I think I'm going to have to do some serious scrubbing to get the fabric clean and fresh-smelling again.  I don't know how people with pets live without slipcovers on their furniture.  It must be a lot of hassle to keep their seats clean.  Normally it wouldn't bother me if the dogs jumped up on the couch, as I'd just throw the dirty slipcover in the washing machine after they'd left.

That'll teach me to leave my furniture slipcover-less!  I have several spare sofa covers, so in future I shall make sure I put them on when I wash the other ones!   And if you've got a dog or cat, I'd say you can save yourself a lot of stress by investing in some pet friendly slipcovers.

Now you have the opportunity to register your details so if you come back to the website to buy something else in the future, your account history is already available.  You can save time by not having to enter everything again, just your email address and password.

The site also has a very useful section called "Easy Fit Center", which is packed with fitting tips, including interactive demos, which I think are really cool.  There are demos for all different shaped seats, like recliners and wing chairs.  There's also a neat function where you can magnify the pictures for a closer look and spin them round for a 360 degree view.  This page also offers lots of useful information about ordering, such as measuring instructions, shipping details and information on the returns policy.

Another change is the new Advanced Search feature, which I think is great.  Often when you're buying a new slipcover you'll have a picture in your mind of what you're looking for, such as a stripy pattern or a stretch fabric.  Now you can narrow down your search by price, color, fabric and pattern.  So you can save time and avoid browsing through covers that don't meet your requirements.  You can play around with this feature to look at all sorts of combinations.

Alternatively, there are now drop-down menus on each page allowing you to specify what order you view the slipcovers, such as by price, color, fabric or pattern.  The slipcovers that most closely fit your criteria will be shown first.

Finally, one last addition I like is being able to "shop by room" and see pictures of rooms decorated by theme, so if you're stuck for makeover ideas you can check out this section and get inspiration for your own home. 

Sure Fit have some great covers for recliner chairs, but not for anything larger.  There is however a solution of sorts.  One friend I spoke to about this told me that because she's got three cats, her main concern is keeping her upholstery nice for when she has company.  What she decided to do was to get a regular sofa slipcover, which fits fine when the couch is in an upright position.  This does mean she can't use the recliner while the cover's on, but she simply removes it when she's expecting guests so that the recliner can be used.  (And of course she makes sure the cats are safely out of harms way)!

So, if you've got a recliner in your loveseat or sofa, this is one way of using a slipcover on it.  But if you've got any better ideas, or know anywhere that sells ready made slipcovers for this type of seat, please let me know!

This is a popular slipcover fabric because it has the soft, luxurious feel of suede and sophisticated looks of the real thing - but is much cheaper!  Especially with a 25% discount.

As well as the low price, another reason to like faux suede slipcovers is that they're machine washable.  Just be sure to use the cold water cycle and a gentle spin setting.  They're actually made from 100% polyester and can be tumble dried on a low heat too.  This fabric keeps its shape well so there's no need to try to iron it.

The slipcovers in this range come in the regular sizes, for sofas, loveseats and chairs.  There's a choice of 6 or 7 different colors.  There are also matching pillows.  Because these covers come in solid colors, they're really versatile.  You could use them on their own or pair them with patterned slipcovers.  At only $37.50 for a loveseat slipcover, I think this sale is well worth looking into!

There are some nice new slipcover fabrics available that have caught my eye.  I particularly like the Stretch Royal range and think this will be a big hit with customers looking for a smart, fitted look for their furniture.  This fabric has a stylish diamond pattern and soft texture.  It contains 4% Spandex, which helps it fit tightly.  It comes in 4 solid colors - chocolate, sage, wine and gold.  It also comes in several different sizes for armchairs, loveseats, sofas, recliner chairs and wing chairs.  This is great if you've got a mix of seats that you want to coordinate.

Another thing I should tell you about is that for the month of August only, Sure Fit are running a Free Shipping promotion on all orders of $100 and over.  To qualify for this offer, you'll need to use promo code ASA2 when you order online.

Later on, in the evening, we retired to the living room, which is full of my auntie's knick-knacks and family photos.  She also has a really old wing chair and battered old ottoman, which it's clear to see is the most used furniture in the room!  The fabric is really faded from years of sunlight, and it's worn away in patches, such as on the arms and on the top of the ottoman where she likes to rest her feet.

I commented on how comfortable the chair was.  She agreed and said that although it looked tatty she couldn't ever think of replacing it, it was just too comfortable.  She said she'd looked into getting the chair and the ottoman re-upholstered in matching fabric, but it was too expensive for her.

I suggested she look online at some ready made slipcovers to see if there are any matching ottoman and wing chair covers she likes, as they'll be much cheaper than re-upholstery.  She said she'd like to get a fabric with a floral pattern similar to the original fabric.  Anyway, we had a look and this is what we found:

Sure Fit have a good selection of slipcovers for wingback chairs, with lots of pretty floral patterns, with straight, pleated and ruffled skirts.  However, they currently have only two ottoman covers that are available in the same fabric as their wing slipcovers, the Stretch Pique and Cotton Duck, which are both solid colors.  We then looked at Slipcover Shop, who have a smaller range of wing chair covers, but do offer ottoman covers in a wider variety of fabrics.

Auntie decided that she definitely wanted a floral slipcover for her chair.  As we couldn't find any floral ottoman covers to match, she thought the best option would be to buy one in a plain, solid color to coordinate with the floral fabric.  I'll let you know how she gets on!

If you're like me and enjoy changing the look of your furniture every now and again, you might be interested to hear about the latest promotion from Sure Fit.  If you order your new furniture slipcovers online and spend $100 or more, you can get a 15% discount.  You'll need coupon code ASJ5 and you've got until the end of the month to get your order in - this promo expires 31st July.

Because it's made from 100% cotton, this material is very durable and fully machine washable.  It's one of Sure Fit's "pet friendly" fabrics and will keep its color and shape even with regular washing.  It's a great choice for families with young kids or pet owners, whose couches get a lot of use and abuse.  The cotton duck slipcover has a classic style, and as it's available in a choice of 9 different colors, can be used in virtually any color scheme. 

This is a versatile slipcover fabric for all seasons.  There are also coordinating 17" box pillows if you want to complete the look.  The 15% off sale runs until the end of June (Monday 30th) if you want to take advantage of these savings.

To me, being thrifty doesn't necessarily mean going without.  I still like to buy nice things for my home, but more often than not I buy things that are discounted or in a clearance sale, so that I end up spending less and make my paycheck go further.  I always look out for promotional codes when shopping online too.

I'm pleased to see that Sure Fit have currently got a coupon code that gives you 25% off any order of $150 or more.  In other words, if you order some couch slipcovers and the total order comes to $150, you only pay $112.50.  That means a $37.50 discount!  This special offer ends on Monday 23rd June, so you've only got the weekend to make up your mind which slipcover fabrics are your favourites! 

The coupon code is HS25 - you'll need to enter this at checkout when you order online.  Click here to go direct to the website and start shopping now!