apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

I think it's fun that Martha Stewart is advertising on AT; also eBay. Yay for Maxwell, et al!

Since we periodically have heated discussions about personal library collections, I thought this might be of interest . . .
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/21/business/21libraries.html?ex=1343188800&en=232918f9d6ddafdc&ei=5124&partner=permalink&exprod=permalink

If that article is on target, my husband will soon rule the world.

Can anyone recommend a reliable rug cleaning service, or a place where I can rent a rug cleaner?

I have a 8x10 rug that needs to be cleaned, and I do not want to spend a lot.

Thanks,
Lynne

I just want to thank AT for being here!

Knowing your home needs a change and knowing what to do about it often seem diametrically opposed!
Thanks to the posts here and contributions from AT readers (on all sites!!) I've been able to identify my style and understand what I need.

Most of all, I thank AT for showing me what things cost. I now have a better idea of what to expect to pay for used or antique furniture.
If I had listened to my friends, I wouldn't have the stunning 60s credenza that is now the star piece in my home. [i](friends who don't shop antiques think $500 is too much to pay for something old... but they'll gladly spend that much on a new piece of particle board! )[/i]

What a great community! My new addiction.

Lynne F -- Professional rug cleaning is expensive -- I probably would not go that route unless the rug is valuable. And, if it is very valuable (i.e., antique persian), then you need you really need to talk to a specialist as most will tell you spot clean it.

Home Depot in Manhattan rents rug shampoo machines. If you live outside of Manhattan, you will often find them for rent in supermarkets.

Do those rug machines work on area carpets? I thought they were only for wall-to-wall.

As for rug cleaners, ditch the Google and pick up your Yellow Pages.

I have rented small rug cleaners from grocery stores and they work respectably well on area rugs as long as they are not particularly fancy. If it's small you can probably do it yourself in a few hours max.

Guido thanx for that link! I'm giving away and selling loads of my books cos i'm moving and there's nowhere to put them :( I so want a place big enough for a library!

I purchased an Ikea Docksta table and I am having an issue with how wobbly the table is-I mean I did knowingly buy it at Ikea! Any suggestions on how to make it more stable?

Thanks!

Is it just me or does that book article sounds sort of like a trend article from Vogue? It's written in the same style, but with books rather than the latest handbag.