Martha Stewart's Helpful Tips Will Make Laundry Day A Breeze
Laundry day can become chaotic when you have a million and one items to wash (some with stains), a mountain of ironing to get through, and a tiny space to do it all in. However, luckily for anyone at their wits' end, Martha Stewart has a couple of hacks to keep things as streamlined as possible, namely printing out a stain removal guide and using a DIY ironing board that fits your space.
We've all been there: Sorted through the laundry, divided clothing into color groups, and found a few pieces we're not sure should go in the machine. Soon enough, what should be a simple enough process turns into a marathon Google session, in which you try to figure out how to get out tough laundry stains from different kinds of fabric. That, on top of all the soiled but unstained laundry that still needs to be washed, dried, and ironed, can get overwhelming, real quick.
Stewart's solution? As she explained in a YouTube video, having everything you need to launder your items from start to finish in one place makes all the difference. This may require some re-working of your space, but you'll be blown away by just how smoothly everything will run once you've done so. Laundry day is about to go from chaotic to crazy easy.
Print out a stain removal guide for easy access
One of Martha Stewart's best tips for streamlining laundry is to print out a stain care guide. You can laminate it and hang it in your laundry room, or even frame it — just make sure the chart is easily accessible. Grab a copy of Stewart's chart, or even type up your own if that makes it easier to follow. The bottom line is that by having a comprehensive chart in the laundry room, you won't need to waste any time researching the best way to go about removing those pesky grass stains. While you're at it, you may even want to create a separate chart with any symbols you're not super clear on, or general guidelines on the best temperatures for different fabrics.
Once you have your charts posted, the next step is to have all the detergents and stain removal solutions listed in them close at hand. After all, what's the use in having all the necessary items listed if you'll have to run around finding all of them? Set up a kit with isopropyl alcohol, detergent, dish soap solution, and anything else named in the chart, and ensure they're all clearly labeled.
Tight on space? Stewart recommends installing a small shelving unit in your laundry room, just big enough to house your stain-busting kit. Get one off Amazon for around $21.
Make ironing a breeze with a board that fits your space
Once you have all your items cleaned and stain-free, it's time to iron — and for most, that comes with an added layer of frustration. However, Martha Stewart has a hack for streamlining this part of the process, too.
Instead of hauling out an ironing board every time you need to get your laundry crease-free, Stewart recommends making a DIY board that fits on top of a low cabinet in your laundry room. Simply purchase a wooden board no larger than the surface of the cabinet and use a staple gun to attach cotton batting and muslin to it. Stewart suggests adding rubber feet to the bottom of the board, which helps make it easier to lift, as well as avoid scratching whatever is underneath. These can be found on Amazon for under $10. As for the cabinet itself, Stewart recommends using it as linen storage.
Laundry days often turn into nightmares just because there are so many things in so many places, and having to deal with stains on top of all the other processes can be a bit much. However, by having everything in one place, and mitigating the need for researching stain removal methods and setting up ironing boards, it can become a lot easier.