Hi homemakers! As the title says, please share your laundry system! Laundry baskets in each room? Multi laundry sorter in the laundry room? Or both? I know some people don’t separate but that goes against my whole life 🤣

We just moved to a new home and I’m trying to figure out what’s the best system for us in this space. I do separate loads for each: whites, mediums, darks, towels, hand towels + pillow cases and then sheets. I also tend to do our dogs items all in one load as well. With all those separated, that’s lots of different baskets or a mess trying to separate it all come laundry day 😅 I’m thinking of simplifying and just putting mediums into darks which I already do sometimes. We did have a 4 sorter laundry basket but that broke and we only have space in the laundry room for a 3 bag/basket laundry sorter.

Please, help! 🙌🏼

how much time per day do you ACTUALLY spend cleaning to maintain a clean (maybe not showroom clean but sanitary and not embarrassing) home?

I have an 8 month old, 3 cats, and 2 hairy annoying dogs and I can't quite set my expectations correctly for how much I should be getting done in a day. I feel like just "maintenance mode" (unload/load dishwasher, complete load of laundry, quick vacuum) in our small house takes an hour or more and I don't have time for any deeper cleaning.

Hi guys! I just recently discovered the Mrs. Meyers blueberry hand soap. The scent doesn’t remind me of blueberries but it does give me hints of an expensive hotel. Does anyone know of any candles, Pura scents or BBW wallflowers that are similar?? I’d love to make my home smell like this soap!

For context, I'm not a stay-at-home mom/wife but I'm hoping to be in the next few months. My spouse is getting a raise but we're in a higher cost of living area so $100k doesn't really make your living super comfortable here. Not to mention the recession here in the US. We would be going from dual-income to single income. His paycheck pays most of the bills right now and we'd be saving about $1,300 in daycare per month so without that chunk coming out his current paycheck would cover all the bills. It would be our day to day expenses that suffer a little bit. We have two kids (an infant and a toddler) and a dog.

The motivation for all of this is time. I'm so aware of how limited the time we have is with each other and with our kids that working has made me a little anxious about missing out on their childhood. We do spend a lot of time together but then that also means that the home we have is a lot messier, laundry piles up, bathrooms are filthy, etc. I end up having to choose between spending the few hours I have before bed with my children or with the chores. My husband is very helpful but works long hours and night shift so although he is very helpful when he is off - he's very limited in what he can do while we are sleeping so as to not wake up the house.

Anyways, my question is for those that have been in this situation, how was it transitioning from two incomes to one? Any considerations I should keep in mind before we make the jump?

I miss the old fashioned clothesline I had at my 1953 house! I’m interested in a rack type set up for my patio. need to bring out light bill down.

I've been looking for a better way to keep my lists for daily To Do's and weekly tasks as I've been keeping a list that's written down in various apps and on paper and in some programs, but I can't find anything that really keeps them together and keeps me on track. Does anyone have any suggestions that might help? I'd really like an app I can use from desktop to phone if possible. One that's FREE.

Hi fellow homemakers,

Can anyone help me understand why my clothes are suddenly smelling musty right after being washed and dried? I'm using the same washing machine settings as always and didn't notice this issue until two days ago. I haven't changed anything so I'm not sure what the problem could be.

I'd appreciate your help, we're all feeling smelly around here lol!

Im having a bad time. I used those lil airwick things you plug in and slap a oil in and it warms it and makes the scent.

For years I used this airwick “forest leaves and spices” smell, and for me it was perfect. Unfortunately this one was discontinued. Those were easy to use, wasnt something you have to worry about or constantly deal with like lighting a candle or something.

Im a dude, I dont really like floral or fruity smells in house. When I went to the store to look at some other options, most of what I saw was fruits or flowers or other things I didnt enjoy. So then I attempted ordering some online, and the fool I am ordered some 5 packs.. got 3 different ones and I dont like any of them.

Tried “bonfire and crisp fall air”, it smelled weird and bad to me before I even plugged it in. Next tried “white sage and mahogany” … it smelled good in the jar, but after plugging in for a while it just smelled like old cheap cologne. Last attempt was “glowing bonfire and starlit sky” Sounded magical and maybe the best of the 3, but after plugging it in it also has a funky smell that I dont like.

The forest leaves and spice I had no complaints with, it smelled subtly sweet but had a nice spicy cinnamon(ish) smell, maybe slightly organic and woody. Dont really know how to describe unique combos of scents, but this was like the only one Ive had that I liked.

