View Full Version : Taming the laundry monster! (GROWL, ROAR, HOWL, SNARL)!!!
Our dear Stella inquired about this in another thread which gave me the idea to start this special thread topic on taming the laundry monster!
So I ask, do you have a laundry monster living in your home? If so, come share your hints and tips related to putting the run on this nasty beast.
I know we do, and it resembles the exact same monster found in the movie Home Alone, the monster that Kevin (the little boy left home all alone) encounters while downstairs washing laundry, only the laundry monster that lives in our house lives in my laundry baskets and washing machine!
I'm thinking back to when life was simple, I mean truly simple, where it was just DH and myself. Laundry in those days happened twice a week, and I found it a breeze to stay on top of it. Then dear daughter was born. "No problem" I thought, one more tiny little person isn't going to change things that much in the laundry department. Boy, was I ever wrong! Somehow the balance between mass and mess related to babies just doesn't add up. How can something so small make such a BIG MESS!!!
Of course as life progressed so did the number of kids, and thus the laundry monster in our house was born.
One thing that works wonders for me in relation to taming the laundry monster is staying on top of all things laundry. While I don't necessarily have a set schedule pertaining to laundry on certain days, I do have an unwritten schedule that reminds me that laundry needs to be done regularly.
Let's take bed-stripping for openers. I used to attempt to strip all the beds in the house (all in one day), and, launder all of the changed bedding on top of it. Talk about intense slow torture! Now, I strip one, maybe two beds per week, launder the changed sheets, then schedule the next set of beds due for changing for the following week. Yes, it is a revolving never-ending cycle of sorts, but it really helps maintain ones sanity.
Another basic format I abide by is, "never more than two days for towels". Having such a large family means plenty of towels and washcloths, and with only an old-fashioned top-loading machine machine at my disposal, I have to plan around large loads and space them out accordingly, so every second day serves as the perfect balance to towel success.
One area where people tend to grow slack on is with folding. You know how it is, it's a busy day in your home, you're preoccupied with an array of other more important things to do, so you dump the freshly laundered washables into a spare laundry basket and say to yourself, "I'll get to it later". Not! My advice to any/all Re: folding, is do it right away, regardless of how your day is going or how busy you are. Believe it or not, folding at time of laundering makes for neater laundry, easier folding, and eliminates the viscous cycle of "I'll fold it in the morning", or, "I'll fold it later".
Another little something that's really helped me over the years is hanging up all washables that require ironing in one specific area. So for instance, dress shirts, blouses, dress slacks, etc, are all hung up on hangers and set out in an area (close by my ironing board) in preparation of tending to. Then, once a week, I go to work pressing everything and after I'm done with the pressing, everything is dispersed accordingly into who's ever closet they belong. (No hunting for clothing items that need pressing, everything is right there, all in one convenient place/location).
Additionally, I've gained knowledge and experience (through learned living) that everyone who is old enough to pitch in has to pitch in. I'm the last person who likes to be regimented or strict in regards to the way I manage my home, but with a family of eight it's easy for things to go sideways and having everyone take an active part in pitching in helps so much in the overall success and conquer department.
I have 5 plastic laundry baskets downstairs, One for darks, one for colours, two for towels, and one for whites (socks/underwear/panties). I expect everyone to drop their own things into whatever laundry basket fits the colour code or item type. What a godsend that is, having everything right there, sorted, and ready for laundering.
Thanks Mrs M! I am taking notes! I think that "I'll do it later" syndrome is what gets me. I really need to get much better about that. I need to stick to my schedule better than I do too. I get behind and then I have to do more to catch up.
My one saving grace is that my oldest DD is a fabulous help with the folding. I don't know what I would do without her help. She wants to help with the washing and drying, but she isn't tall enough to get stuff out of the washer.
Thank you so much for taking the time to give me so much information!
My most hated laundry task is sorting socks. I try to limit the types of socks for each person. This is easier if you limit the wardrobe colors. For instance, DH wears jeans and khakis, and has tan and white socks; the tan ones all match and the white ones all match.
My laundry routine changes seasonally. In the summer, I try to run about 1 load/day so I can hang it outside quickly and stay caught up. Sometimes the weather makes me fall behind, though. In the winter, I try to run at least 3 loads serially so that the dryer isn't heated from cold each time.
