So after this mortifying experience of showing our home with crumby carpets, "don't take off your shoes" I merrily called out as they walked in the door, hoping they wouldn't notice the crunch underfoot, I made the decision that we have to buy a new vacuum cleaner.
My mum seemed to lug her Lux around for as long as I knew her and it never broke down, and boy did that thing get a workout, every day, sometimes twice, usually with us kids riding on it at the same time!
Due to growing up with one vacuum cleaner, and clearly buying a dud the first time around, I had little expertise to go on so I put it out to our social media audience on Facebook and boy is it a hot topic!
Dyson seems to divide the region, Miele is always up there, Hoover comes in for great price and surprisingly the old infomercial Sharky gets a rating.
All of these great recommendations made me even more confused than before. But like the impulsive Sagittarian I am, I just went out and bought one.
Five vacuum cleans in and I love it. However I don't have high expectations so in another couple of weeks when it's my turn to write this column again, I'll give you an update.
Hopefully it won't have gone to "no sucky heaven" in that time. – Megan Banks