For instance, some people really love fresh-out-of-the-dryer sheets, others prefer line dry. Some people use fabric softener and dryer sheets,some people don't know what those are. Some people add aromatherapy oils to every load, some people buy fancy detergents, some people make their own detergent. Some people get their laundry done
for them, some people leave heaps of laundry on the floor for days, until they decide it's time to wash. Some people love doing laundry, some people hate doing laundry.
This post is about my laundry. The way I do laundry reflects some personal opinions, and other things are just plain preferences...the way I like to do them, just because.
First of all, I have one laundry basket. Once that laundry basket fills up, it's time to wash laundry. That happens every 3-4 days.
Second of all, I separate my lights and darks, and dirty dish rags.
(Cloth diapers are on their own cycle. Once my cloth diaper bucket fills up, I wash them usually every 2-3 days.)
We make our own detergent using mild ingredients you can find at most stores.
Homemade Laundry Detergent
1 cup powdered PUREX bleach
1 cup Borax
1 cup plain baking Soda
1 cup finely grated detergent-free soap
(like Zote or home-made soap, or anything without a lot of perfumes)
Mix it all together in a tub. You can double or triple the recipe to make a big batch. I triple it and it lasts me 2-3 months.
2 tablespoons of detergent per each Large load of laundry.
So what are the benefits of making it yourself?
Clean clothes, no soap residue, hypo-allergenic, low-cost, great for cloth diapers because no soap build up.
Okay, back to doing laundry.
In the cold, wintry months I have no choice but to use a dryer. There's nothing nicer than warm towels to roll in, on the living room floor. However, once the sun starts shining mid-Spring, I use a clothes line. I love the smell of sun-dried clothing.
And here's another thing I love: Hanging clothes. I love to stand there with my big basket of laundry and hang them up, one by one. There's something therapeutic about it that relaxes me.
I am also kind of particular about how to hang up my clothes. Each clothing item needs to be folded over the line in the middle, and each item gets it's own clothespin. Don't ask me why. I guess it's just my way.
Since we live downstairs and our only access to the backyard is all the way up the stairs and thru the back gates, I got myself a laundry backpack! Check out this gem of a find! My very own laundry back-pack!
I also really like to have a cute and functional baggy to keep all my clothespins in.
I was going to sew something, then thought of using overalls. I turned these little overalls inside out, sewed the legs shut, the turned it back in, and cut off the extra fabric. Voila! Clothespin holder extraordinaire!
I like doing laundry, I really do. It's not the worst chore out there for me. In fact, it can be enjoyable if you make it more than just a chore, but a way of life.
(I thought I should add, however, that I absolutely hate folding it and putting it away, unless I can watch Conan O'Brian while I do it. Then it's doable)
