I think we've probably all been there at some point in time - standing at the bottom staring up at Mt. Laundry and wondering how we're ever going to conquer it. When we have so much laundry to do, we feel like we will never get caught up, much less keep on, our family's laundry. Because we all know what happens when we have a lot of laundry to do, while we're working on getting caught up, the piles just keep growing and growing. I recently found myself in this exact place. After finally … [Read more...]
Green in the Life – Hanging My Clothes On the Line {Green in 365: Laundry}
This is Day 288 of the Green in 365 series! I've been line drying our clothes for several years now, since we first put up a clothesline the summer after we moved into our current home. We've had warm, even hot, weather this fall so I've been trying to take advantage of the chance to line dry our clothes before the winter weather sets in. (Which, ironically, is suddenly this week - with cold and rainy days. Why does it always do that - jump straight from hot weather to cold and gross? Where … [Read more...]
Choosing a Clothesline that Works for You {Green in 365: Laundry}
This is Day 286 of the Green in 365 series! Guest Post by Becca of The Earthing's Handbook: *Emily's Note: This is the second of two guest posts from Becca about line-drying your laundry. (Read the first post here.) We're coming to the end of the season for line-drying clothes outside where I live, but I am really hoping to finally figure out a good way to line-dry clothes indoors this winter. Hopefully these questions will help you find a line-drying system that will work … [Read more...]
Organizing Soccer Clothes {Green in 365: Laundry}
This is Day 284 of the Green in 365 series! By Renee from Joyful Mom, Contributing Writer Life and laundry was so simple when it was just my husband and I. A weekly load of whites, a load of darks and sheets/towels. I could have the chore of laundry completed in just a few hours. How I long for those days now! With the birth of my first son, laundry was a increased by the cloth diapers. He was born in August so he really didn't wear more than a diaper and those gowns to sleep in--he … [Read more...]
How to Get Started Line-Drying Your Laundry {Green in 365: Laundry Room}
This is Day 208 of the Green in 365 series! Guest Post by Becca of The Earthing's Handbook: I've been line-drying my laundry for more than 20 years! I started when I was in high school and was concerned about wasting electricity. My family had a nice outdoor clothes dryer (which previously had been used for swimsuits and towels, and the occasional load of sheets on a nice day), but when cold weather came, I couldn't tolerate handling wet clothes outside, so it was just a … [Read more...]
Energy-Efficient Drying {Green in 365: Laundry Room}
This is Day 197 of the Green in 365 series! By Hilary Kimes Bernstein of Accidentally Green When it comes to laundry, the way you choose to dry your clothes can save – or waste – a lot of energy. Fortunately, there are plenty of environmentally friendly ways to dry your laundry. Photo by africa Air Drying The most affordable and green way to dry your clothes is by using a clothesline. Wet laundry dries pretty quickly when it’s hung outside, and even though you don’t spy so many … [Read more...]
Guest Post: Cloth Diapers — First on My “Will Do Better Next Time” List
I'm planning to post much more about cloth diapers this time around, but first, a guest post and one mama's experience of making the switch from disposables to cloth diapers. I'm thankful to have Dara Herman from daraclaire.com guest posting today! My mind began a checklist, when I saw the two pink lines, of all the things I would do better and different with baby number two on the way. I felt I had done a decent job with my first, impressing my family and friends by using only all … [Read more...]
Natural Laundry Giveaway!
We've had a great month talking about all different aspects of Natural Laundry here at Live Renewed! I hope you've enjoyed the series and learned something along the way as well. I also hope that you've been encouraged and inspired to make some green and natural changes to your own laundry care routine! If you missed some of the posts, here's a review: Hanging Out Your Laundry Choosing Natural Laundry Detergent Green and Natural Laundry Detergent Reviews Green and … [Read more...]
Fighting Stains the Natural and Green Way
I don't know about you, but my kiddos are really hard on their clothing! Between dirt, mud and grass stains, potty training accidents, and every type of food they eat somehow ending up on their clothes, we have more than our share of stains in this house. It's one of the reasons I try to get as much of their clothing second-hand as I can, because then I don't worry so much if something gets ruined. Fighting stains naturally has been, and probably will continue to be, an ongoing battle for me. … [Read more...]
Green and Natural Fabric Softeners
Continuing on with our natural laundry theme this month, today I'm over at Green...Your Way talking about green and natural fabric softener options. This is one of the most important aspects of switching to natural laundry care because conventional fabric softeners are some of the worst offenders as far as toxic chemical ingredients and fragrances go. When those ingredients are on our clothing, they are then absorbed into our bodies through our skin. Head over to Green...You Way to read … [Read more...]