Shag Rugs are the Best! Or Not. You Decide.
“I’m thinking about buying a shag rug for our living room. Is it worth the hassle?”
Our short answer is: buy what you love. And if that’s the feel of thick, soft, fluffy goodness under your feet, do it.
Yes, they get matted down. Yes, crumbs and such (earrings, candy wrappers and the red wax from mini Babybel cheeses if you live in my house) get lost in their depths. Yes, cleaning them is no joke. You and your vacuum will have date night more frequently than you and your beloved. But your cozy self will be glad you did, despite the extra work/worry required. Because you love soft fluffy things! Sidenote: it doesn’t take long to vacuum a rug.
If you are on the fence, however, and think a shag rug would look really cute in your space, you’re right. It will look really cute. Until it doesn’t. Because life happens. And vacuuming is easy to put off until another day. And kids. Remember, it’s a rug. We walk on it. It’s going to get dirty. So if that’s a dealbreaker for you, don’t fight it. Go for something that’s going to be a bit less labor intensive. Maybe a medium-pile wool rug or seagrass or a flat weave cotton with a carpet pad to add cushion...you have options.
The longer answer:
Here’s the thing. We know it costs money to buy the things that make you love your home. And you want them to last, to get your money’s worth, because Donna Summer was not wrong...you work hard for your money. So maybe you don’t buy the most expensive rug, maybe you buy one that looks good and feels good and is real reasonably priced. (This Ikea rug? Super comfy! https://www.ikea.com/us/en/p/vindum-rug-high-pile-white-00344984/). And you tell yourself, “I’m going to squeeze every bit of hygge* out of this rug until it ceases to rise up and greet me. I’m going to enjoy it, hope I get five years out of it, and then say good-bye without feeling guilty for having to replace it, because I didn’t blow my budget when I bought it.” Have one last cocktail with it, toast its years of service to you and your comfort, and if it’s not completely trashed, try finding a new home for it – a college student moving into their first apartment or your local Restore. As our friend Tori likes to say, it owes you nothing. It did its job, it brought you joy, it’s OK to say good-bye.
Want more details on how to keep a plush rug looking its best? Here are a few links to folks who know better than us:
https://www.rugknots.com/blogs/professional-cleaners/5-ways-to-keep-your-shag-rugs-looking-new
https://www.overstock.com/guides/how-to-clean-a-shag-rug
https://www.wovenlyrugs.com/posts/how-to-clean-a-shag-rug/
– Carrie + Emily
* coziness / contentment / comfort…say it with us, “hew-guh”