*This is a featured post in association with Argos.co.uk. All opinions are my own.*
A new year is upon us, and with it comes all sorts of plans and promises. All sorts of renewed dedication and inspiration.
In general I don’t make New Year’s Resolutions.
Instead I look for a word, a word that will be my touchstone for the year. My mantra when I lose my way, as I will inevitably do.
But in addition to this wordy tradition, this year I am going to make some resolutions. (I know, I know. What am I getting myself into? Don’t I know better?)
Coming out of thick, murky, sometimes delightful, fog that was 2013, I feel a strong need to start this year off with some intentionality. With some – wait for it – goals.
Oh dear.
But this post isn’t about my goals. It’s about the opposite.
One of my not-goals. Or rather things that will probably remain pretty much the same.
For instance, in 2014 it is NOT a goal of mine to have a cleaner house.
Aren’t you relieved?
The truth is this – I don’t love to clean. I like to straighten and I like for things to be clean, but in no way does cleaning -shallow or deep- do It for me.
But yet, we can’t just live in filth.
Things must be cleaned.
Remember, I do like a clean house, I am just not moved by any sort of deep moral or clinical inertia to bring it to fruition.
For me, cleaning is simply a chore. Like taking out the trash, paying the mortgage, going to the dentist. It’s just part of life. Which is why when I am always excited to find something that makes the cleaning the least bit easier, or more enjoyable (Mrs. Meyer’s cleaning spray in Orange Clove is enough to make want to clean the kitchen counters every five minutes,) or less odious.
Which is where the Dyson DC34 Hand-held Vacuum comes into the picture ( you can learn more about it’s features here.) This handy little cordless wonder is perfect for our lifestyle and creative habits. Which involves a lot of spilled cereal, crumbs, glitter, crunched up leaves, dog hair and paper scraps, just to name a few of the messes that we encounter on a daily basis around Casa d’Lovely.
As a person old enough to remember the invention of the Dust Buster, I am also old enough to remember the destruction that a busy, creative family could do to a poor unsuspecting Dust Buster in it’s prime. For instance, not knowing when the bag was full, or when too much dog hair and glitter was clogging up the works, or when perhaps a Lego head had been accidentally sucked up in a cleaning rampage, could cause much trauma and drama, not to mention killing the poor little appliance.
But the Dyson’s handy little see-through trash bin with the clearly labeled MAX marks is very helpful – both for knowing when to dump the bin, and when to rescue a lost Lego.
Another great feature of this hand-held vacuum is the “cool feature.” As in “hey momma that looks cool! Can I use it?”
To which my answer is ALWAYS yes!
Yes, you can clean up the dog food all over the kitchen floor!
Yes, you can clean up the sand you spilled out of your lizards cage!
Yes, you can clean up the broken candy cane pieces from the coffee table!
Yes, yes, yes!
So far we have not found any substance that has stumped this badboy, and it has come in handy when doing a quick pre-party guest clean-up, hitting weird corners behind the couch, and cleaning up-post craft explosion.
The only drawback has been that I haven’t found the perfect place to store it yet- I do wish it came with a wall holster – so that it can remain charging when not in use, and still be easily accessible to all of us, but other than that we have been exceedingly pleased with our little Dyson.
But this isn’t just good news for me.
This is good news for you too!
One lucky reader is going to get to win their very own Dyson Hand-held vacuum!
To enter the giveaway, just follow all the links in the rafflecopter below and make sure to notice the terms and conditions.
If you want to learn more about Dyson products like this one, you can visit here at Argos, where there are many Dyson options.
Terms and conditions:
By participating in this prize draw you are deemed to accept these terms and conditions.
Prize draw open to customers and non-customers aged 18 or over who are US residents. Draw is not open to employees of Argos, their families or anyone associated with this draw. Proof of eligibility must be provided on request.
The prize is Dyson Root Cyclone™ includes postage to winners’ US addresses. Promotion runs from 1/2/2013 and all entries must be received by 11.59pm on 1/12/13 latest.
Winners will be drawn at random at the end of the promotion.
The prize is not transferable and there is no cash alternative. The promoter’s decision is final in all matters and no correspondence will be entered into. The promoter reserves the right (a) to add to or waive any rules on reasonable notice (b) cancel or postpone the promotion at any stage in the event of circumstances beyond its reasonable control; or (c) in its reasonable discretion to substitute a prize of equal or greater value.
If a prize remains unclaimed after reasonable efforts have been made to contact the winner the promoter will be entitled to dispose of the prize as it sees fit without any liability to the winner for having done so.
The promoter reserves the right to alter, amend or foreclose the promotion without prior notice.
By participating in this prize draw you are deemed to accept these terms and conditions.
Prize draw open to customers and non-customers aged 18 or over who are US residents. Draw is not open to employees of Argos, their families or anyone associated with this draw. Proof of eligibility must be provided on request.
The prize is Dyson Root Cyclone™ includes postage to winners’ US addresses. Promotion runs from 1/2/2013 and all entries must be received by 11.59pm on 1/12/13 latest.
Winners will be drawn at random at the end of the promotion.
The prize is not transferable and there is no cash alternative. The promoter’s decision is final in all matters and no correspondence will be entered into. The promoter reserves the right (a) to add to or waive any rules on reasonable notice (b) cancel or postpone the promotion at any stage in the event of circumstances beyond its reasonable control; or (c) in its reasonable discretion to substitute a prize of equal or greater value.
