Do you want to achieve perfectly clean and soft clothes like our grandmothers? Well, here’s a trick they used – adding coarse salt to the detergent in the washing machine. Not only is it an economical and natural ingredient, it also delivers fantastic results.

The use of coarse salt in the washing machine was popular in the past, and it’s making a comeback today. Why? Because it’s effective and easy to use, especially for those new to laundry chores.

With coarse salt, you don’t need to be an expert to achieve excellent results. It’s readily available and can be used in the washing machine or for handwashing. Plus, it works wonders on any type of garment, even delicate ones, without causing any damage. Unlike bleach, it whitens and removes stains without compromising the quality of your fabrics. In just a few minutes, your clothes will look brand new!

Coarse Salt for Whiter Clothes

If you want to whiten your laundry without using bleach, coarse salt is the perfect natural solution. It’s particularly useful for beginners who may struggle with selecting the right detergent or wash program for their washing machine.

Coarse salt not only whitens your clothes but also revitalizes yellowed garments. The best part? It’s gentle on fabrics, making it an ideal choice for those who aren’t familiar with doing laundry.

This household essential is affordable, readily available, and incredibly effective. Let’s explore how to use salt in the washing machine and for handwashing.

Removing Stains with Coarse Salt

Are stubborn stains giving you a hard time? Don’t worry, coarse salt can come to the rescue! Here’s how you can use it to remove those pesky marks.

1. Stains

If you’re in need of an all-purpose stain remover for everyday clothing stains, look no further! My very favorite stain remover is one you can make right in your own home! I’ve used it to remove all kinds of different stains, and it hasn’t failed me yet!

2. Buttons

Dab a bit of white glue on the threads of the buttons on your dress shirts. This will help prevent the threads from fraying, and will keep your buttons on longer. If you don’t have any white glue, clear nail polish works just as well!

3. Zipper Fix

If you have a pair of pants with a zipper that just won’t stay up, here’s an easy fix. Attach a key ring onto the edge of the zipper, then pull the zipper up and hook the key ring around the button of the pants. The key ring will keep the zipper in place! (You could also use a paperclip if you don’t have a key ring to spare.)

4. Static Cling

To get rid of static cling, spray the inside of your clothing with a light layer of hair spray. Another option is to run the long side of a wire hanger over the outside and inside of your clothing, or you can rub your clothes down with a dryer sheet!

5. Shrinking

Accidentally shrink a favorite piece of clothing? Follow the link below to learn my favorite trick for “unshrinking” clothes. It’s easier than you’d think!

6. Wrinkles

No time to drag out an iron and ironing board to fix a wrinkled shirt? A straightening iron works perfectly for smoothing out collar creases and minor wrinkles. It also fits between shirt buttons nicely! You can look perfectly pressed, even when you’re pressed for time. (Another option is to make my simple homemade wrinkle release spray!

7. Leather Shoes

Use the inside of a banana peel to erase scuffs on your leather shoes, then buff them to a shine with a paper towel. To erase water stains on leather shoes, use a toothbrush dipped in white vinegar.

8. Too-Tight Shoes

Use a hair dryer to help you stretch out a pair of too-tight shoes. Pull on a pair of thick socks, then put the tight shoes on too. Point your hair dryer at the shoes for a minute or two, then keep the shoes on until they cool off.

9. Glasses

Whether you’re wearing reading glasses or sunglasses, it’s really annoying to have them slipping off your face! Just grab your trusty hot glue gun to add some extra grip. Apply a line of hot glue to the inside of each arm of your glasses, near the back where they rest above your ears. When the glue dries, the glue will add some extra grip and keep them from sliding.

10. Sweat Stains

Because of the proteins present in your sweat, sweat stains on your clothing can be tricky to remove. But with the right ingredients and method, it’s easier than you’d think!

11. Shoe Polish

Remove scuffs and add serious shine to your favorite boots with my homemade shoe polish. It contains all-natural beeswax, which also helps to repel water and mud!

12. Dingy Whites

Are your whites not so white anymore? My favorite method for whitening whites is surprisingly simple, and incredibly effective – much more effective than just using bleach!

13. Pilling

I wrote a whole post about ways to get rid of pesky pilling on sweaters and other clothing.

14. Sneakers

Clean the hard surfaces of dirty sneakers with a magic eraser. It’s an easy way to make shoes look brand new!

