Hand Me Down Clothes Management

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Since we have six girls, we make use of plenty of hand me downs, which necessitates a management system of some sort to keep the clothes and shoes organized.

I have found the best way to do this is to use these clear Rubbermaid storage bins and sort the items into season and size.  I write the pertinent information on a full size piece of paper and slip it in the box.  Since the boxes are clear, I can plainly see the size I need.

I keep these stacked up against one wall in the garage, and whenever it is time to do the seasonal clothes switch, I know exactly where to go.

Would you like to see more of my Works For Me tips? Click the link and enjoy!

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Thanksgiving Dinner For Beginners

My husband and I have eaten 24 Thanksgiving dinners together as husband and wife.

In the beginning of our marriage we did a fair bit of eating Thanksgiving dinner at parents' houses and bringing along a pie or some rolls.

As the years rolled on, though, I nervously began to plan and execute Thanksgiving dinners at my own home.  I made my share of blunders and oversights, and I would like to share with you some things I have learned that I believe are essential in planning and serving Thanksgiving dinner.

• If the turkey is frozen, take it out of the freezer and put it in the fridge a full week before the big day.  I am not kidding! Those things take forever to defrost and you will be sorry on the morning of Thanksgiving if you do not heed this advice.  All your hungry guests will be sorry too, because they will be eating tuna fish sandwiches while the frozen turkey stubbornly refuses to finish roasting in a timely manner.
• The night before Thanksgiving dinner, brine the turkey. That means putting it in an ice chest with 2 cups salt, 1 cup brown sugar and just covered with water and plenty of ice.  This will ensure the bird is flavorful and juicy!
• Plan out your menu and prepare as much as possible ahead of time.  The day of the event, you'll want to be focused on making sure the turkey is done, but not overcooked, (internal temp. reaches 161) and having fresh, hot rolls.
• Use the nice dishes! This is the day they have been sitting in the cabinet, rubbing their little plate-y hands together waiting for!
• Make sure to have plenty of ice. Nothing stikes a panic like forgetting you used every bit of the ice in the ice maker last night to brine the turkey, and now having nothing to put in the glasses for the iced tea.
• Make sure the dishwasher is empty so you will have a quick(er) cleanup after dinner.
• Enjoy the day! It likely won't be perfect. Few days are. Don't dwell on what went awry, but on being thankful for your blessings.
• See one of my most popular posts, "The Most Delicious Turkey Ever" for my secret to moist, delicious turkey every time.
  

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Stinky Washer Solution

Do you have a stinky washer? I don't... anymore.

A couple of years ago, I got a brand new washer and dryer.

The washer is the fancy "high efficiency" kind that uses less water and detergent than its predecessors.  It takes a special detergent, that won't produce too many suds.

It works beautifully and I love everything about it.  That is everything except the smell I started to notice on my clothes, especially the towels.  It was a mildewy, dirty sock smell that nobody in the family was fond of.

At first, I thought maybe the clothes didn't appreciate me leaving them in the washer overnight, like I was in the habit of doing.  I changed my routine and made sure to put them in the dryer as soon as they were through washing, but the smell remained.

I changed detergent, but that didn't help either.  I was flummoxed until I came across an ad for a product that is specifically designed to remedy stinky washers.

It turns out that the detergent and fabric softener build up on the drum of the washer and form a sticky, stinky wall of gunk that breeds mildew! The water passes over this sticky gunk on the way to the clothes.  No wonder they smelled like mildewed socks!

This is especially a problem for the high efficiency washers, because they use less water and the detergent is thicker, so it is harder to rinse away.

There are a few different solutions for this, and they all require monthly maintenance.

One solution is to run the empty washer on the "clean" cycle with a cup of bleach.  I alternate this with running it on "clean" with a cup of vinegar about once a month.  (Don't mix vinegar and bleach, unless you are trying to create a bomb! In that case, I can not be held responsible for the laundry shrapnel that could possibly result.)

Another solution is to use a product like this one, which is specifically designed to clean stinky washers.

I also remember my frugal fabric softener trick and that helps eliminate gunky build up, too.

Now my washer and my clothes smell fresh and clean again!

