Are You Overwhelmed By Laundry? Penny Pinching Mama

[@LivingOnADime]

Honestly this is the #1 way to cut down on laundry!! Save time and money! Get more tips here www.livingonadime.com/store/keeping-it-clean-e-book-series/

[@dougandlisabeck5774]

It is crazy to me that your awesome videos are not commonplace for families on a budget. It makes me proud to know that I have been following so many of your suggestions. Please keep up the amazing work. Thanks! - Lisa

[@jillcooper172]

Thank so much Lisa

[@sharonbeckmon9837]

I was raised by parents that went through the depression, We did nearly all of the things you do. I feel like we are kindred spirits. LOL

[@loxleybattle2591]

I still wear my jeans/pants AT LEAST a week before washing. I usually can't wear my shirts more than once, but I do hang up my sweaters and wear them 2-4x. I also hang up my professional pants and jackets and wear them 3-10x before washing. Hanging them up between wearings makes a huge difference because they get to air out and won't wrinkle.

[@granitemoss1451]

Bed sheets hack- wash just the pillowcases in between full changings, as needed. Unless it is hot weather or someone's been sick, your sheets don't need washing nearly as frequently as some do it. Your head generally stays on your pillow, so that's where most of the grime tends to be. Yes, dressers falling on children is a real safety concern. There are kits to anchor them so they can't tip, problem solved.

[@jamesoneal737]

We are on a plan with our electric company where between 8pm and 5am, our electricity is free. So we have the washer, dryer or dishwasher loaded and ready to start after 8pm. Makes it good to turn on dishwasher just before heading to bed.

[@morningswithgranny7789]

I do 3 loads of laundry a month. I make my laundry detergent, powder type. It costs about $15 and lasts about 3 yrs using 1 to 2 tablespoons a load. Keep the videos coming. You can teach an old dog new tricks 😆

[@waysheemoovz]

Love your idea of using a bookshelf instead of drawers for clothes.

[@thresiaross36]

Since I've retired I use my clothes line and love it. When I worked full time it was hard to use the line. Every time I watch you girls I learn something new! I guess we know what gift God blessed Jill with, the gift of sharing her knowledge of a good steward.

[@tw12100]

I have clothes for work, gym clothes, and everyday clothes, and going out clothes. But I take very good care of my clothes and a lot of them I wash by hand and they last a long time. I love all your tips and do many myself thanks for the video's. Oh and a lot of my clothes come from the thrift stores.

[@pjl2963]

Jill, you are the Queen of Clean! I just love your practical, useful wisdom! One thing I'd like to share that many people may not be aware of (because I wasn't for many years) is that you don't need to use enough soap to make suds appear in your washing maching water. We have very hard water here, and I was literally dumping cups and cups of detergent into my wash to make it sudsy! But I eventually learned that suds are not necessary. The main job of the soap is simply to act as the surfectant (loosen the dirt from the fabric). It was strange at first, and hard to get used to; but my clothes came out just as clean using less soap! Thought this might help someone?

[@jillcooper172]

This is true Pamela. Whether it is soap for clothes, hair or body the suds is not what makes things clean and it is hard for people to get use to that.

[@domesticengineer2530]

Hi Jill and Tawra 🙋 I do the same, but after fluffing for 10 minutes, I put them straight on hangers. When they're dry, you can put them straight in the closet! I have a metal clothes rack from the store that I hang them on 👍

[@bettdoug2407]

I had a little 6 year old say, "you wore that sweater yesterday" yes it case it's cool in school, I put on this sweater. She was very puzzled.

[@MaxMegaProductions]

I love your mom! Pure wisdom! Thanks for these great videos.

[@thewatergal5770]

We have a place for each person for their "dirty cleans". I don't want stuff that anyone has already worn in with the clean clothes but it's not really dirty yet. Yes, I also do one load per day as well and I've been told I was crazy because it was so much more work. I personally can't imagine doing 7 loads of laundry in one day, but to each his own.

[@samalenu2118]

Thank you for your common senses, wisedom and practical information.

[@lisatimmins864]

I love this! If it's not dirty it's not getting washed! I totally agree.

[@mrs.darling5865]

I've been doing less laundry because you've talked about this before (I'm watching all your videos!). Last week, I had 7 loads with 5 people, including diapers and blankets. Before, I was doing 3 loads a day and still felt buried. Thank you so much!

[@jillcooper172]

Oh I love to hear from you guys and how the stuff is working for you that is so cool - way to go and thanks for letting us know.