Mrs. M., Do you wash your bath towels every 2 days? We go a week between washes but have long towel racks so they always dry thoroughly between uses. Have you considered challenging your routine here to save time, water, and money? Maybe try 4 days and see if anyone notices?
iris lily
8-30-11, 12:06am
yup, I hate folding clothes, so I do as little of it as possible. I don't fold my underwear. I put DH's underwear & t-shirts on his bed and he folds them. I don't roll up socks. I sort of roll my t=shirts. All else, I hang up.
Dog laundry (towels) I always fold in front of the tv, I like doing that.
We change out towels once a week- I'm only wiping myself dry after I'm already clean. I use cold water for everything, which means that separating my color isn't necessary. I use a name brand detergent that has been proven to fade clothes less- that's a place I don't skimp since the savings on the detergent would be less than buying new clothes. I only make sure things are separated when there is something new in the house with a lot of color in it (new jeans, dark towels). If things are particularly dirty or smelly, I'll add borax to the detergent. I rarely use bleach (maybe once a year) because we have a septic system, and I don't want to kill off all the good bacteria. I don't buy clothes that need to be dry cleaned, or require special handling other than drying flat. Jeans, performance sportswear (bike shorts, nylon hiking shirts) get hung on a rack in the basement. I usually fold while taking the clothes out of the basement, so it just needs to be put away. I don't fold socks or underwear either.
This is about as simple as I can think to make it, and there are no "special rules" so hubby can feel free to throw in a load whenever as well. When hubby does the laundry, he lets everything sit until they are nice and wrinkled. :)
Hey everybody!
Stella. I know all about putting off folding, and, where it gets one... I've always been quite regimented in the folding department, but I remember the stressful transition I went through (we all went through) when we (I) was making way for our two youngest. It seemed I couldn't catch my breath no how, and as each day passed I found myself falling farther and farther behind. It was awful.
Topping the list (at the time) as being the worst offender, diapers! (Courtesy of having two in them). On any given day I had two heaping laundry baskets of diapers (clean) on the go constantly (all the time), round the clock. Never folded, never put away, just sitting around (unfolded) inside the baskets and set into any spare corner of the baby's room I could find to put them (under the cribs included). Seemed I'd just get around to seeing my way clear to doing a little diaper folding, then something or another would creep up and interrupt my momentum, and the diapers would once again take a back seat.
Finally, my daughters (who were already stretching themselves thin in the help department related to the babies) took on a more proactive role in the diaper care (laundry) and folding department. It was as if the weight of the world was lifted from my poor old tired shoulders. What a blessing. Change time took a turn for the better. No more fumbling and bumbling through masses and piles of unfolded cotton squares to put together a workable diaper, and no more subjecting the boys to extended waiting times while leg-cuffed by a pair of rubber pants pulled down around their knees/ankles. LMAO! Poor kids. The things some kids are put through and have to endure...
Rosemary. So true about the changing of laundry routines related to the seasons. From spring till early fall, I schedule and organize the drying of all laundry in my home to outdoor clothesline drying (only), with only two exceptions to the rule. i.e. Rainy days, or when I'm behind the eight ball and have no choice but to play catch-up, which then means falling back on using the electric tumble dryer- which I hate! Otherwise I know what I have to do, and when.
The bath towel thing really bothers me (so much). In fact I writhe with guilt all the time over this. I would love to decrease the frequency of bath towel washing (laundering) in our home, to say, once every 3-4 days, a week if I could, but DH has super over-active skin that oozes oil, and I find there's a distinct odour that arises in used towels (his used towels) after just one single use, so over the years I have gotten into the habit of laundering all bath and hand towels frequently and regularly in our home, hence my every second day approach.
With the kids, I know I could extend the washing time by 2-3 days easily, but after giving it much thought, it dawned on me that I would have a difficult time leaving used towels drying on my wooden clothes drying rack, while putting a load of towels in the wash, so as it stands I simply launder any/all towels that happen to be used at the time towel washing day takes place.
I really love the sounds of your challenge idea! Like I mean REALLY love it!!! Yes, I am going to challenge myself on this starting next week. Monday in fact, and I will post again at the end of the week to see where I can improve. Thanks for the fantabulous suggestion/idea Rose!
Iris Lily. I feel fairly comfortable in venturing to say that when it comes to all things laundry, folding is the definite weak zone (for many) when it comes to laundry success. Out of all the homes I have ever been at or visited, clean, unfolded laundry always seems to be present.
