Oi! I hate laundry! It seems like I’m Always. Doing. Laundry. Ever since my second child was born, it’s been a lot harder to keep up with. And just when I finally get everything folded and put away, here come 3 more loads to do!
In this 31 Days of Simplicity series, I’ve already mentioned a few ways I simplify my laundry routine. Like having identical socks to stack rather than sort/pair. Like hanging most of my clothes because it’s simply faster. Like not folding my underwear anymore.
Big time savers.
Since we’re focusing on decluttering this week, I want to talk about how to declutter your laundry detergents. Yesterday I talked about how many different kinds of specialty cleaners are on the market – a different product for every job. Laundry isn’t much better. You have bleach, laundry detergent, power boosters, fabric softeners (liquid and sheet), all-in-one products, baby detergents, delicate detergents. Your entire shelf could be full of these things!
I still love Woolite Dark for many of my more delicate clothes, especially sweaters. But for general wash, I’ve simplified my routine to one detergent. I have a baby in the house, so I don’t want a lot of dyes or fragrance. (It’s probably not all that good for us grown ups either.) So I use Ecos Free and Clear for all of us. I figure, if it’s good enough to remove spit up and Code Brown diaper blowouts, it’s gotta clean my own clothes OK, right?
Another good, baby friendly detergent is Country Save. It’s a powder, and one box will last you forever.
And remember yesterday how I said you’d be hard-pressed to find a cleaning need that couldn’t be solved with vinegar? Guess what. Vinegar makes a really good fabric softener. And odor remover. And it’s eco-friendly and chemical free. And it’s super cheap. And no, your clothes don’t come out smelling like vinegar; the scent dissipates by the time the washer’s done.
And since you already have vinegar for all of your other cleaning needs, it’s one less thing to buy! Perfect!
One of these days, I’ll try making my own laundry soap and see how I like it. It will definitely be less expensive. But for now, I maintain simplicity by buying everything in bulk, and each container lasts 6-12 months.
