Day 134: Hedgehogs in the Dryer?

My husband knows me too well....  I am quite a sucker for cute gadgets and cute animals.  So, when I spotted dryer balls that looked like little, white hedgehogs, I was hooked.  I pointed them out to my husband, who kind of shrugged it off.  SO, I was completely surprised - and delighted - when I received said hedgehogs as a Valentine's Day gift!  (Aren't they CUTE?!?!)

I have been using dryer balls for about 3 years now, and I really can tell a difference.  Our clothes dry much faster with dryer balls tumbling around, separating the damp items with their little "fingers."  They seem to reduce static and soften the fabrics, as well.  (I have gone through two sets of dryer balls.  The little nubs wear down after a while, so be sure to replace them to get the full effect!)
I've been quite happy with cutting down on drying time (and expense to run the dryer!)... and NOW, I am even happier when I get our clean, dry clothes, and little hedgehogs come tumbling out or little hedgehog eyes are peeping out at me through the clothing.
OK, you can say, "simple minds, simple pleasures," if you'd like.  I won't take offense.  I think my new hedgehog dryer balls are very useful... and so darn cute!


Now, THAT's neat!

Day 117: Shake up some freshness

If you've read this blog, you've probably noticed that I like things to LOOK neat and to SMELL neat! ;) Well... I recently received a free sample of Downy Unstopables, and I knew I HAD to get some for my wash... from now until eternity!

These in-wash scent boosters make everything smell absolutely AMAZING! I keep finding myself stopping to smell my toddlers PJs or breathing in a hand towel before walking out of the bathroom. This stuff really works... and I LOVE it! You just shake these things into the washing machine, and run your cycle as usual! I have been using the "fresh" scent (the blue beads), but there is a "lush" scent (purple) as well! Try them, and let me know what you think... or, uh... smell! :)

Now, THAT's neat!


NOTE: No one from Downy or any other company paid me to say any of the things in this post. These thoughts are all my honest opinions!

Day 108: Oh, Laundry Room of BLISS!

Oh, my... I recently started another direct-sales business with Thirty-One Gifts because I am obsessed with totes and bags and bins and baskets and boxes... you get the idea! ;) But I was not quite clever enough to come up with THIS: the ultimate in organized laundry rooms.



Can I get a "WOW!"? I am in love with all the embroidered fabric bins! And I am envisioning them throughout my home! ;) How handy and LOVELY! This would also work well in closets, playrooms, bathrooms... and vehicles!


Now, THAT's neat!

Day 101: The Room of S.I.N.

As a neat freak who loves neatness and who spends most of my "free" moments cleaning, straightening and organizing, it's very difficult for me to admit this. BUT, I'm going to choose to confide in y'all: I have a room of S.I.N.

That's right. A room of S.I.N! And I bet you, too, have somewhere in your home where S.I.N. takes place... on a daily basis! ;)

What I am talking about here could be considered a dirty, little secret, but it's probably not as bad as you might be thinking! The S.I.N. I'm referring to is that room, drawer, cabinet, closet or ANY place you use to "Stash It Now!"

Whatever and wherever that is in your home... that is YOUR place of S.I.N! :) When things don't quite go anywhere else in the house, you stash it there. When company is coming over unexpectedly, this is your go-to place (AKA "dumping grounds") for the mail, homework, coats, shoes and toys that have mysteriously taken up residence all over the house. This is where random odds and ends and other junky bits and pieces end up when they just don't have a spot of their own, when you don't have time to put them in the correct place... OR, when you just don't really know what in the world to do with it!

And, believe it or not, this neat freak uses our laundry room for all of our S.I.N. stuff! And for the longest time (perhaps 3 years or so?!?!) the laundry room has been the bane of my existence, with its stacks of boxes and non-matching piles of everything, everywhere!

Don't believe it?!?! Well, here is photo proof:


In addition to the clothing (that has every right to be in there), you can also find mailing boxes, bags, crafting tools, photo albums, business supplies, catalogs... and things that would go perfectly (and preferably) in an office or in a "craft room," if we had those!

Of course, this is not a TERRIBLE, unusable space. And I have made many attempts to corral some of this stuff. As the pictures show, there are some baskets and bins and even a little dresser in there! And there is an overflowing -- but still handy -- laundry caddy (which currently serves as my baby boy's "closet," since it's SO much easier to get his clothes from the laundry room than to go upstairs to his room!) It just wasn't working. And it was making me crazy. So my wonderful, handy hubby put up some simple, floor to ceiling shelving for me all along the small wall right by the door!

Here is the NEW, improved space!


The washer and dryer stayed put, obviously, but we moved everything around a bit, and I was able to put items in more logical places -- and get them out of the middle of the floor!

Granted, it's not perfect. My son's clothes are still taking up the caddy. I will probably reorganize the shelves and move things around here and there. And I will still need an emergency "S.I.N." space at times. But, that will probably end up being a cabinet. (And I will ONLY use it for the temporary stashing of items!)

For now, I'm quite happy to be able to put things in their place. And I'm very pleased that I can actually open the laundry room door without making excuses... or cringing in disgust -- even when company is around! ;)


Now, THAT's neat!

Day 67: Rethinking Laundry

See shirt.
Think shirt.
Red shirt.
Pink shirt.

Yep. I actually did it: I turned one of my husband's t-shirts pink! Agh! Thanks to my son's fire-engine-red onesie, a perfectly good, bright-white tee is now in the cabinet over my dryer. In the "scrap" pile.

This got me thinking about the way I do laundry. I have a great rolling sorter in our laundry room. It has a clothes bar and three separate mesh bags to catch whites, darks and delicates. Kind of like this one! (BTW, you can get these "laundry centers" for around $30.... or you can spend upwards of $200 for some suped-up models with ironing boards and drawers... bread makers... KIDDING on that one!)


Of course, currently, this handy sorter is being used as an extended closet for the above-mentioned baby boy. And the handy pouches are being used for 1. baby clothes that are too small, 2. clean crib sheets that need to be put away, and 3. whatever else happens to not have a home in the laundry room but ends up there anyway!

Hmmm... so maybe this organized-obsessed momma needs to get her neat freak on! :)

I don't know about y'all, but I tend to do about 3 to 4 large loads of laundry a week right now. Currently, I just dump all the clothes in the washer until it's near full! (Of course, I do put delicates in their own wash bag!) Then I dump in some liquid detergent and let 'er go! (Two rinses, please.)

When the wash cycle finishes, I do sort clothes before moving along to the dryer. (Maybe I am more picky about drying my clothes than washing them!?!?!) Delicates are hung up or spread out to dry. Pant legs and long-sleeves shirts are untangled. And I always use a dryer sheet and dryer balls.... you know, those bumpy, dog-toy-looking things? (The texture helps to separate clothes as they tumble around, which is supposed to cut down on dry time!)


So, what do YOU do? Bleach? No bleach? Sort? Don't sort? One big load? Several small ones? I am looking to improve my laundry skills, so bring on the tips and hints!


Now, THAT's neat!