Tag Archives: laundry

How to Make Jeans Last Longer

You finally found that perfect pair of jeans, the ones that flatter you in all of the right places, the ones that you just love to wear. Maybe the jeans that are loved are not yours, but belong to one of your children who would probably wear them for two weeks straight if you let her. Either way, great jeans can be an investment, and keeping them in great condition can not only keep you happy but also save you money. Here are some strategies to use. How to Keep Jeans in Good Condition In the Wash To keep those … Continue reading →

Hanging Laundry in Winter

Just because it is winter, doesn’t mean that you have to use your clothes dryer. Hanging laundry saves money by reducing your energy costs, extending the life of your dryer, and extending the life of your clothing (all that lint caught in the trap comes from the fibers that are wearing away from your clothing in the dryer–scary). Invest in a Drying Rack A fold-up drying rack can hold quite a few items of clothing, and will work well for items that have to be laid flat as well as those that need to stay flat to dry. Make sure … Continue reading →

How Not To Do Laundry

My daughter just got a new job. I told her it’s her first “big girl” job, she has to dress nicely and now works in a cubicle with the rest of the world. It also means that now she is doing laundry that is a little different than her fast food restaurant uniform. When she got the job I took her out and bought her some business clothes, this child lives in jeans and t-shirts. She has a few skirts and sweaters but not enough, she needed some more grown up clothes. Fast forward just one week and she has … Continue reading →

Taming the Laundry Monster

Fellow blogger Carol Paxman inspired me with her recent blog, “Taming the Clutter Monster.” I couldn’t help but think of my least favorite chore, what I consider to be a monster…the laundry. Although it has gotten better since I have learned to delegate, it still sometimes feels like it’s all I ever do. I remember a few years ago a friend of mine who lives a couple of hours away was feeling burdened by her housework. She has five children and they were younger at the time. I offered to drive that couple of hours to come help. I couldn’t … Continue reading →

Nothing Like Line Drying Your Laundry

Looking to save some money this summer? Try putting your laundry outside on a line. Not only will you save money but you will enjoy the benefit of the fresh outdoor smell. One of my most favorite items to dry outside is my down feather comforter. There is nothing like slipping into bed with the smell of freshness permeating all around me. It may sound old-fashioned to dry your clothes on the line. I have childhood memories of my neighbor wearing her apron with clothespins clipped all around. I would watch her take her time in putting the clothes up … Continue reading →

Say Goodbye to the Single Socks

What is the statute of limitations for single socks? Some can hang around for years. Why is letting them go so hard? During the day, I have my two youngest children at home. As most parents know, this makes it pretty hard to get things done around the home. Today, though, I couldn’t put off the laundry any longer and needed to get some things washed, dried and folded (ironing will be another day). When I have laundry like this to do, I try to involve the kids. It keeps them occupied and teaches some life lessons. Too young to … Continue reading →

Helpless Husbands

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Sometimes when reading, I come across husbands who haven’t the first idea how to even turn the washing machine on, let alone sort and actually do the laundry. Then there are husbands who cannot cook a meal, but would exist on take out if the wife was away, or husbands who cannot use a vacuum cleaner or … the list goes on. The thing is it doesn’t only happen in novels. I know women whose husbands are like that. Now maybe it’s the fault of the older generations when women stayed home and did all these things and men didn’t … Continue reading →

Detergents for Cloth Diapers: How to Get Them Clean and Preserve the Fabric

Do you have a diaper service? If not, and if you choose cloth diapers, you will enter the world of laundry in a big way. Never fear, though – cloth diapering is much cheaper than disposables, and the extra work of laundry does not need to be overwhelming. The first order of business is to get those diapers clean. Diapers do get dirty. I have never demanded perfect whiteness from my diapers. In fact, we got unbleached diapers, a reassuring cream color that did not show stains as easily as a bleached cotton diaper. Cleaning diapers is a fine balance … Continue reading →

How Much Does It Cost to Do Your Wash?

Once you know the real cost of something, such as doing your wash, you may be surprised. And that surprise can turn into motivation for doing things differently, and thus saving money. Let us look at three households: Mrs Average, Mrs Conservative, and Mrs Thrifty. They each do laundry a different way, and so they spend different amounts getting the same size load completed. We will assume that they all have a standard washing machine and dryer. It is true that you can usually save more with a high efficiency washer and dryer. We’ll also assume that they do their … Continue reading →

Tackling Mount Washmore: Easy Laundry Solutions

It is amazing how quickly laundry piles up isn’t it? Just like Hercules, you no sooner get to the end when it build right back up again. If you dread the task of doing laundry, try the following easy solutions to make your life a little bit easier. Get into a morning routine. Throw one load of laundry into your washer each morning as part of your routine. Then, hang or put the laundry in the dryer when it is done or at the end of the day. Fold and put them away the same day. If you do one … Continue reading →