In our house underwear and panties get folded in half (once), then placed in the drawer, socks are doubled, then folded over (once, lengthwise), and are also stored in the drawer. T-shirts are promptly hung fresh from the line (or dryer), and towels are folded and stacked and put away in the linen closet. Now, when it comes to folding, specifically location, I'm somewhat eccentric when it comes to that. I fold on my bed, on the living room floor (while sitting watching television), and even on the kitchen table late in the evening, after all is tidied and clean.
Herbgeek. I used to be bleach happy, but curbed that side of me after coming to terms with the realities of cleanliness and purity. Now, at least with towels, I might do a bleach run with them once a month, panties and bras and socks tend to get a bleach treatment more regularly.
I wonder (at times) if I have a more acute and sensitive smeller (nose) than most. I know of so many people who reuse their bath towels with what seems to be great success, yet I always seem to pick up on a subtle sour odour when it comes to used towels. As a result, I believe a portion of my desire to wash towels so frequently is caused more by my fixation to see them sanitized, rather than simply being a domestic fuss-nut.
Question about whites, Herbgeek. Do you find items such as t-shirts and socks and underwear (and things), white things per se, still come out of the wash with the same brightness and whiteness of typical whites (when washed with colours and darks), as they normally would if they were laundered with whites? I've never tempted mixed laundry loads (of anything), everything is always separated in our home for laundering.
Mrs. M, I find that if our towels don't dry thoroughly, they get an odor from the dampness. I prefer to use towels that aren't incredibly thick for this reason. The new ones that are marketed as being "faster drying" in the dryer also dry faster on the bathroom towel racks. Sometimes during humid weather, I'll hang the towels outside for the day (not after washing) just to let them dry thoroughly.
In addition to not ironing, I don't fold underwear. I am sure my mom is horrified, but that's how it is. (I don't dust, either, except for a couple times/year.)
To revisit that delicate subject, I find that human body odors seem to depend a great deal on diet. My DH ate dinner with some friends one night and they had some sort of special imported Eastern European salami that was apparently loaded with garlic and other pungent spices. He reeked for several days. I've found that the anti-inflammatory diet is also anti-odor.
Hi Rosemary. Isn't it just the way, I'm talking about coming across a great idea (your great idea) and seeing the season in which to capitalize on it (and practice it) slowly coming to an end. I was doing a great deal of thinking about what you've mentioned thus far, and was thinking that all used towels could be pinned up outside on the line after use, taken down an hour or two after, then placed on my wooden clothes drying rack for future use. The sunlight would help kill any smelly bacteria and sanitize them, while the wooden drying rack would serve as a sort of butler for everyone to visit as to selecting their own again. (This is definitely something I'm going to work on fine-tuning between now and next year).
Speaking of diets, we're really heavy on garlic, onions, and spice, but even so, I've tried keeping a close eye on DH's oiliness and bodily smells through each season, and although summer is the worst, not much seems to change in the way his skin responds throughout the other seasons, and that's taking into consideration the seasonal dietary changes that so often accompany each new quarter (season). Summer-time brings all sorts of fresh fruit and vegetables to the table, along with salads and all sorts of other lighter food groups, yet no matter what his diet consists of there never seems to be an improvement in the scent of what his skin and follicles emit and cast.
Mrs. M- I don't notice any difference in whites, but then again, I'm not really picky. The white stuff in our house is also the stuff that's not usually visible (underwear, socks) so even if they did get dingy, who cares? I do bleach the towels once or twice a year though.
Ahh, folding. My 14 year old DSD seems to pile her clothes into her drawers any old way, after I have spent time folding them. She and I have come to an agreement; I am not folding her clothes. (Yes, I KNOW she is old enough to do laundry but she is my SD and the parents make those decisions....not the step parent....in this family). So it is going to work out fine. I don't like folding much. My DH carefully folds everyone's everything (has a neat way of packaging panties) BUT he will only fold if he has plenty of time and feels like it. So mostly when he does laundry, it sits in a basket until I fold it. Which I will often jump in to do because I wear a lot of cotton t-shirts that will wrinkle miserably if NOT folded promptly.
Finally getting my clothesline back after a year of renovations means changing (again) the laundry pattern. The line holds one load. So that means more frequent laundry activities, but less washed per session. I wish I could figure this one out. I like weekly laundry but I can't do it that way and line dry.