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Scheduling Chores

Since I have received several questions about it, I have done a video showing how a large family can schedule chores.

Let me know if you have any questions I didn't address, and please do excuse the strange eye darting. (I blame the drugs.)

See our list of paid chores.
See more about our schedule.




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Managing Fading in Laundry

My girls have several dresses which have cute little matching head-kerchiefs.

Even though the head-kerchiefs don't need washing because they stay on approximately 12.6 minutes before falling off and then being carried around the rest of the day in Mom's purse, I toss them in the washer whenever I wash the matching dress.

Why?

Because experience has taught me that all clothing fades with time and washing, even in cold water. And let's face it, if you have kids, cold water does very little to get out the kind of dirt and grime they can dish out, so most of my laundry gets done in warm water or even hot.

My fourteen year old has the misfortune of containing the proof in a slightly faded pair of yoga pants and the "matching" still bright and new looking hoody.

Since the pants have been washed twice as often as the hoody, they are noticeably lighter in color than the other piece.

If I want the dress and head-kerchief to stay the same brightness, I need to wash them the same number of times.

That's what works for me this week. Wash matching items in a set together, whether they both need laundering or not.

Click on the Works For Me graphic at the top of this post to see more Works For Me tips.

How to Remove Melted Crayon From the Clothes Dryer

"How to Remove Melted Crayon From the Clothes Dryer" must get a lot of Google searches. I know when I had occasion to search it last week, I found tons of information.

I really needed the information in two parts: How to Remove Melted Crayon from Clothes and How to Remove Melted Crayon from the Dryer.

I sorted through most of the information I found and here are the methods that I found worked best:


Removing Melted Crayon From the Dryer

1. Pitch a hissy fit because HOW many times do you have to tell the cleaning lady to check the pockets, for crying out loud?!


2. Remember that you are the cleaning lady and be thankful that your hissy fit didn't make it "public" before you remembered.


3. Scrape off as much crayon from the dryer drum as you can with a butter knife.


4. Use a new fabric softener sheet to scrub the rest off. I don't know why this works, but I tried plenty of other methods and this one was a winner. The crayon came right off.

Removing Melted Crayon From Clothes

1. Soak the clothes overnight in a generous amount of Oxi Clean and vinegar.


2. Add detergent and wash on "heavy duty".


3. Check clothes. Some will need more soaking and another wash.


4. Soak again as in #1.


5. Wash again as in #2.

Thankfully, these steps got rid of almost every last crayon stain.

Managers Of Their Homes

Well, I finally took the plunge.

On the recommendation of Jaynee, and because I desperately need, you know, some semblance of order in my home at least every other day, I ordered Managers Of Their Homes.

For those of you who aren't familiar with it, it is basically a scheduling tool for large homeschooling families.

I have seen plenty of positive remarks made about it, so I thought I'd give it a whirl. Things can't be any more crazy around here, so I figured - What would it hurt?

The book came in the mail last week and I read through it the first day. It took me a good 5 or 6 days to work out a schedule for myself and each child and to arrange the little paper squares on the chart so that 2 people are not practicing piano at the same time. Or Mom isn't scheduled to teach reading while unloading the dishwasher.

Because that would be difficult. Trust me. I know.

By 7:58a.m. on the first morning, our schedule had already run into the ditch, but I persevered and tried to stay on track the rest of the day.

I was amazed at how much time I was able to spend with each child individually without any interruptions. This was due to the careful scheduling of the ones who weren't having "Mom Time". They were taking turns doing puzzles, or building train tracks, or reading aloud with little ones. I LOVE this part of the schedule!

I also love that, since I scheduled myself a Bible reading time first thing every morning, I am actually getting it done. No more running out of time and pushing it to the back burner.

The one difficulty I had was not scheduling enough time to get chores done. I honestly don't know where I am going to squeeze another moment out of each day, but I do know that I would like to see the laundry folded and actually placed in drawers. Wouldn't that be neat? Yes, I think so, too.

Today was the second day and we had a LOT of interruptions. In fact, you could say we didn't stay on our schedule AT ALL (except for my Bible reading). We had to take our little chickie to his new home in the country, take some things to Salvation Army, and clean out under beds. (Don't ask.)

