I have been doing laundry for a loooooong time now, about 20 yrs or so(and that seems like a long time to me). So, I was thinking that, I should kind of have this figured out, and after switching our laundry soap about a dozen times, I realized..."It's not them--it's me! *gasp*"
So, after getting tired of looking at dingy clothes and some pretty adorably children that resembled something similar to the lost boys of neverland (even though, they, in fact belonged to muah and were wearing "clean" clothes). I decided to do a little research.
Google search: How-To-Get-Clothes-Really-Clean
(yes! I'm an over achiever, I had to google, "really" clean, because plain old clean would be to average...as if I didn't need to just master that part first)
Bam!!! Guess what I found out?
I'm doing it all wrong! And, if I may, I will blame it on my height. Yes! It may seem irrelevant, but it is in fact, the thing to blame. You see, about ten years ago, I decided that I didn't like it when my shirt sleeves were 4" above my wrists and my pant hems 2" off the ground and my mid-drift showing because my clothes had shrunk in the wash! Bah!
So, in my brilliant and logical mind I fixed that problem...wash-cold! dry-low! TA-DA! And the added bonus was that I could just throw whatever I wanted together (whites, lights, colors, darks), and it didn't make any problems. Until....I had children! And the baby spit up wouldn't come out...and the blowout stains didn't go away...then food spills on collars...then dirt and mud...and grass....and grease...and blood...
And you know what I learned?
Number 1: If you live in Mexico, take your clothes to the lavamatica, come back the next day and you will have the cleanest clothes you've ever had in your life! And they are folded and ready for pick-up...extra bonus! (I did this when I lived there! It was awesome)
Number 2 (maybe a little more relevant): detergents, especially powders (which I use), don't work in cold water!!! WHAT?! I've just been swishing my clothes around in cold water and paying for detergent to just get washed out the pipe. Good. To. Know.
Number 3: Sort, sort, sort! No more mumbo jumbo...which, to be honest, by the sheer amount of laundry I do, I have enough to sort it into lights and darks and colors, but I still add a certain amount of leeway here, 'cause I just wash everything on cold, remember?! Now, I have to say, the one particular website I was reading started talking about sorting clothes and when she mentioned putting lightly soiled clothes seperate from heavily soiled clothes and clothes that shed lint from clothes that don't shed lint and clothes that were made in Bangledesh vs ones made in Malaysia...Okay, I'm exagerating a little (but not about the lint thing)! Anyway, slow down lady, one step at a time for me. One step at a time!
Number 4: Pre-treating and soaking stains...we'll see how I do in this area. I think I'd have to pre-treat every single item my children wear and that's not going to work for me. I can spray Shout!, but that might be the extent of my effort in this department, unless I'm feeling happily ambitious on some particular day. : 0
Number 5: Bleach! Now slow down, I thought! I am a true Pacific Northwestern and we do not use bleach!!! Well, I'm desperate, and come to find out, there are lots of different kinds (not that they are all so eco-friendly), but I've got options, and I'm looking into it. I can just imagine it now...white socks!!!
Number 6: Don't crowd the washer! Boo on you! Boo on you! I specifially bought the biggest baddest HE washer I could so I could jam two or three loads of laundry into one and save time and money. Come to find out, No! It's like buying a bag of chips: The bag looks twice as big because they have to make a giant air-pocket so all the chips don't get crunched when the bags get grabbed and moved and packed and all that jazz!Wellllllllllllll.....the washer needs a big water pocket so the soap and clothes can all happily and freely swish and slosh around together in happy washing harmony. Okay-fine! But this is going to greatly increase my wash-load number per week--ALOT! All in the name of clean clothes, I tell ya!
Now, that was the extent of my laundry learning for one day...and guess what?! I JUST DID ALL the laundry yesterday!!! I don't have any laundry to do until Thursday and I can hardly stand it. I want to try out my newly acquired wealth of knowledge...Maybe I'll cheat and do a load early this week...Just a small one. Then again, I don't really like doing laundry, so I'll probably just go drop it off at the local lavamatica and let them work their magic!!! ; )
Wouldn't that be nice!
Bounding, bumping, & laughing through life!
Tuesday, June 4, 2013
Thursday, February 7, 2013
Brain Power...and Scissors
I am frequently reminded at how amazing our brains are and all the things they are capable of. However, there are a few things that, to me, seem very menial, that my brain can't seem to figure out. Like remembering basic and or somewhat significant situations. Take childbirth for instance, I was just talking to someone recently about my last birth, and all my other births and remembering that they "weren't that bad." I seem to think that I have it pretty easy when it comes to birthing babies (even 9 lb babies)...and THEN I REMEMBERED after my last pregnancy and birth...repeatedly, telling myself and perhaps others around me that I didn't EVER, EVER want to do "THIS" (birth)...EVER AGAIN! Now why would I think and say such things if it was, Oh so easy??? Brain Fail! Big time!
The other thing my supposedly sophisticated brain can't quite get through my thick head is that I should NEVER, I repeat NEVER cut my own hair! Really, scissors and I should not be allowed alone together. I have this funny notion that scissors FIX things...Hmmm. Like a t-shirt with a neckline that is a little too high...result--a cut up t-shirt that is "almost" acceptable to wear to bed.
Or a brand new knit sweater with folded cuffs and arms that are just a tad too short....one little snip to "free" the cuffs and viola!...a HUGE hole in one arm and a splitting seam on the other. Lovely! Did I mention it was brand new? Yeah! The tags were still on it and I had bought it that same day!
How about a throw blanket that would look so FABULOUS if I just cut it here and there and hung it up as curtains...I didn't mind this one...but my hubby wasn't too impressed ; ) (later-after my self admiration and crafty buzz left, I understood why)
Jeans turned into capri's....that never look quite right.