I use a tiny bit of a liquid detergent (scent free; we are all reactive). I was using the recommended amount of detergent and seeing lots of suds but no difference in the clothes. Now a bottle of detergent lasts twice as long. Rags, dishcloths, dishtowels get dumped in a bucket with water, detergent and a tiny bit of bleach (I have guilt about it but I do use bleach for this) for a couple of days before they hit the washer. I agree with Mrs. M. about the sour smell of towels and ours do not dry out completely but I do try to stretch the use out for a week. If I can smell the towel, though, it goes down the "laundry chute" (AKA the basement stairs) for the next load.
Life is MUCH simpler laundry-wise than when I was raising three teens who were active athletes (there's a smell!!) and had a husband who worked in food service. So I really have nothing to complain about. Also I am not as picky as I once was. I used to believe that sheets HAD to be changed weekly or I was a moral failure. Now I figure that we go to bed clean, mostly, so sheets get changed, well, when I have time and feel like it. I wish I could have been so relaxed in my thirties...I would have saved myself a lot of stress.
Also we don't separate because we don't have clothes that it would matter to...(poor grammar but that's how it came out...sorry). Dark underclothes and socks, and I don't actually care if the neighbors wonder about my less-than-white-whites. So that simplifies quite a lot.
Eight people....no wonder you have to stay on top of laundry, Mrs. M. And Stella, too. Seven people, right, and a couple of them are very young....whew! You have my respect.
Herbgeek. Good point about the whites you wash not having to be presentable. Although I find I'm not influenced by much of what society and the media portrays as being "the right thing to do", I still find myself falling for incremental perfection in areas where perfection doesn't matter. (As in, because such and such is white, it has to be perfectly white).
Leslieann. You touch on so many things I relate to, things that pertain to my own ways. P.S. The nifty packaging panties fold you speak of has me intrigued. Let me guess, panties laid out flat (bum side down), crotch folded upwards, sides folded in, panties turned over to hide all folds?
Re: the clothesline drying issue and reduced loads to compensate for line capacity, I totally hear you and relate. The days and nights I've put in dreaming about double clotheslines! Have always wanted a double clothesline since I can remember. Would have really loved a double line when I was doing diapers. I would have been able to hang a double or even triple wash-load of diapers at one time, and on regular single diaper-load days, I would have reserved one line for diapers, the other for rubber pants, leaving both baby bottom necessities readily available and easily accessible for those changes when a quick dash out to the line was required!
P.S. Laughing right now over your "laundry chute"!!! I used to be quite carefree Re: tossing whatever needed laundering down the basement stairs, but with little ones navigating up and down the stairs I had to change my ways. Have always dreamed of having a house with an actual real laundry chute. Love laundry chutes!
Speaking of sourness in towels, I find even laundering towels in hot water (and regularly), I still occasionally pick up on faint odour, so that's where a once a month/twice a month bleach treatment comes in handy. Helps keep everything fresh and odour-free.
Like yourself, I too feel life would have been much easier, more simplified, and way more stress-free had I learned to approach domesticities with a more relaxed style. (Relaxed as in, if it doesn't get done today, there's always tomorrow). But oh no, couldn't do that. In fact I still find there are days I put in where I feel as though I have to try and attempt everything (inside related) in a single day, and then I wonder why I'm so pooped-out at the end of the day.
P.S. Love everyone's posts! So many superb and excellent ideas and methods.
P.S. Stella. Re: folding, would it be of any benefit for you to reserve a special laundry basket for non-folded clothing only, and keep that basket in the same room you do ironing and things? I'm thinking seeing that basket on the floor would help prompt you to fold.
Something additional I want to mention Re: folding. Sometimes I'll say to myself, "gee, I have no time to fold all this", but then I'll rethink my schedule and start folding, and when all is said and done and I look at the clock to see how much time I've lost, seldom does it take me longer than about 5-10 minutes to take care of a full load. That in itself helps me (so much) in putting my daily workload into perspective and realizing that forgoing a chore (at the time the chore needs addressing) doesn't save me time (at all). In fact, it adds on time, usually at the end of my day (the worst time), when I'm at my tiredest, busy winding down and preparing to retire for the night and then notice something or another out of place of still sitting incomplete.
I don't mind laundry, my mom bought me a HUUUUGE capacity washer and a super nice dryer. The washer spins the clothes very dry, so the dryer only takes about 20 minutes to dry a load. I have 5 kids but only am doing 1 load a day. One day it will be underwear and towels or sheets, which I wash on hot and the next it will be everything else which I wash on cold.
