tip seals with the goop all by itself and can be used again and again without drying out. Anyways, a good dollop on the screw ends of the hooks and screw ‘em right back in. Let ‘em dry.

One of the hooks had literally come out and being that it’s nut is inaccessible in the piece, I just PL’d the damn thing right to the wood, itself. Works like a hot damn!

It will also stick pretty readily to fingers so best to wear gloves and keep a paper towel to wipe excess immediately.

It’s really to be used on big things.  It’s goopy.  Any large household repair job.  Works like a charm.

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