Paring Down: Laundry Products

A few of you emailed me asking about small space solutions for your laundry spaces. I myself have a small space.-so I hear ya! One tip is to pare down as much as possible the products you have. It's easy to go on product overload especially if an area is cluttered and you don't realize you already have a certain type of product and so go out and buy another one.Take a look at your current stash. Gather everything in one area and group like items. Look at how much space you have and consider giving away any multiples to allow room for everything to fit nicely. Don't pour them down the drain or throw them in the trash though! A lot of laundry products are toxic so please take them to your local household hazardous waste collection center if you don't want to give them away.If you decide to keep multiples, commit to using them. Place the items which are closest to being empty in the most accessible spot-like the front of a shelf. Multiples can go right behind, down below or up top. The goal is to pare it down to just a few products-preferably ones that multi-task and/or don't take up a lot of valuable space. When buying new products remember bigger isn't always better or more economical -be sure to check the price per load.

Here's a look at my picks:

OxiClean Free -non-chlorine solution for removing stains and whitening {great for white linens!} Method Laundry Detergent- plant based, non-toxic, biodegradable, and comes in a compact bottle The Laundress Delicate Wash -another non-toxic, biodegradable product -this one for delicate items Dryer Balls Although they're a reusable alternative to dryer sheets, I've come to discover {and been turned off by the fact} that dryer balls are made of PVC {Polyvinyl chloride = toxic plastic}. A better alternative? Wool dryer balls or vinegar. Vinegar - to soften fabric, reduce static and prevent wrinkles

Do you have a favorite laundry product?

Laundry Organization: Hampers

Whether you do laundry at home, take it to the laundromat, or a shared laundry room, organizing and streamlining it starts with the hamper. Hampers placed in convenient areas where you tend to remove your clothes, like the closet or the bathroom, keep dirty clothes off the floor and contained in one spot.

image via Restoration Hardware

A great option, if you have the space for it, is one that's divided into two or three sections {one for lights, one for darks, etc}. This option saves time on sorting since it allows you to simply throw your clothes into the appropriate sections as you take them off.

3 section laundry organizer $39.99

With the same idea in mind, you can get multiples of the same hamper one for each section you want. {Tip: rectangular (as opposed to round) ones are best for this purpose as they make better use of space when arranged side by side.}

L: Set of Two Hampers with Liners $54.95: R:Folding Hamper $18.95

To minimize struggling while transporting the laundry or to avoid transferring clothes into a separate laundry bag, opt for a hamper that's not too heavy and you're comfortable carrying or one with a built-in removable bag {like the one pictured below right}.

L: Woven Nylon Hamper $39.99 R: Crazy Linen Hamper : $89.95

I'm loving this one {shown below} in classic black and white stripes from Etsy seller FlauraDesign, which has hook and loop fastners that make the bag easy to attach and remove.

P.S. She also has a cute yellow and white striped one -check out her shop here.

If you're short on space, use one that will take advantage of vertical space like those that hang on a door or hook. To make it easy to deposit dirty clothes, use something like this for your drawstring laundry bag {pictured below left}. You can also make your own by using an embroidery hoop as seen in the photo below right from Martha Stewart.

L: Overdoor Hamper + Laundry Bag $23.98 R: image via Martha Stewart.com