My kids love to help, they fight over who gets to load the dryer. We bought a folding step stool so that they could reach into the washer. Then when the dryer is done, I usually have more helpers handing me items to fold. I never put them in a basket, I just fold them right there and then.
I don't fold underwear, just stack it in the drawer. Socks I do but almost everyone has one style of sock, so easy to match. I have a small laundry sorter which I use to put in the folded laundry, one section for each child (except the 2 little ones). So the big kids put away their own folded laundry. They are usually quick to do this because they want to wear their favorites all the time. (People must think my son only has 1 shirt, lol)
We pretty much have 1 towel per person, which we hang in the bathroom. So unless it's an extra, I don't have to fold, just hang back up.
Most of our laundry is kitchen towels, I have 2 toddlers, enough said. But the kids love to fold those.
When I used cloth diapers, I never folded them. Just threw them in a basket.
Hi H-work. I cherish (and dream of) the day where a front-loading laundry set comes my way! Soon, I'm hoping... When it comes to laundry (in my case) I tend to be somewhat habitual in respect to the ways I do things. Much of what I learned Re: domestic things (specifically laundry), I learned from my mom, and to this day I still practice what she did (mostly). However, in reading through everyone's entires it's refreshing to see so many of you have simplified methods of dealing with all things laundry. Like laying (flat) underwear/panties and stacking in drawer (just as one example).
The sock thing I have yet to master, that due in part to the vast number of kids I have under one roof. I thought of the safety pin idea, where you safety pin like (matched0 socks together, launder them, then remove the pin before putting them away, but even if I were to practice the nifty safety pin idea I would still be left going through all the pairs of individual socks to match them up first (as a set/pair) before pinning, and I'd need a whole lot more pins to do that! So as it stands socks tend to take the longest out of all things laundry when it comes to folding.
The part I love about your method/system H-work, is that you seem to have it down to a smooth refined sequence/structure, and that's the biggest thing of all. Finding a method/system that works, that's simple, easy, and fuss-free, then sticking to it. Of course it never hurts refining certain aspects of ones methods to further polish and tailor the whole process.
Like yourself, I too put through (at least) one load of laundry per day in order to stay on top of things. I do think with a high-efficiency washer/dryer, I'd be able to go an extra day between washes.
Yeah, the washer itself has really simplified things. Mine is a Whirlpool Cabrio, top loader, but it works much like a front loader. It can fit between 2-3 loads of my old top loader. And uses less detergent (2 tbsp HE detergent) and less water to boot. But so $$$$$$$. There's no way I would have bought it myself, but now that I have it, I can't imagine doing the 3 typical loads a day!
Bastelmutti
8-31-11, 3:10pm
Stacking? Folding? I think I would call my method "jumbling." :laff:
Laundry tends to be pretty low on my list, though, since I work at home and don't need "real" work clothes. DH's clothes for work are casual, as are the kids' school clothes.
I haven't read all the posts, so I hope I am not repeating...I bought a "flip fold" online -- got lots of giggles over that from my dd's.
But hey, this thing is great. Lots of t-shirts in our house and this thing folds them all perfectly, nothing nicer than a stack for perfectly folded t-shirts. Not sure why this product gives me such satisfaction!
http://www.flipfold.com/
Originally posted by H-work.
I can't imagine doing the 3 typical loads a dayYeah..., don't remind me! :) Bedding, the worst!!!
Bastelmutti. I envy you sooo much. I'm such a fuddy-duddy when it comes to all things domestic, laundry especially. Have tried and tried to lax-up, but no such luck.
Greg44. Wow! What a nifty little unit/contraption! Amazing!
We taught our kids early on to do their own laundry. It was great!
Greg I think my oldest DD would like that. She's more into things being "just so" than I am.
H-work, I just need to break down and get myself one of those washers and dryers.
Mrs. M your suggestion of keeping a basket of laundry in a convenient place for folding is a good one. That might help.
I totally relate to the Laundry Monster! LOL. In our house, we have a 4 and a 7 year old and we don't even bother to fold most things. They like to pick out their own clothes, which I think is great, and everything just gets unfolded when they do that, so what's the point? They each have a dresser with one drawer for undies, one for pjs, one for shirts and one for pants. Each category gets thrown in its own drawer. DH and I each fold (or don't fold) our own laundry. We are a pretty wrinkly bunch at times, but no one seems to mind. You can usually hardly tell in winter especially what with sweaters, etc.