If a prize remains unclaimed after reasonable efforts have been made to contact the winner the promoter will be entitled to dispose of the prize as it sees fit without any liability to the winner for having done so.
The promoter reserves the right to alter, amend or foreclose the promotion without prior notice.
The biggest hurdle to keeping a clean house is the sheer volume of paper and projects my girls bring home from school and no good system to review, recycle, toss or store them.
I think my biggest hurdle is finding a permanent place for everything. Seems like some of our stuff just migrates from one place to another! Thanks for the opportunity to win the vacuum. It looks awesome!
My biggest hurdle on cleaning is vacuuming around all the tiny Playmobil and Lego pieces on the floor!
Organization. I have a flea market booth, an Etsy Shop and i sell on ebay so there is always a lot of extra STUFF in my house. That is my goal for the year – a place for everything and everything in it's place. And keep it clean!
my biggest hurdle is my sweet little dog who sheds all over everything. It's a problem but he is a sweetie!
I am the worst cleaner. We have a 135 year old house with radiators here in New England by the time I've finished dusting the place it's already re-dusty! I instead hang out withy kids!!
I constantly struggle with finding a place for everything and keeping surfaces uncluttered!!!
I hate to clean… Maybe a Dyson will motivate me!
My biggest hurdle are my children! I love them dearly, but right now they are learning to clean, which means cleaning takes twice as long!
My biggest hurdle is not having this handheld Dyson! I still have a terrible handheld vac that stays charged for 30 seconds…was a wedding gift, time for a new one!
My biggest hurdle is that LIFE with my beloved hubby and three kiddos (21,18 & 14) is very full to overflowing and well, the house is where we live and fling wide the doors to bless others…and the fullness of this beautiful life is a bit overflowing in our small home 🙂 This vac would be GREAT!!! Thanks!!
My biggest hurdle to cleaning is my health. I have fibromyalgia and feel as if I have the flu all the time. My arms are particularly weak. So, my motivation is extremely low. It takes all my energy to do the daily tasks that are an absolute must and I don't consider cleaning to be a must on most days.
My biggest hurdle would be kids and animals. I have a dyson vacuum which I love, but with daily multiple messes a smaller version would be handy to pull out for quick fixes!
The dog would have to be my biggest hurdle. Bless his heart, the best companion…but that dog hair, ugh. This looks like the handiest cleaning tool!
my biggest hurdle is eliminating DUST – where does it come from???
My biggest cleaning hurdles are the cat and his FLUFF, and stink bug carcasses. Ah, life in the northeast US…
Kids! Three little girls are my cleaning hurdle!
Biggest hurdle? Keeping the dog fur under control. I love my sweet, shaggy hound, but we have constantly have furry tumbleweed swirling around the corners of our house. Love the pic of your son holding the vacuum like he's about to fight ghosts 🙂
Finding time when I'm not nursing or holding my baby! ( Who wants to vacuum when you could be doing that?)
Crumbs and dust bunnies! I can't beat them. Especially crumbs – I feel like my kids shed while they eat.
Dog hair and clutter are a huge problem at my house!
Teenage boys – and one works on a farm! Dirt everywhere!
A very free-spirited 10 yr old, 2 dogs and cat keep us in cleaning mode all the time (but never totally clean)!
My biggest hurdle is that after cleaning, kids and dog and husband come in and just like that it's dirty again! 🙂
Dogs! They shed & spill food out of their bowl.
My biggest hurdle is my dark colored rug paired with my dog, cat and baby (who is afraid of the big vacuum). I got the rug before I had any of those mess-makers so I didn't know any better than to get a black and red rug. Whoops.
ugh i just hate cleaning so im my biggest hurdle lol (rc name is realia mazing)
My biggest hurdle would have to be my daughter. I feel like the house is a mess the second I pick up after her! I think staying on top of cleaning makes a big difference and this vacuum would help me do just that!
My biggest hurdles are probably my fur baby and sheer amount of STUFF in our house. We are expecting human baby #1 in April, so anything to help keep our home in better condition would be a blessing!
My biggest hurdle is dog hair and cat litter.
My biggest hurdle in keeping a clean house is the amount of clutter. That and having five kiddos. Like trying to clean in a tornado!
I love my cat. But oh the hair. It is a huge, constant hurdle!
My kids. I am constantly sweeping scrubbing and picking up after them. You can't tell I have even cleaned.
all the cat hair in my house! it's so hard to get rid of!
kids and toys !:) they are everywhere
Time to clean and lots of hair from kids
My kids & dog!
Sonya Morris
Kids and their snacking!
My biggest clean house hurdle is my families school/sports gear that gets dumped when they first come home
My biggest hurdle is my 6'6″ husband. You did mean that literally, right? 🙂
Time! Definitely time. Not enough of it unless we skimp on sleep, which is not an option 🙂
I want this Dyson for my daughter-in-law and her biggest hurdle would be 3kids and 2 inside dogs. Legos, cereal, dog hair, etc all outnumber her.
We have lots of pine needles and sand tracked in during the winter. The vacuum does OK at picking it up, but cannot reach corners and under counters.
Biggest hurdle? Tiny house filled with moving boxes, still. We moved in three years ago :/.
Not a big fan of the cleaning myself – the dog and cat hair are unending……but the dog and cat are great.
Too much STUFF 🙁
Will it get rid of big stuff, like ugly Barcaloungers?