Today is Laundry Day. Even though there are still un-folded clothes on the loveseat from last week’s Laundry Day.
Last night, I gathered the dirty clothes, sorted them, and started my first load.
And panicked.
I was down to one free sample of laundry detergent. And I had zero desire to run out to the store late at night. Thankfully, I’d been looking at (but not tackling) a certain laundry-room-problem for all of October, and thinking that it was going to make a good detail before my 31 Days of Details were up.
The “thankfully” part is half-way sarcastic, and half-way for real, because I do get how ridiculous it is that I hadn’t just taken care of this detail before. But then today, I was glad I hadn’t.
This paradox only feeds my slob-problem.
I organized my laundry room back in January. I’m quite proud that it still looks like this. The fact that the floor isn’t covered in a foot of laundry is a pretty big deal. I can still walk in there and do what I need to do without major hassle.
Except for the upside-down laundry detergent bottles falling over all the time. But slobs are used to stuff like that.
For some reason, I had turned them over to get out that last little drip, but hadn’t actually used the last little drip before starting on the next bottle.
Or the next.
Or sometimes the next.
So, my detail for today was to throw away all of the bottles. I could have cleared the top of the dryer and wiped it down, but I didn’t.
Of course, since I did need those last little drips to keep Laundry Day going until I could get to the store today, I have once again confirmed the but-I-really-will-need-that-someday thing that I try so hard to talk myself out of.
*FYI, Laundry Day probably won’t work for you if you’re on a septic system, as it may overload your system. Sorry!
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Have you started Christmas shopping yet? I’ll be sharing some things that are on my list, and maybe that will help you start tackling your shopping before we hit the big holiday rush. I gave my 8 year old a painting kit for his birthday. I was surprised at how much he LOVED it. Then I remembered paint by numbers, so I’m going to order one as a gift for him. LOVE stuff that keeps them busy being creative! (Ulterior motive alert: I’m linking to a paint by numbers kit on Amazon, using my affiliate link, in hopes that you will do a little of your Christmas shopping while you’re there!)
Lori Hurley says
I totally LOVE your blog!!! Yesterday, I spent the day cleaning out my laundry/storage room. It took 3 solid hours and I thought I was going to die. I survived. I had two jars of homemade laundry detergent with a tiny little bit in the bottom. I threw them out. Yes. I did. I have a million jars that exact same size and my hubby doesn’t like homemade laundry detergent. They’d been sitting there for a year. Out the went!
Two full garbage bags later, I have 11 perfectly organized shelves… but the same two laundry baskets are still on top of the dryer. Oops! Never got to those. lol!
You inspire me to keep going…. and with 5 kids, a dog, and 2 cats… there’s ALWAYS something.
Sherri says
Nony, I’m pretty sure we were separated at birth. There’s just no other explanation.
Krista says
I’ve also let one bottle of detergent sit upside down while I started another. My mom recommended just emptying the one bottle into the new one. I didn’t think it would work because they were different brands. She assured me I wouldn’t notice…I didn’t 🙂 They mixed just fine.
TyKes Mom says
I have recently implemented a weekly laundry day inspired completely by you! Today was my third successful laundry day and I feel on cloud nine each time the day is over. I feel so accomplished and there are not clothes all over my dresser. 🙂 Part of my laundry day is to clean the laundry room too and make homemade detergent if necessary. Though I feel like I spend a lot of my time in my laundry room on laundry day, I don’t have to go in there for the rest of the week! Thank you for the inspiration!!
Spohl85 says
I employ the same method with laundry detergent as I do with shampoo and conditioner…once it gets down to that last little bit, I just put some water in there and keep shaking/rinsing until I’m convinced I’ve extracted every last bit of soap available.
Rhonda Burkhalter says
My project starting tomorrow is to turn our laundry room into a family closet. Well almost family closet. The teenager will keep her dresser and closet in her room, but the toddler and my husband and I will try this. Our bedroom doesn’t have a closet so we end up with clothes everywhere. Laundry hamper? What’s that? Our clothes that are clean rarely make it out of the laundry room anyway, so why lug them upstairs. The only thing that will continue to have a place is the towels and linens. I have a good system for those at least.
Amy says
I wanted to let you know that I found a sticker by number at Toys R Us. I think my son is going to love it.
Amy
Slob with OCD says
Nony,
A couple of weeks ago my sons preschool discovered that they were missing the cards from their Candyland game. It seemed to me that I remembered coming across some the last time I organized the game cabinet. I don’t now own nor do I remember owning Candyland.
But I found it in one minute. The same morning that my son was wearing underwear borrowed from his sister, and the same day I was dropping him off at preschool without fresh clothes for his bin even though he’d come home the day before in clothes belonging to the school. So I managed to find a use for something I shouldn’t have kept in the first place, when I can’t keep my kids in clean underwear.
Slob paradox? You betcha.
Crystal & Co says
You crack me up!
Your laundry room feels like home to me. 🙂
Kimmypoo says
I now this post is old, but I have found that if you poke a hole in the bottom corner of the detergent bottle and let it drain out that way, you’ll get a lot more of those “last little drips.” Sometimes, it’s enough for an entire load. :/
Nony says
Great idea!!!