15. Suede

You can clean dirt off of suede shoes with a nail file, stale bread crust or pencil eraser.

16. Hems

Hold up the hem of your pants or skirt in an emergency using paper clips. For a more permanent solution, check out this post about how to hem jeans while still keeping the original hem.

17. Pantyhose

Use clear nail polish to stop a run in a pair of pantyhose. You can also prevent the run in the first place by spraying pantyhose with a bit of hair spray before wearing them.

18. Ink Stains

Ink stains don’t have to be a death sentence for your clothes. You just need to know what stain removal methods work best on ink! Get the details below.

19. Bleeding Denim

A new pair of jeans can quickly become a nuisance if the dye starts transferring to your hands, furniture, and other clothes. Use the methods in the post below to lock the dye into your denim and stop the messy dye transfer.

20. Stuck Zipper

To keep zippers from sticking (or to loosen one that’s already stuck), lightly rub the zipper’s teeth with a small piece of wax paper. The wax from the paper will help the zipper move smoothly, and reduce the chances of it getting stuck again.

Be Honest About Inventory

There are always those items you pull out year after year, but no longer love — and never wear. “Look at that raincoat — or all seven of those raincoats — and ask yourself, ‘Are they worthy of storage?’ ” says Michele Vig, founder and chief organizer of Neat Little Nest.

Paring down doesn’t take as long as you think if you do it each season, Vig says. The longer you wait, the more onerous the task becomes. All the more reason to keep up with it!

Can’t quite part with something yet? There’s a bonus to hanging on until next year: Consignment shops won’t usually buy out of season. Store the summer items you’re undecided about together, and maybe the money you could make will help you make the hard decision come spring.

Love Up Last Season

It might be tempting to simply yank all your summer things out of the closet and shove them in a bin until it gets warm again, but Vig says that would set up a toxic decluttering cycle.

First, give the items any attention they need, such as dry cleaning, mending and de-pilling. “When you take a little bit of time to get the dirt off, you will have a different feeling when you pull stuff out later,” she says. “You won’t pull out a task, you’ll have things you’ll be excited to wear.”

Strengthen Your Shoe Solution

Shoe volume goes up in the fall and winter. Re-think storage based on family habits. “Ask yourself: Am I a kicker or placer?” Vig says. For those who kick shoes off, use bins to corral shoes and boots. For placers, try an individualized shoe rack to keep those pairs paired.

Make It Personal

Vig says families commonly make one mistake in their mudrooms: sorting cool-weather gear by category (mittens, hats, scarves) instead of by person.

“Open-top bins labeled with each person’s name make it easy for everyone to get what they need,” Vig says. “Plus, it’s very obvious who didn’t pick up their stuff. Great for accountability.”

Lighten Up the Linen Closet

Pull out your heavier quilts, blankets and duvets. Wash them and/or run them through the fluff cycle on the dryer so they’re fresh for fall beds. If you prefer flannel sheets, time to start switching into those from your cotton ones, or at least putting them toward the front of the closet shelves for easy reach when temps dip. Donate any extras you’ve accumulated.

Vig offers this tip for folding and storing sheets compactly as sets: “To keep things neat, fold your flat, fitted and one pillowcase, then slide inside the second pillowcase to store it.”

Style Seasonal Décor

Odds are you’re ready to retire your coconut candle and pull out a spiced apple pie or pumpkin scent instead. “Put your summer stuff in a bin labeled that way and pull out fall stuff,” Vig says.

She puts seasonal décor such as chargers, candleholders, pillowcases and photos on shelving so she can shop her closet. Holiday-specific décor goes in bins labeled by holiday. Seasonal switchout decorating becomes fun and just an arm’s-reach away.

Pare Down the Fun and Games

The game cupboard or closet is often forgotten until fall. “We’ve been spending all summer outdoors and now it’s time to curl up in our comfy pajamas at the game table to make memories with our families,” says Michelle Hansen, founder of Practical Perfection.

Organize games and puzzles. Donate any that your family has outgrown or just those extras accumulated during the pandemic lockdown. Missing pieces? Be sure to mark the box when donating. Alternatively, give away what you have on NextDoor or Craigslist to complete someone else’s set, or repurpose pieces as crafts.

Freshen Closets and Dresser Drawers

Add this step when you’ve pulled everything out of your closets or dressers, before loading in the wool and cashmere. “The change of season is a great time to change out closet air fresheners or drawer liners,” says Brenda Scott, owner and professional organizer of Tidy MySpace. “It starts the season off fresh and odor-free.”