[@christinefiorentino943]

I totally agree with you guys --- wear your clothes again if they are not actually dirty. But I will say that this wasn't as easy when we lived in Florida vs. here in Idaho. You get too sweaty in Florida. The afternoons are just terrible because it would take the whole drive home after work to cool the car off so pretty much by the time you get home at 6pm, you are sweaty and that outfit is done. I did three times the laundry in Florida than I do here in Idaho.

[@SandyLovesMarc]

Christine Conway I attest to this, I live in Fort Myers, Florida. So hot even in winter!

[@jillcooper172]

Yes it does make a difference. In Florida you almost have to change your clothes every hour. I do change my clothes way more in KS than I did in ID.

[@computernb]

Great tips!! I have three children and I always feel like laundry its never ending job. I should know better I also grew up like that my mom would have us wear our jeans everyday come home n changed and put play clothes. I need to implement it its crazy how much water we wastw washing clothes yet some people in the world dont have water to drink 😯

[@leeanncornell8305]

We never had a dryer growing up and sometimes we didn't have a washing machine so went to the laundry mat and then brought the clothes home to hang on line or in the house. I have a dryer now, but rarely use it. I hang laundry in the basement or outside on the line. When I was a kid we had play clothes, school clothes and church clothes. You knew the minute you got home from school, that you had to put on your play clothes. When I lived in an apt. we put our clothes on lines on 2 hooks or 4 hooks in a spare bedroom We could unhook the lines from the hooks when we had company, etc. We did this to save money. The washers and dryers at the apt. didn't do a good job drying the clothes and ate your quarters. They also didn't work or there wasn't enough of them and you had to wait to use them. : )

[@katherinemiller7885]

I bought all hand washable clothing, 7 outfits for winter, ,and 7 for summer, it reduced my laundry load to 2 loads per month from 2 loads per week. So laundry is really simplified.

[@PetraHanner]

Sending love & thanks for all your wonderful videos from Australia! My tip to make laundry powder go further is to add bicarbonate of soda to your regular box of laundry powder (I add 500g to a 1kg box). It lasts AGES & your laundry comes out really soft & bright.

[@PetraHanner]

Oh, and I use white vinegar instead of fabric softener. Dirt cheap & helps keep your machine clean too!

[@christinemadrazo6755]

Brava, ladies, brava!!!

[@MomDroogs]

In years gone by I remember home economics in school ( I am dating myself, ha). We learned how to do laundry correctly and how to hang clothes on the line. Mamma Jill, I would have loved you as my home economics teacher!! Those were the days my friend!!

[@jillcooper172]

Weren't they though Catherine. I really always wanted to be a home ec teacher but they stopped teaching it.

[@heathermajors4477]

I consistently hang up my clothes after wearing, especially my work clothes, such a time saver and makes your clothes last longer

[@duchett743]

Thank you ladies..

[@jenniferstanley163]

I am a new follower and you guys have helped me so much, thank you is not enough! I started with your guys organizing and I have gotten rid of so much useless junk and I went thru and got rid of at least 2 big garbage bags full of clothes for each member of my family. I am just starting but hope to go back and watch lots more of your videos.

[@jillcooper172]

Way to go Ikigai. You are really on a roll it sounds like. Feels so good to get rid of so much stuff doesn't it?

[@patwagner9308]

You are absolutely right. Many people are in the habit of removing clothes after 1 wearing & tossing everything in the laundry, use a bath towel once, toss it in laundry. Then complain about so much laundry. My husband wears 1 pair of jeans all week, hanging them on a peg every night. I wear the same clothes 3 days in cool/cold weather before putting it in laundry. Summer time is different because of sweating, getting dirty from yard work. I wear pajamas a week before putting them in laundry. Fresh underwear daily, of course. But bras can be worn a few times.We use bath towels several times before washing. During winter, daily showers are not necessary. I do what I call a bird bath between showers. We change our sheets every other week. I have not owned a dryer for over 22 yrs. Don't miss it a bit. No, there is no problem w/ stiffness, scratchiness, etc. I hang everything outdoors most of the year, indoors over Winter. I loved it when Jill said she let laundry hang until she was ready to fold & put it away. Yes! When you use a dryer, if you don't get everything out quickly, it will be a wrinkled mess! Laundry hanging can wait. Also, the lint in lint catcher of dryers is fabric. Dryers pull fabric apart. They break it down. Everything will last a lot longer if it is line-dried. I actually enjoy hanging laundry outdoors, being outside, hearing birds, maybe the scent of nearby flowers. Also! The sun sanitizes, deodorizes, gets stains out, & laundry smells wonderful dried outdoors! We have become such a wasteful society & laundry is just 1 way! So glad you brought this wastefulness to the attention of a bunch of people.