A decent, but slightly too long skirt...turned into a quite "indecent" and too short skirt. Legging anyone?!?
And many many more. But the ultimate worst one is when I try to cut my own hair!!! I'm pretty sure, that every time I do, I am sorely sorry and VOW to remember that it never works and not to do it again!!! Unfortunately...once again! Brain fail!
About two weeks ago, I was pining for a hair-cut. My hair is getting longer (Wahoo!), but needed just a little style so I don't look Menonite (nothing wrong with it...just not my intentions : ). So, I found a super cute and stylish cut that would leave my hair long, but keep me in the 21st century. A long-layered "V" cut! I found pictures, saw a tutorial or two on youtube, then grabbed a coupon and marched down to our local Super Cuts for a $7 hair-cut! And it looked great!...but then I started analyzing it and checking it in the mirror and before I know it, I have a pair of scissors intending to make a few SIMPLE ADJUSTMENTS! Just to make the "V" shape a little more noticeable. The stylist did a good job...it was just a little too subtle...BRAIN FAIL! When a hair-cut is subtle, that should be a GOOD thing! Honestly, WHAT WAS I THINKING?!
So, a few "little cuts" here and there...AND MY HAIR IS HACKED! A nice big chunk in the front and a few random chunks elsewhere...NOT smooth, seemless "V" shape! Honestly. Immediate regret filled my chest...and then, "What is Kiely going to say? He is SO, SO going to disown me!" Might I also mention here, that my husband has gently, but repeatedly mentioned to me that he LOVES my hair long and even instated some words of wisdom to which he would prefer I live by: "You can't cut your hair longer!" Okay, double brain fail...BUT, I can't leave it like this. It looks awful!
Now, the intelligent thing (the supposedly, brilliant brain thing) to do would have been to march myself right back down to the salon (or perhaps a different one- to save myself the opportunity to practice a little humility), and had a PROFESSIONAL do it! However, TRIPLE BRAIN FAIL in the works...and I attempted to "FIX" my very own mistake with the very same set of scissors and the very same limited and obviously inexperienced skill set. Yay me?.............. BAD ME!
The worst part is that I had to confess to my man (while hiding partially under the covers-mind you), and he just rolled his eyes and faithfully responded, "You can't cut your hair longer-you know!?" And Yes! Yes, I know....it's my superbly brilliant brain that can't seem to remember long enough to remind me! So, conclusion--once again! "I can't (and SHOULD NEVER), cut my hair...longer!"
The other thing my supposedly sophisticated brain can't quite get through my thick head is that I should NEVER, I repeat NEVER cut my own hair! Really, scissors and I should not be allowed alone together. I have this funny notion that scissors FIX things...Hmmm. Like a t-shirt with a neckline that is a little too high...result--a cut up t-shirt that is "almost" acceptable to wear to bed.
Or a brand new knit sweater with folded cuffs and arms that are just a tad too short....one little snip to "free" the cuffs and viola!...a HUGE hole in one arm and a splitting seam on the other. Lovely! Did I mention it was brand new? Yeah! The tags were still on it and I had bought it that same day!
How about a throw blanket that would look so FABULOUS if I just cut it here and there and hung it up as curtains...I didn't mind this one...but my hubby wasn't too impressed ; ) (later-after my self admiration and crafty buzz left, I understood why)
Jeans turned into capri's....that never look quite right.
A decent, but slightly too long skirt...turned into a quite "indecent" and too short skirt. Legging anyone?!?
And many many more. But the ultimate worst one is when I try to cut my own hair!!! I'm pretty sure, that every time I do, I am sorely sorry and VOW to remember that it never works and not to do it again!!! Unfortunately...once again! Brain fail!
About two weeks ago, I was pining for a hair-cut. My hair is getting longer (Wahoo!), but needed just a little style so I don't look Menonite (nothing wrong with it...just not my intentions : ). So, I found a super cute and stylish cut that would leave my hair long, but keep me in the 21st century. A long-layered "V" cut! I found pictures, saw a tutorial or two on youtube, then grabbed a coupon and marched down to our local Super Cuts for a $7 hair-cut! And it looked great!...but then I started analyzing it and checking it in the mirror and before I know it, I have a pair of scissors intending to make a few SIMPLE ADJUSTMENTS! Just to make the "V" shape a little more noticeable. The stylist did a good job...it was just a little too subtle...BRAIN FAIL! When a hair-cut is subtle, that should be a GOOD thing! Honestly, WHAT WAS I THINKING?!
So, a few "little cuts" here and there...AND MY HAIR IS HACKED! A nice big chunk in the front and a few random chunks elsewhere...NOT smooth, seemless "V" shape! Honestly. Immediate regret filled my chest...and then, "What is Kiely going to say? He is SO, SO going to disown me!" Might I also mention here, that my husband has gently, but repeatedly mentioned to me that he LOVES my hair long and even instated some words of wisdom to which he would prefer I live by: "You can't cut your hair longer!" Okay, double brain fail...BUT, I can't leave it like this. It looks awful!
Now, the intelligent thing (the supposedly, brilliant brain thing) to do would have been to march myself right back down to the salon (or perhaps a different one- to save myself the opportunity to practice a little humility), and had a PROFESSIONAL do it! However, TRIPLE BRAIN FAIL in the works...and I attempted to "FIX" my very own mistake with the very same set of scissors and the very same limited and obviously inexperienced skill set. Yay me?.............. BAD ME!
The worst part is that I had to confess to my man (while hiding partially under the covers-mind you), and he just rolled his eyes and faithfully responded, "You can't cut your hair longer-you know!?" And Yes! Yes, I know....it's my superbly brilliant brain that can't seem to remember long enough to remind me! So, conclusion--once again! "I can't (and SHOULD NEVER), cut my hair...longer!"
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