Hey we all know doing the laundry’s no fun, but it’s just one of those things that have to be done.

Taking the time to organize your laundry room may not make the task any more enjoyable but you can make it go by more quickly by having everything you need at hand. You may need some time to get accustomed to your new system, but it will be well worth it. Have everyone in the family help keep this system working smoothly and it will free up more family time for all involved.

Try setting up a schedule for what you will wash on which day, and have your family help by pre-sorting the clothes that they will need washed. Have different colored baskets for each type of wash load and show everyone where their laundry should go. Also, let them know where the stain stick is so that any clothes that get stains can be pre-treated right away.

Keep your detergents and fabric softeners in a convenient place close to your washer and drier. If you don’t have a shelf nearby, it doesn’t take a lot of work to get on up to use for this.

Prepare a schedule for cleaning out the vent areas of your drier and then write it on your a chalk board or white board you’ve installed in the laundry room. One smart mom photographed dry clean only clothing items like her husband’s best suit and her favorite blouse and taped them to her white board with a reminder that these items don’t belong in the washer should they ever end up in a basket by accident.

Have a clothing rack and plenty of hangers right in your laundry room so that as you take clothes out of the drier they can be hung up right away. You’ll be glad that you have much less to iron later on.

Use baskets or boxes to sort out clothes that is in need of repair, or is too small. A great way to organize your clothes as well is to have out-of-season bins and then place the clothes into these bins as they come out of the drier at the end of the season. With clothes that children have outgrown, place them into a storage bin until you decide what you will do with them.

If you LOVE doing laundry, skip this!

Laundry. You either like doing it or you don’t. Believe it or not, their are some people who actually enjoy doing wash. Others absolutely hate it. I myself don’t mind it too much, but it certainly isn’t the brightest spot in my day either. I started doing my own wash when I was 12. All my clothes went in together, usually in one giant load. You live, you learn, you turn all your socks and panties pink and then, you get smart. I at least separate laundry into four piles now: whites, darks, mediums and reds. [Read more...]

Having kids equals chaos. Chaos puts the work in housework. Of course we all love our children dearly, but who knew they’d be so messy? When you have children, you can never count on how long your house will actually stay clean after you’ve cleaned it. A day? An hour? Less? Cleaning up after your kids does not have to take on a life of its own. By making a clean and organized home a priority for the entire family and by setting and sticking to household standards, you can avoid feeling more like Maid than Mom. [Read more...]

Where Are My Gloves? 10 Common Spring Cleaning Mistakes

Do you like to clean?

Hmm. I can probably guess your answer.

Most people find cleaning a necessary evil and even for
those of us who get a certain amount of satisfaction out of this ongoing chore, we want the process to be quick, efficient and effective.

If you employ a spring-cleaning ritual each year, you especially want the task to go smoothly. Here are some common cleaning ‘mistakes’ that can slow you down or even be downright dangerous. [Read more...]

There’s no point in doing a job if you can’t do it right – and you can’t do it right if you don’t have the essential house cleaning tools that you need! A plumber cannot fix a leak without his tools and you cannot clean your house without the proper household cleaning tools. Buying better quality cleaning tools is your best bet, they usually work better and last longer.

Here are the essential house cleaning tools to keep on hand:

Vacuum Cleaner
A good Vacuum is a number one must-have for every household. I prefer the bagless upright type. Vacuums are expensive, be sure to buy from a name you trust. If you’re not sure, ask friends and family about theirs. Offer to vacuum a room in their home so that you can test it out!

Broom
Definitely need a well-made broom for sweeping. I get mine at Kmart for ten bucks. I’m always amazed at everything that turns up in the pile after I sweep my kitchen floor. [Read more...]

Ah Yes! The house is a mess…again! Why do I even bother attempting the impossible? I’ll tell you why I do it. For one thing, I don’t like living in a mess. Another reason is that people tend to show up unexpectedly.

That last reason alone is enough to get me to make sure that the path to the bathroom is cleared of rubble and that the bathroom itself is clean with smells of pine.

If your house is a mess… again, here are ten (10) house cleaning tips to help you out. [Read more...]

How to Look Good for Drop in Guests

You’re lying on the couch in your living room, in one of your husband’s old t-shirts and a pair of baggie sweatpants, watching last night’s taped episode of Desperate Housewives, when suddenly – the phone rings. You don’t recognize the number on caller ID and you make the mistake of answering it. It’s your long lost best friend from the sixth grade. She’s in town and she just happens to be in your neighborhood. She’ll be over in 10 minutes, and your house is a MESS.

So, how do you clean up for unexpected guests in 10 minutes or less?! [Read more...]