[@scarichner]

I grew up hanging clothes! My parents did not own a dryer . By doing it so much I became quick at it and had a routine going! My parents also timed us taking showers! We had 10 mins and if we went past that we heard a loud knock on the bathroom door! 😆 I didn't know anything different until I got my own place and saw the electric and water bill! But habits of being conscience about utility usage has always stuck with me. 👍

[@betsyoman7173]

I'm avoiding using the dryer right now to save wear and tear on the dryer. My dryer is old and it's not going to last for ever. My bath towels are often stiff and rough, but I think it's good for a person's skin.

[@juliefromgeorgia9884]

Good advice. And you are right that the companies are in business to make profit and sell stuff not for your best interest. And kids need to learn life skills too.

[@debiyoungblood1920]

I'm just a new subscriber from Florida...Learning a lot...Can't wait to get your cookbook!

[@NathanielsTV]

I live in Kerala and people here wash with hand (more common) or using washing machine and hang clothes outside! thank you for the tips, just love watching you all! God Bless!

[@saba78666]

good tips

[@earthchild8987]

Tawra, I would love to see how your kids' clothes are stored, since you don't use traditional dressers. I would get so frustrated because after I folded the clean laundry, and had the kids go put it away, they would just cram everything into one drawer!! And even though my kids are able to work a washing machine, y'all are right, they waste so much detergent. Then, (we don't have a working dryer), when my oldest two go to hang them on the line, they just do it so badly, I end up having to go re-ro it. If I'm not doing something else at the moment, I'll help them, but I just haven't figured out the best method of staying on top of the kids laundry. I thought by getting them to do it themselves that it would be better, but it isn't working out. They'll do one thing "right/correctly/or well," but the rest of the process results in the effort being in vain when the clean clothes end up wrinkled, in the floor, then back in the hamper!!! I'd love to hear/see details about how exactly you do laundry for your kids, or what they actually do to help. Sorry for seeming like a dunce, but I feel like unless I'm doing it all by myself, it just is a mess.

[@LivingOnADime]

I don't use drawers at all. All shirts hang. Then everything else on open shelves. Pants and pj's folded on the shelf. Sock and underwear in buckets on shelves.

[@christyculver6567]

Very helpful

[@glomar3566]

Hi Tawra and Jill, I totally agree with all your suggestions. What do you recommend using to clean men's collars shirts?

[@LivingOnADime]

Shampoo works great. Just rub some in and then wash.

[@MammaCass]

Daily I am overwhelmed by laundry lol. I save money on it by making my own laundry detergent. Up till recently I had an additional foster daughter and I'm truly shocked by how much laundry one girl can make in comparison to my four and myself. I mean we don't wear dirty clothes, like you say if it's still wearable it doesn't belong in the laundry. I've lost count of the items I've washed that I was certain hadn't been worn. Because she wasn't one of my own I didn't feel able to tell her but sheesh the workload, she's moved on now and my workload is lessened lol

[@sesil0060]

unfortunately my kids cannot be clean at the end of the day my kids are still small 3kids under 6. i make 3 loads a week. what has work for me is having less. my kids have a 1 week woth of clothes and 1 towel each. so they have no choice but take care of their things if they want their things to last

[@pennyjay4648]

you guys are wonderfull

[@jazzybleedo2770]

I love both of your sweaters!

[@jillcooper172]

Thank you Jazzy. My sweater was one of my good deals from my thrift store. It is cashmere (I know can you believe it - soooo soft) and I paid $.99 for it. That is not a typo.

[@Pickles-f7z]

I've been missing out! I just found your channel!

[@cocinandorico]

same here my kids they don't do laundry but they do fold it.

[@sadiaimran1541]

lovely sweaters ladies.

[@bcase5328]

Do you have tips on the gentle art of ironing?

[@HollywoodGlitterVamp]

yes!

[@kathycathy9555]

Loved the video.

[@juliabentley377]

This was funny...but keep in mind I raised eight and with the use of a wringer washer LOL My clothes line was our dryer....and underwear must be changed daily....that is just sanitary.

