Decorating a small apartment on an even smaller budget can be a tricky task. The goal is to create a living area that is comfortable, and enjoyable, while at the same time maximizing your space, and minimizing the amount of cash spent on the whole design project.

Most bedding companies offer a split Queen box spring for an upcharge. Replace the entire unit. Most warranties (however much value there is in mattress warranties!) require the box spring to be matched to the mattress. Duane Collie The Keeping Room

Hi....sorry to take so long to respond. That kind of a week. [g] barb, fire retardants, I know. When did everything start having that applied? I just can't for the life of me figure out how they require that on all clothing and even on furniture. To me it's like poisoning everyone just in case they 'might' be in a fire. Even if you are in a fire, is fire retardant going to save you? It just doesn't make sense to me at all. Yes, finding organic is only half the problem. The cost and what you want being available is still an obstacle. Hi cyn427 :-) thanks for that link. I'll check it out. I guess I feel that they have gotten off balance in the way they approach this issue. How many people go their whole life without ever being in a fire and to try to protect the entire population by adding something to every product would be fine if they were not adding something that was potentially harmful. I also have to wonder about any statistics that can actually show that adding fire retardants have reduced deaths and injuries from fire. Yes, I am actively avoiding products from China too. Good idea. ideefixe, Great to have at least two names of companies who sell something without it. oopsie913, guess I'm not following your line of thought, in asking whether something that is free of pesticides is actually better than something that has pesticides. Pesticides are poisons that kill insects and are poisonous to humans as well in large enough amounts. And even if they don't kill you, what does a constant stream of these in small amounts do in a human body? Seems pretty simple to me, no poisons, vs. poisons, which is better? I think you could be right, some of the organic beds are just thick rubber with organic cotton around it. I don't think we could sleep on something like that either. Back problems in our family need firm mattresses. I hope there will be more available at some point. Thanks for that link, I'll check it out. mpmg46, I didn't realize that about products from Ireland, that's great! I'm going to have to look into that. chicagoans, I'm with you, I don't believe it's hype either. So many clothes now have this 'no wrinkle' finish and I was reading the other day that it is made from formaldehyde. Formaldehyde has been linked to illness and the EPA has identified it as a carcinogen and yet it continues to be allowed in so many products that who knows how much of an exposure you have to it. Even in amounts as small as 0.1 ppm, it produces symptoms. That is a tiny tiny amount. I try to find clothes without that finish. It's hard to find men's pants without it now. Yes, I'm glad they now offer the VOC paint. I love that! Thanks for the conversation and information. :-)

I saw a documentary on truth in advertising Years ago and the advertisers have to tell the truth and the government does enforce it. If a company is advertising chocolate syrup and they show a sundae covered with the syrup, the syrup has to be real, the other ingredients don't have to be. They can use words that can mislead consumers. An example of how smart the companies are is that they will put Nature on herbs and other products and the consumer actually thinks/sees "natural". Kelloggs is being investigated or was for advertising blue berries in their products when there are none. There are purple clumps of sugar in one form or another, that's it. I don't know how that turned out.