Simplifying Laundry for our Busy Family

This post is underwritten by P&G.

I work from home full-time and I homeschool my kids, so to say I need life to be as efficient as possible is an understatement.

As a homeschool parent, I pour into my kids’ education as a teacher, facilitator and resource provider. While academics are an obvious part of my role in their lives, it doesn’t stop there. I am also raising responsible household managers who will stand on their own two feet one day; fully capable of the daily skills independent adults need to know.

Emelie, my older daughter (17), has been responsible for the kids’ laundry for the last two years, but this year we flipped tasks; meaning it was time for Meredith (13) to take on the kids’ laundry. Not only is she responsible for the sorting, washing, drying, and tending to “special care” items, but also for keeping us stocked with the required laundry supplies: detergent, oxygen bleach, dryer sheets, and stain removers.

While the kids were all still very young, it probably seemed to them as though our household cleaning products appeared (as if by magic) for them to use in the kitchen, laundry room, and bathrooms. As they’ve grown older (read: and can write legibly on the grocery/toiletry/supplies list), I’ve given them the responsibility of recording what they’ve used up, as well as keep an eye on what products need to be replaced in the near future.

Obviously, the time this saves me adds up, but even more importantly, maintaining a home is a skill all three kids will need throughout their lives.

Emelie has accompanied me to Target to purchase toiletries for several years now; so, when she began driving last year, I transferred the task of our bi-monthly household shopping trips to her.

Recently, Meredith has joined her, and though I cannot say they are always the most expedient shoppers, they have been taught to read labels and, at the very least, know the importance of being smart shoppers.

Both girls have grown up understanding our commitment to the budget, but now that they are older, we give them freedom to take advantage of unexpected savings, and even, to comparison shop.

As sisters raised in the same household, they share a lot of the same practicalities, but frequently, their individual preferences differ. For instance, all white vs. print paper towels, floral vs. fruit scented shampoo or soap, and most recently, Original Scent vs. Moonlight Breeze scented Gain Flings.

Most of the time I’m available via text to make the final decision, but sometimes the girls are left to sort it out on their own, as in the following re-enactment of a recent shopping trip where the girls picked up a few household items.

Gain Flings Simplifies Laundry for Busy Families from Heather Sanders on Vimeo.

Once my younger daughter Meredith (the daughter whose arm is not in a sling) learned that Gain Flings included Febreze, she was sold. This is a child who asked for Febreze in her Christmas stocking for years (no lie), and kept a few bottles (different fragrances, of course) to freshen up her room multiple times a day. She also frequently chased the dogs around the house spraying them. Honestly, I did not discourage this practice as I was often too busy to get them to the groomer on a regular schedule.

Though she was probably 4 or 5 then, Meredith could not say “Febreze”, but instead called the air freshener, “FreezeBreeze”, which stuck in her brain and our family’s vernacular. Years later, it is not uncommon to see “FreezeBreeze” written on the Target list.

One thing both girls (and I) agree upon is that Gain Flings may come in small packages, but their overall effect is anything but small for our busy family.

One of my biggest laundry room complaints includes the mess made by the kids who let the detergent drip down the side of the bottle. So naturally, beyond the fresh scents, what I love most about Gain Flings is that it’s a ONE STOP, NO MESS process.

The kids simply toss in ONE Fling for a small to medium load or TWO for a large or XL load. That’s it. NO MORE MESSES!

Also? Gain Flings makes boot socks smell divine (the odor removal power of Febreze WITH the extra cleaning power of Oxi Boost does the trick) – just ask Meredith.

It’s a 3-in-1 product y’all.

The NEW Gain Flings are one of those products that simplify living in a house of 5 where laundry is a constant battle!

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This post is sponsored by P&G. Save on NEW Gain Flings and Tide Pods at Target.