[@pawsnotclaws2772]

I wear my pants for a week but I can’t wear shirts for more than a day. I have overactive armpit sweat glands so at the end of the day my shirt pits always smell. We’ve always used towels for like a week...I’ve never heard of anyone using a towel once then washing it...

[@donnae1994]

I got foundation on a new bathroom rug and I can't get it out. What do you suggest?

[@jillcooper172]

Use the same cleanser you use to take off your make up. When cleaning stains like this always think if cleanser takes make up off my face it should work on the clothes or rug, if shampoo cleans my hair then shampoo should take off the stains on a man's shirt collar because it is the same oils and dirt that is in his hair. Hope that helps

[@blancaw6280]

I love hearing the laundry tips! It sounds like Jill's mother is the original domestic diva! Are we ever going to meet the lady who taught you two all you know about homemaking? Interesting to hear how using too much soap is causing the dingy in the laundry. I will have to try cutting back on the soap and seeing if it helps. Also the Extra rinse sounds like a good idea.

[@jillcooper172]

If you have a big problem with dingy clothes Blanca every once in awhile you might add 1 cup of Borax and 1 cup vinegar to your laundry and that helps with the mineral build up in your clothes. It even brightens colored clothes.

[@blancaw6280]

Jill Cooper Thanks! I love that idea Jill and I will give it a try. Your knowledge about these things is awesome! I watch your channel every day!

[@mrs.darling5865]

I can't find the other video you mentioned. can I get a link please?

[@jillcooper172]

Is this the link you want on hanging clothes on the line? www.livingonadime.com/hanging-clothes-on-a-clothesline-1/ Here is some more articles from the site on laundry too www.livingonadime.com/?s=laundry

[@PRTTYBTTRFLY1]

When I was a kid we would wear our clothes for a week

[@HomeLifewithRebecca]

You two always look so beautiful 😍

[@fraufarbenfroh2904]

I love your videos❤

[@livelaughloveeveryday4100]

Oh laundry..... My grandmother taught me how to hang the laundry on the clothesline "Correctly" because if it wasn't done correctly the neighbors would talk. hahahaha. Well, she grew up on farm land and the neighbors could see the clotheslines. Hanging the clothes on the line started at the washing machine - the clothes got put in the basket in the correct hanging order. My daughter still hangs clothes, but my granddaughter wouldn't know what to do with a clothespin. I live in AZ and the clothes are dry in half an hour in the summer and I did the fluffing when I took them down. I didn't have time to sort and fold daughter's underwear and socks, so in her dresser she had a sock drawer and an underwear drawer. I put them in the drawers and if she wanted matching socks - she had to match them up when she was getting dressed. I tried several things to not have to match socks, including having her do it - nothing worked, so into the drawer they went. Mom's have to be creative that's for sure.

[@jillcooper172]

This is so true. We were told in home ec that you had to hang the clothes properly on the line because the neighbors could tell how neatly you kept you house by how neatly you hang your clothes on the line

[@onimaakter5379]

Hello tawra..I like your video..once your mum said she would tell us how to use less water in washing dishes..could pls show us how ...

[@jillcooper172]

Yes we are trying to get a video done on that too because so many have asked about it. I do do my dishes differently and it does save so we are working on it.

[@onimaakter5379]

Thank you very much for reply!!

[@bethhughes430]

My husband and I are not rolling in mud, or chopping wood. Other than our underwear, we wear our clothes multiple times before washing. There are a lot of things we as Americans do to much......but I digress, and will enter territory that is controversial. To each his or her own.......

[@bethhughes430]

We tend to be a wasteful society.......

[@PetraHanner]

Beth Hughes Not just in America, sadly people here in Australia are very wasteful too.

[@ladysarahs77]

Between me and my husband I do one laundtry a week

[@mrsrose09]

how much for HE

[@jillcooper172]

The same

[@lynhanna917]

I have not used a dryer for 16 years. Yes the towels are a little rough but you get used to it. I can hang a load and when the next load is ready for the line the first load is dry in the summer. A good use for the dryer is that is where you hide your tools when you go on holiday. when removing clothes off the line I fold them right there this gives you two benefits - they are ready to go in the drawer and it is much nicer to fold clothes in the sunshine. This does not have to be a fast process but one that is more enjoyable. And this is an old time trick for dingy clothes or bedding put the wet clothes out on the lawn to dry just watch for pet droppings on the grass.

[@jillcooper172]

Yes putting them on the grass or bushes does work good. We use to use the dryer to toss things into when we had the house up for sale and had to hid the clutter real fast to show the house