I'm anxious to get back on schedule tomorrow, and anxious for Jaynee to find time to get to my email that went something like, "HELLLLLLP! I can't get all the chores done! What do I do?" (Take your time, Jaynee. No pressure.)

What about you? Have any of you tried Managers Of Their Homes and made it work for you? I would love to hear any helpful or encouraging tips!

Getting Out Stains

I keep a large bucket by my washer with water and a generous scoop of Oxi Clean. Whenever I come across an article of clothing with a stain, I toss it into the bucket and give it a quick stir. (I have also used Biz and that works well, too.)

The next morning, after soaking overnight, when the laundry is started, the contents of the bucket are poured into the washer and the load is done as usual. (I do not pour the bucket into dark loads.)

The stains are always gone! This even works with newborn poop stains that have gone through the dryer! If you know newborn poop stains the way I know newborn poop stains, you know that stuff is The Grandaddy of All Stains. Talk about staying power! And newborn poop stains that have gone through the dryer? Well, let's just say I've tossed a few cute little outfits before I heard about this bucket method.

If you have tough stains, try this!

That's what Works For Me this week. Check out more tips at Rocks in my Dryer and go here to see more of my Works For Me posts.

27 Pick Up

I'll admit right up front that I stole this from Fly Lady, but I've said it before, and I'll say it again. I know a good idea when I steal one!

Fly Lady recommends what she calls a 27 Fling Boogie, meaning quickly gather up 27 things that can be thrown away or given away.

I have modified this and I use it with my children. When I call out "27 PICK UP!", my children know that each one of them should pick up and put away 27 things. They do not have to be their own items, and they can be things that need to be thrown away or put away. The idea is to pick up 27 things that are not in their places and put them where they belong as quickly as you can.

I also use this with laundry that needs to be folded and put away. I call for a "27 Pick Up" and everyone folds and puts away 27 things.

If there is any lollygagging or whining, which occasionally happens, I set a timer for 2 or 3 minutes and the ones who didn't beat the timer have to pick up extra.

That's what Works For Me when I need some quick clutter control. Check out Rocks in my Dryer for more great tips.

Frugal Fabric Softener

*This is a repost. Check Biblical Womanhood for more frugal tips.

Have you ever visited a new town and thought to yourself, "The water here tastes funny and smells bad."? Well, we moved here almost 5 years ago and I'm still thinking that. Everyone we know who lives here has Culligan come to their house every month to service their water treatment system. Everyone who is not the most frugal family in town, that is.

I have read The Complete Tightwad Gazette from cover to cover. I had some spare time when I was in the hospital on bed rest for a month during a difficult pregnancy. If I ever saw Amy Dacyzn in the drive through at McDonald's, it would be that moment of realizing my guru had fallen from her pedestal. *shudder* You know, like when you find out that "child raising expert" you idolize has kids who torture small animals for fun. I have been known to call my husband at work to report that I just fed the kids lunch for under 10 cents each. I have saved my receipt for weeks, just to admire it, when a local grocery store went out of business and marked everything down 98% to get rid of it. (I filled up my pantry for $2.72!) I'm just saying... I'm a frugal zealot!

Are you wondering what all of this has to do with fabric softener? Well, I normally wouldn't spend extra money just for fragrance sake, but we have extenuating circumstances, you see. Our water staaanks! If the clothes go through the wash cycle with only detergent, they have that smell. Of course, I won't pay good money for name brand fabric softener, but something's gotta give. Thus, I have come up with Connie's Frugal Fabric Softener. I buy the generic bottle of liquid fabric softener. At home, I pour out half and save it for later. Then I fill up the half filled bottle with vinegar. Vinegar is a great rinse agent, especially for hard water. It also neutralizes odors and is an all around general purpose, multi-use good guy. Not to mention, it's cheap! I put my frugal fabric softener in a "Downy Ball" and toss it in every time I put in a load of laundry. It works great! I can also splash a little on a rag and toss it in the dryer if I feel like it. Now my laundry doesn't smell like wet sneakers at a water treatment plant in a low lying swamp.