Plus, beautifully designed drawer or liner paper can add a feeling of polish and luxury to a ho-hum space.

Pick Through the Pantry

A pantry is basically a closet for food, right? That needs regular decluttering and organizing, too. According to Marie Clark, managing editor at Cost Contessa, now is a good time to organize the pantry because we’re 18 months or so past the start of many pandemic lockdowns.

“Your pandemic food stock is starting to expire,” she says. “Many items we consider shelf-stable have a life of one to two years, so if you haven’t sorted through them yet, it’s time. Check all of your expiration dates and make a note of which products are about to expire and incorporate them into your meal planning, meal prepping or donate them.”

Bye-Bye, Old Baking Supplies

“Most people take a break from baking and cooking in the summer, but as soon as the temperatures start to drop, everyone starts baking again,” Hansen says.

Toss the stale sprinkles and barely-there rolled-up chocolate-chip bags in the back of the cabinet, and stock up on any staple ingredients you need. While you’re at it, add extra baking sheets and pans to the donate bin, too.

1. Pre-sorted Bins- Lights, Colors & Denim/Towels

Since instituting the 3 bin system for lights, colors, and denim in the master bedroom it takes one less step to be ready to start laundry. My husband doesn’t like laundry on the floor so he keeps up with my system and if I notice he’s put something in the wrong bin during the week, I just move it over. If you can get your kids to do a 3 bin system I would be super impressed and consider you a super parent.

2. The Magical Quick Wash Setting

I distinctly remember my mom coming to stay with me when my son was first born to help me out around the house. In my new mom, no sleep, zombie haze it seemed like my mom was getting through laundry day in half the time it took me to do it on any given day before baby. I asked her how she was getting stuff done so fast and she claimed that she was just using the “Quick Wash” setting. I immediately made her show me what she was talking about. When she turned the dial from “Normal/Casual” which was 56 minutes to “Quick Wash”, the cycle said 28 minutes! My response was, “Does this actually get stuff clean?” and she told me to check it out for myself. All my clothes were clean and smelled fresh.

I’ve never gone back to “Normal/Casual” wash again. Now I get stuff done in half the time it took me before! Obviously, there are some loads that do require a higher, heavier duty setting. For everyday wear, I just go with “Quick Wash” and am happy with the outcome.

3. Ironing With Your Dryer

Have you ever been lounging on a cold winter’s day and thrown an article of your clothing or blanket in the dryer to warm it up so you could snuggle up in it fresh out of the dryer? All that heat works to dry and fluff up your clothing.

If you are fast enough and immediately dash to the dryer when the end cycle alarm sounds you can yank all your blouses and work shirts out, quickly lay them flat on your bed, and then slap them on a hanger. If you react fast enough most articles should be wrinkle-free. It doesn’t work with all fabrics, but with many of your fabrics, you may be able to get out of ironing all together.

Sometimes when I don’t feel like ironing and I’m in a hurry, I’ll just stick a moist (not wet) washcloth in the dryer with my blouse that is a little wrinkled and by the time my hair and makeup are done, the blouse in the dryer is wrinkle-free and I can put it on and go. It’s kind of like steaming it when you add the moist towel.

4. Ironing Entertainment

I don’t have a lot of time to watch TV, read or listen to the radio. Although I thoroughly enjoy all 3 and try to at least make time in my day for reading. I actually look forward to ironing because it gives me an excuse to do one of these three things. They also make time seem to pass faster.

Audio Books- I don’t always have time to read but I can easily listen to an audiobook doing anything other than using a blender. My public library allows me to “check out” MP3 audiobooks now so they are FREE! You can always check out books on CD too. You might be surprised at how many new books your library has on CD.

Streaming Media- I ditched cable years ago which works out because now if I want to watch anything or catch up on my favorite shows I just use my Roku 3 Streaming Media Player and access all my digital content in one place. I watch the shows I want to watch on-demand whenever I have the time. No channel surfing for this lady. I have an Amazon Prime account, a Netflix account, and I’m about to get Hulu in the next month or two so I can get access to all my favorite current TV shows. Catching up on Castle while ironing really motivates me to iron.

