Laundry

After living in Italy for a month without T.V., washer & dryer, no dishwasher, no Internet and phone I have learned to adapt to my dwellings.  

Apartment living again was not only no sweat it was invited.  It's fun for me to find solves and in gratitude make my household workings pleasant instead of a drag.  Although we have a facility where we live to do laundry (that I certainly use in a pinch), they are expensive and I have noticed not very efficient.  So to make matters better I am again hand washing most of our things.  I am line drying all even if I am lucky enough to snag a washer some days and I have the $1.25 on me in quarters (which I never have when it would be convenient).  

Here are my easy steps to make this a new routine.

When one thinks of hand washing they feel overwhelmed normally, especially if you are a mom of three like myself.  I have learned doing one load a day is the key to it being a possible system for us.  I do whatever hamper is full.  One load a day.   No more no less lol... 

Here's my method that takes 20-30 minutes and if you get them done in the morning and out to dry they are normally dry after dinner, cloudy days or rainy days they may take the whole day and you can fold the next morning!

Soak

Run warm to hot water depending on what your laundry type is with 2 tbs of my homemade detergent or 1/2 a measuring cup (that comes when you buy detergent) once water is soapy and sink is 3/4 full I then add item at a time squishing down so it gets submerged.  I allow all items to soak 10-20 minutes depending on my other chores.

Rinse

As I drain I squish and almost like in a wash board motion clean each article of clothing.  When the sink is empty of water I add cold water and while I add I take items one at a time and rinse and squish so that water runs clean from item.  I add item to a pile or a container to be rung and hung.  The left over water I run down the garbage disposal with 2 drops of lemon essential oil to keep my kitchen smelling lovely.  

Rung & Hung

I now take each item and ring dry over sink placing straight away on either my line in my kitchen or on my drying racks.  For dresses and my husbands dress shirts I hang on hangers and let them dry in the room they belong so that once dry I can just hang them in the closet as they are already hanging.   Socks and underwear on my racks and dish towels I often just hang outside on my railing.  But that is how I am creative,  get as creative as you want.  

This is so simple and satisfying.  I love bringing things back, I love making life simple again.  

Below is my first laundry soap recipe that I started using for my daughters cloth diapers years ago, it is still my favorite one.  If you archive the blog it's somewhere but I Also have on a recipe card for reference or for when my girls start embarking on theses chores.  

1 bar of dr. Bronners Castile soap grated (scent totally up to you)

1 C borax

1 C of washing soap

Mix all items in a bowl and store in mason jar under your sink.

I have also included my cheap Amazon picks for making your kitchen your laundry room for us small space dwellers. 

Please see Amazon items below among-st the goodies.  It takes about 5 things to make this work

Drying Racks

Plastic pail or hamper (dollar store)

Clothes line (dollar store)

Clothes pins (dollar store)

Imagination lol...  So only 4 I guess with soap 🤣

Tread lightly

Love,

Mel