Even with these extremely lax standards, we are STILL always behind. Laundry and planning meals are the two things we've just never managed to get a handle on since having kids . . . Will definitely try some of the tips above.
It is just DH and I at home now. I do laundry about every other day. Laundry is on my daily TO Do List and I don't let myself check it off until it is folded and put away. (Putting away is my nemesis...) Sheets and towels are changed weekly. Our dirty, sweaty yard clothes are washed immediately. I like to use Tide and hot water for sheets, towels, underwear, socks, and yard clothes. Clothing is washed in warm water and Arm & Hammer detergent. I seldom use bleach and never use fabric softener. Everything is dried in the drier. I love to fold clothes while they are still warm from the drier. But as I said, putting it all away is my downfall. I am thinking about trying the Mrs. Meyer's laundry detergent; has anyone used it?
Redfox. I love the idea of teaching kids to do their own laundry, and I'm all for it, yet believe it or not, I actually love doing all the laundry in the home. I know..... that probably sounds a little off-beat, but I put it down to my old-fashionedness. Somehow I like knowing I'm taking care of everyone- even if it means me having to take on a bigger role as queen of domesticities. I don't think I'll ever get over it.
Stella. Yeah, do try it, even if just for me.
Mamalatte. In reading through your post I wish I could have been as relaxed as you Re: keeping the kids things stored in a less meticulous (fussy) fashion. However being born genetically gifted to be anal (ha-ha-ha), everything has a place (it's own place), and everything needs to be neatly folded and organized (in it's own place).
I'm one of those types (mother types) where absolutely everything needs to be available to me, right at my finger tips, elbows length away (when at all possible), and ready at hand for whatever task I'm doing. (Particularly when it comes to baby/small child related care). But (BIG BUT), most importantly of all, everything needs to be folded. Somehow, for whatever reason I still do not know, if things aren't folded and neat and organized (accordingly), to my factitious satisfaction, I feel as though they aren't fresh and clean. (Yes, I know, probably sounds silly to you, but that's me). Fussy as they get! :)
Florence. Absolutely, hot water for towels, sheets, underwear/panties, socks, etc. (Always hot water when I washed diapers, too). Like yourself, I use no fabric conditioner or softener whatsoever. (Haven't for many, many years).
Question Florence. Do you not use a clothesline? I always had you pegged as a clothesline user. (A devout clothesline user). :) As for Mrs. Meyers laundry detergent, I've never heard of it before. Please tell me more about it.
Well, Lazy Lindi that I am, I just put everything in one load together (darks, whites, lights, brights, danties, jeans, towels, dish clothes, linens, etc...) and put it on hot in the regular cycle and that's it. No sorting, no mussing or fussing. I have a laundry basket in my bedroom and put everything dirty in it and when it's full I do a load (usually once a week, sometimes once every 2 weeks because I mostly wear shorts and tee shirts everyday). Also don't own anything that needs special laundering or ironing or colors that will bleed so have never had a problem with this method. The only things I wash seperately is the dog stuff - blankets, towels, bed covers - and really oily or dirty clothes from working on a project.
"Question Florence. Do you not use a clothesline? I always had you pegged as a clothesline user. (A devout clothesline user). As for Mrs. Meyers laundry detergent, I've never heard of it before. Please tell me more about it. "
Yes, I was an ardent clothesliner for most of my life. However, several years ago I developed a neuromuscular condition that gives me limited mobility and balance. So we dusted off the drier and joined the dark side.
Mrs. Meyers is a line of cleaning products that is supposed to be more environmentally friendly containing no harsh chemicals. I can't swear to the greenness of it but the lavender scent is divine. There's a geranium scent too but I've never tried it. The countertop spray works very well and as I said leaves the kitchen smelling heavenly.
Spartana. I envy your simplistic approach to laundry. Every once in a while (when I come across someone who does things basic and simple, with a no-fuss approach), I think, "gee, wish I could be like that". I say good on you! Simplicity at it's best.
Florence. I'm sorry to hear of your condition. Re: the Mrs. Meyers line, if I can't find it locally in our area, I'll research it out online. Every so often I like spoiling myself and buying something different and new, just to change things up. I remember using a spray-cleaner product about 15 years ago called Simple Green, and it had the most invigorating scent and worked like magic.
Spartana. I envy your simplistic approach to laundry. Every once in a while (when I come across someone who does things basic and simple, with a no-fuss approach), I think, "gee, wish I could be like that". I say good on you! Simplicity at it's best.