Chore Time

For a few years, our children have had morning chores. These have remained pretty consistent and are done without fail each morning.

I don't know why it has taken me this long to think of it, and the rest of you are probably already doing this, but I have just added "after lunch chores" and "after dinner chores" to the daily chore schedule. Each child knows what to do and when to do it. There is no need to remind anyone what time it is or who is on what rotation. They just know that when they get up from the table, they are to immediately start on their chores. It happens every day like clock work, and has made my life much easier.

Here is a list the chores we have right now:

Morning Chores

• Start a load of laundry (12 y.o)


• Empty dishwasher (10 y.o.)


• Fold laundry (7 y.o.)


• Put away silverware (5 y.o.)


• Empty bathroom trash (2 y.o)

After Lunch Chores

• Sweep kitchen and school room (12)


• Vacuum front room and den (10)


• Load dishwasher (7)


• Clear the table (5)

After Dinner Chores

• Load dishwasher (12)


• 27 Pick up (10)


• Clear table (7)


• Tidy bathroom (5)
  

As each child matures and is ready to take on more responsibility, I give them a different chore and move a younger one into their previous spot. I do this infrequently (maybe once a year), so there is very little confusion about who does what and what kind of effort is expected in each job.

This really "Works For Me," and I wish I had done it sooner. Check Rocks in my Dryer for more great tips.

What Did I Do Today?

What did I do today?
Today I left some dishes dirty,

The bed got made around 3:30.

The diapers soaked a little longer,

The odor grew a little stronger.

The crumbs I spilled the day before

Are staring at me from the floor.

The fingerprints there on the wall

Will likely be there still next fall.

The dirty streaks on those window panes

Will still be there next time it rains.

"Shame on you," you sit and say,

"Just what did you do today?"

I nursed a baby till he slept,

I held a toddler while she wept.

I played a game of hide-and-seek,

I squeezed a toy so it would squeak.

I pulled a wagon, sang a song,

Taught a child right from wrong.

What did I do this whole day through?

Not much that shows--I guess that's true,

Unless you think that what I've done

Might be important to someone

With bright brown eyes and soft brown hair.

If that is true--I've done my share.

Author Unknown

Frugal Fabric Softener

Have you ever visited a new town and thought to yourself, "The water here tastes funny and smells bad."?

Well, we moved here almost 5 years ago and I'm still thinking that. Everyone we know who lives here has Culligan come to their house every month to service their water treatment system. Everyone who is not the most frugal family in town, that is.

I have read The Complete Tightwad Gazette from cover to cover. I had some spare time when I was in the hospital on bed rest for a month during a difficult pregnancy.

If I ever saw Amy Dacyzn in the drive through at McDonald's, it would be that moment of realizing my guru had fallen from her pedestal. *shudder* You know, like when you find out that "child raising expert" you idolize has kids who torture small animals for fun.

I have been know to call my husband at work to report that I just fed the kids lunch for under 10 cents each. I have saved my receipt for weeks, just to admire it, when a local grocery store went out of business and marked everything down 98% to get rid of it. (I filled up my pantry for $2.72!) I'm just saying... I'm a frugal zealot!

Are you wondering what all of this has to do with fabric softener?

Well, I normally wouldn't spend extra money just for fragrance sake, but we have extenuating circumstances, you see.

Our water staaanks! If the clothes go through the wash cycle with only detergent, they have that smell.

Of course, I won't pay good money for name brand fabric softener, but something's gotta give. Thus, I have come up with Connie's Frugal Fabric Softener. I buy the generic bottle of liquid fabric softener. At home, I pour out half and save it for later. Then I fill up the half filled bottle with vinegar. Vinegar is a great rinse agent, especially for hard water. It also neutralizes odors and is an all around general purpose, multi-use good guy. Not to mention, it's cheap!

I put my frugal fabric softener in a "Downy Ball" and toss it in every time I put in a load of laundry. It works great! I can also splash a little on a rag and toss it in the dryer if I feel like it. Now my laundry doesn't smell like wet sneakers at a water treatment plant in a low lying swamp.

What about you? Do you have any frugal tips? Do tell.