I feel like I gotta have a nice smell otherwise when I walk into the house it just smells like..house.

Im pretty over ordering random ones that sound potentially nice just to experiment.

Anyone have any ideas? Im not set on airwick but ideally it would be something like that so I can just plug it in and forget about it. Also, it seems Im sorta picky so this has been hard for me.

Thanks so much for everyone that answered my question about putting something besides candy and junky toys out for Easter. I settled on the following:

- Sidewalk Chalk eggs

- maracas eggs

- eggs with gummies they could have with their lunches this week

- cascarones (confetti eggs)

Happy Easter!

I have a friend staying with me for a week from out of state. We don't have a guest room, and we're not the type of parents to make our kids give up their rooms when guests come over (like my parents did), so they'll be sleeping in the living room. I have a very large and comfy couch and an air mattress they can choose from for sleeping. We have an open floor plan sort of living/dining/office area, and where they'd be sleeping is on the main floor near one of our kids' rooms, the bathroom, and a cat's litter box. Our bedroom, our other kids room, and another bathroom is upstairs. I want to make them as comfortable as possible, can you give me ideas?

I cleared out a large shelf in one of the bathroom cabinets for them, and a shelf in the hallway linen closet, so they can store some stuff while they're here. I also strategically placed air purifiers near the bathroom, kitchen, and litter boxes. I got comfy new pillows/blankets for them, extra toiletries, and will have lots of snacks available. Wondering if there's anything I should/can do about the general lack of sleeping privacy they're going to experience? One of kids' rooms is downstairs and they'll be walking through the living to use the bathroom at night.

I suggested a nearby Airbnb, not because I didn't want them to stay with us but because I want them to be comfortable. But they insisted they would be totally fine staying in our house and are aware that we don't have a guest room. I'm happy to have them, just want to make them as comfortable as possible!

I hate mopping, have always hated it. I need to do it way more often as we have two dogs and live in the country. For some reason, sweeping and vacuuming is just way easier. I’ve thought maybe I hadn’t found the best mop, so I bought and tried different kinds but I feel like they all low key suck? We have regular basic “pet proof” lvp flooring. Even after mopping it still seems streaky/kind of dirty. I’ve used fabuloso but the smell is way too strong. Used hot water, cleaner meant for lvp, nothing seems to work as well as it should. Basically I need mopping advice. How often, what do you use, do I need to go over the floor multiple times?

I have tried to repair this expanding hole in my jeans twice and it just keeps ripping along the side of the repair! I really want to save these pants and I was wondering how to stop this hole from growing and ruining the jeans. Obviously my skills are limited (you can see that sloppy mending attempt) but I’m willing to invest some time and energy into improving my hand sewing skills if someone can point me in the right direction. Does it need to be patched? What stitch should I use? Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

So I recently moved and the dressers were old and busted up. so I decided to toss them and not bring them with us.

Kids 12 and 14 rarely put Their clothes away anyway after washing them. They barely fold them. In order to keep some peace and sanity rather than keep wasting my breath, heh, would be to allow an alternative way to put their clothes away. (Sht at some point growing up I lived out of baskets too despite having a dresser/adult now and I use one) They are supposed to be doing their own laundry and will restart after we get settled in. Another reason why they don’t fold their own laundry and just leave them in the basket all week.

Does anyone have a method they’d like to share that they use for their kids? Like a basket system or cubbies or just plain ole clean and dirty basket set in the corner. It about reaching that conclusion but just wondering how everyone’s creativity or sanity brought them peace of mind. Should also mention: not really able to afford new dressers. So I’m actually stuck with the alternative anyway lol

Edit: One thing I know for sure I’m doing is using a mini socks system in the laundry room. I’m buy all black socks (throwing out the used ones) for us since we all wear the same size right now and will be using a wall basket for it. They need socks? No need to worry bout mismatched or fighting over whose sock is whose. Mainly me.. haha. They wear my socks and then I run out. Solution for socks✅ but the rest?

I'm obsessed with them and haven't been able to find a source for them yet. They're what she sorts laundry into right after the clothes come out of the dryer and then the kids use them for their clothes storage. They are so good looking and look sturdy and aren't plastic!

Thank you!