Well with 6 kids and a hubby it would be impossible for you. Us single childless people can do everything the laziest...er.. I mean simplest way possible :-)!
Spartana. Sometimes I think about what life would be like if I were single (or with no kids), and to be perfectly honest, I think I'd be even MORE fussy! I can see in now, closets colour coordinated, whites with whites, darks with darks. >8)
Spartana. Sometimes I think about what life would be like if I were single (or with no kids), and to be perfectly honest, I think I'd be even MORE fussy! I can see in now, closets colour coordinated, whites with whites, darks with darks. >8)
Well I do line up my clothes so that they all sort of go in a certain order - I'm actually very OCD/anal about that stuff - sort of like the hubby on the old Julia Roberts movie who lines up all the soup cans so they face forward. But I own nothing that has to be hand washed, cold water washed, dry cleaned or ironed. And while I love natural fabiric (would swath myself in silk from head to toe if I could :-)!) I don't like having to care from them. So I buy everything with just a little bit of lsynthetic blend (10% synthetic) so that it can be wash and wear. But I do LOVE silk!!
Sometimes I wonder why we even have closets.
As things come out of the dryer I hang them on a rod I had installed just to the right of the dryer or I toss them in baskets - everyone has a basket, the kitchen has a basket (cloth napkins,dishcloths,handtowels, the bathrooms have a basket (towels,etc). Apparently I'm the only one who will take my basket and my hanging clothes and put them away. I'm tired of reminding people to put away their stuff. I don't mind letting someone else move stuff from the washer to the dryer but putting stuff in the washer or removing from the dryer are my jobs (no one else can do those two things to my satisfaction).>8)
Spartana. Absolutely, carefree/fuss-free fabrics is definitely where it's at. My husband owns a ton of dress shirts (hence his job), yet even though all are 100% cotton, only a few wash up and iron up smartly, the others tend to wrinkle (quickly) just minutes after wear, and there's a few where I have to fight with them like the dickens to press them.
Originally posted by Float On.
Apparently I'm the only one who will take my basket and my hanging clothes and put them away.Ahhh... reminds me of the changing of the toilet paper roll in our house. Apparently, I'm the only one in the house who knows how to change the roll! And apparently, I'm the only one who sees that the roll is empty. (Saving that one for another thread). LMAO! Re: the removal of things from the dryer or the pre-loading of the washer, I hear you. It's funny how we closely guard certain chores and things isn't it.
Well I do line up my clothes so that they all sort of go in a certain order - I'm actually very OCD/anal about that stuff - sort of like the hubby on the old Julia Roberts movie who lines up all the soup cans so they face forward. But I own nothing that has to be hand washed, cold water washed, dry cleaned or ironed. And while I love natural fabiric (would swath myself in silk from head to toe if I could :-)!) I don't like having to care from them. So I buy everything with just a little bit of lsynthetic blend (10% synthetic) so that it can be wash and wear. But I do LOVE silk!!
Um, there is nothing wrong with those of us who line up cans in the pantry facing forward and grouped into soups, fruits, corn (whole kernel and cream style), and tomato products, of course with the first expiring in the front...:|(
My desire with lining up pantry goods English side up/out, arises out of my hatred of French (the language). Just how it was rammed into our faces in grade school still makes me mad to this day.
Originally posted by Leslieann.
My DH carefully folds everyone's everything (has a neat way of packaging panties)Here's hoping you share your husbands secret with me! :) I'm dying to know...
leslieann
11-26-11, 4:35pm
You had it right, Mrs. M....crotch up, sides folded in an over, then turned over to hide the folds. Makes a neat little package but too fussy for me. I won't do it for my teenage step daughter who drops them into her drawer any-which-way, folded or not. Also she wears two or three pairs a day (not my business but I don't like doing all that laundry). So I just quit folding hers and mine.
DH is good at organizing just about everything but doesn't do it all the time. The basket can sit for a week before he'll get to his tidy folding and usually I can't wait that long....I am too controlling to let the basket sit, perhaps mostly because then the dirty laundry doesn't have a home and just accumulates on the floor.
There's a lot of laundry in this house despite our relatively frugal values.
Good morning, Leslieann! Believe it or not, there are times when I think to myself, "wouldn't it be nice to be (live) more relaxed", but then reality hits me and I think, "no thank you, I'll stick with the way I am"! :laff: Oh, the carefree lifestyles of our kids, huh! :)
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