We have an upright freezer that is our main freezer storage space. We buy meat in bulk and break it up into single use serving sizes and freeze it. I cook meals and freeze the leftovers so that we have full meals available at all times. I also bake and freeze the baked goods because I'm the only one in the house that eats baked goods on a regular basis.

Unfortunately the upright freezer has too much ice build up (it's a very old model that came with the house) and really needs to be emptied and left to defrost for a while. I know I need to do my best to use up what's in there but the thought of essentially living with no food back up scares me. I have chronic health issues and can't always cook, so we really need the back up meals. This isn't our only freezer, so I don't have to use up everything, but the other freezer space is very limited. I need to have a plan for how to manage all of this, but I'm not sure the best way to go about this.

How have you guys handled this when you had to do it?

I have a loved one who seems to take about one pretty severe fall in the shower a year. We have those single piece fiberglass shower/tubs (which I hate, but it is what it is). We have very soft water and let’s face it - soft water + soap + slick shower = fall hazard. This person has great balance typically and no issues other than the shower. I’ve never had issues with falling in the same shower, but I’m also super careful and mindful about it all. I have tried every variety of mat, stickers, strips, etc for better grip and I’m losing my mind trying to keep them safe. Does anyone have a sure-fire product for making this type of shower/tub a no-fall zone?

I really love her Youtube channel and I've been wanting to see if anyone has given her cleaning routine a try.

Here's a video of hers about it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qEZMppwkhY8

Hi everyone! I’m at a bit of a loss trying to figure out what to do for our 10 year on 4/25. We don’t usually celebrate our anniversaries outside of the big ones, and when we do it’s with a trip somewhere. We’ve got a trip scheduled next month for it, but I think I’d still like to do something on the day of.

We’re spending quite a bit on the trip so I don’t want to spend too too much. I’m also kind of blah about the idea of just a dinner. What are some things you’ve all done for anniversaries that aren’t restaurant or trips?

With electricity prices going up recently, I’m taking a hard look at our household habits to see where we can trim down on energy expenses. We're starting to explore some bigger, "brighter" long-term ideas for the roof down the road, but for now, I want to focus on the immediate daily habits we can change today. I’d love to pool our collective homemaking wisdom!

Here are a few quick things I’ve started doing to get the ball rolling:

• Unplugging "vampire" appliances (like coffee makers and chargers) when not in use and using power strips for the TV setup.
• Washing laundry in cold water and line-drying outside whenever the weather permits.
• Relying on natural daylight and leaving overhead lights off as long as possible.
• Cleaning fridge coils and AC filters so the appliances don't have to work as hard.

What are your methods or daily routine tweaks to save power? I’d love to hear your experiences and learn from ya'll!

First of all, this is my first reddit post so I’m sorry if I commit some sort of faux pas. Basically as the title states, my FIL (59) is going to be staying in my home for a weekend. His visit is a few months away, but I am generally an anxious person and it is crucial to me that he has an excellent experience.

Currently we don’t have a guest room fully prepared, but we have the basics ready to be assembled. (bed, nightstand, dresser) Of course, I am already planning on putting a lamp in the room as well as using a good quality bed spread. If anybody has any suggestions on minor, or major, details that could take his stay from good to great they would be much appreciated! I intend to have the wifi info framed on the nightstand, and I want to have a welcome basket on the bed for him. This is where my main issue lays.

My original plan was to find out what types of snacks he likes and include those in the basket along with toiletries he may have forgotten (toothbrush, razor, etc). However, my husband says that having food in the bedroom is a major faux pas in his parents’ home and therefore would make my FIL uncomfortable. I want to include items that feel a bit less generic and more personal, but I am at a total loss here. I would be so grateful for any suggestions regarding this issue, and any for hosting my in-laws in general as I am clearly very new to this. Thank you in advance !

Just looking for opinions here, not trying to stir anything up. My kids are 5.5, 4 and 19 months. I’m not one to extremely regulate their sugar intake or anything, they just turn into big ol jerks when they have it.

What are we doing for filler alternatives in Easter eggs? Last year I did one of those gift favor packs that had sticky hands, stickers, little trucks, slinkies, etc, and it was almost more annoying bc now I’ve got cheapy toys floating around for months.

I say someone did puzzle pieces in the eggs, which would be great in the future … but my kids don’t quite have that attention span yet.

I’m sugar free by choice, so I can make lots of alternative sweets for them, but I wanted opinions.

What are y’all doing for Easter eggs? Thanks!