Podcasts- These are something I’ve grown to love in the last year. I listen to Dave Ramsey, Joyce Meyer, and a blogging Podcast every week. Podcasts only require me to listen rather than watch and listen. This media outlet is perfect for when I’m sorting, folding, and hanging clothes in the closets and don’t need to watch a screen to keep up with what is going on. I use the Stitcher app on my smartphone and it gives me access to all the podcasts in one place.

5. Make Laundry Day a Marathon & Not a Daily Sprint

I recently read an excellent book on routines. I got really excited to try doing laundry every day rather than just once a week as the book suggested. What I found out was that doing daily laundry just. doesn’t. work. for. me.

I tried it for two weeks and what I ended up doing was re-washing the same load every day because I forgot about it every day. The single load theory had me throwing in a load of laundry and moving on to other chores only to forget I’d even started it. After 3 days of doing 1 load of laundry a day my husband asked me on day 4 if I was going to do laundry that week. The bins were never below half full so he couldn’t tell I was washing. It felt like I was never putting a dent in what we had so I just ditched it and went back with my marathon approach.

When I dedicate a whole day to laundry, I know that is my main task for that day. My scattered brain knows that my focus is on laundry and that’s what I work on. I love to actually see the bottom of the laundry bins. Get it done and move on. If daily works for you, keep doing it. As for me and my house, we gotta knock that stuff out in one punch.

Hope this post gives you a little creative laundry day inspiration to help make laundry day not as bad as it is. Let me know if you have any laundry tips or tricks that speed up laundry day while making it less cumbersome for you in the comments section below.

1. Quick Fix For Exposed Wire

There’s nothing worse than discovering your bra’s underwire has broken through the fabric and is now jabbing you mercilessly. But luckily there’s a quick fix that will help stop the pain instantly! Just feed the underwire back through the hole, then seal the hole with a small piece of moleskin.

2. How To Wash Your Bras

Good bras don’t typically come cheap, but you can make sure you get your money’s worth by washing them correctly so they last as long as possible. Check out this post to find out which bras you can machine-wash and which you should hand wash, and to learn the best way to do it!

3. Store Them Stacked

Wondering what’s the best way to store your bras? The best method is the store them upright with the cups nested inside each other.

Not only does it save space in your drawer, but it also helps the bras keep their shape! (And avoid hanging bras in the closet, as gravity can stretch out the straps over time.)

4. Spin(ner) Cycle

After hand washing a bra, you don’t want to wring it out and risk twisting it out of shape or damaging it. Grab your salad spinner instead, give it a few good spins to expel the excess water, then lay it out to air dry.

5. Shower With Your Sports Bra

After a workout, just wear your sports bra into the shower! It’s best to wash sports bras ASAP, and cleaning it in the shower is a gentler option than machine-washing. Use a bit of gentle detergent or soap to wash it, rinse it under the showerhead, then hang it to air dry.

6. Clip Your Straps

Want a way to hide your bra straps when wearing tanks or thin-strapped dresses? Just get a pack of bra strap clips! These simple clips will hold your bra straps near the middle of your back, keeping them out of sight and out of mind.

7. Extend Your Band

While I wouldn’t advise wearing a bra that’s significantly too small for you, there are certain occasions when you could use a little extra breathing room. If you find yourself in need of an extra inch or two in your bra’s band, use one of these handy band extenders! Just connect your bra’s existing hooks for the instant extension.

8. Safer Packing

Tired of your bras getting crushed in your suitcase when your travel? Get a zippered bra and underwear packing organizer! This structured bag will help keep their shape and keep them organized too!

1. You’re using wire hangers when you should be using felt.

Wire hangers aren’t supportive enough for heavier fabrics and will warp the shape of your clothes over time. Invest in felt hangers instead, which don’t leave little points in the shoulders of your shirts like wire hangers do, have enough grip to hang thin, silky fabrics, and are thinner than plastic so you can fit more in your closet.

2. You’re hanging your sweaters like you would a normal shirt.

Gravity will stretch out the neck and shoulders of heavier sweaters this way. If you don’t have any drawer space, fold your sweaters and lay them on a hanger like below.

3. You’re folding your leather pants or skirts instead of hanging them.

This will create creases and wrinkles, which will be very difficult to get rid of because you should never iron or steam leather. To prevent the creases from forming, hang your pants with a clip hanger. Use business cards to protect the fabric from the grooves of the clips so they don’t leave marks.

4. You’re storing your clothes in dry-cleaning plastic bags.

As soon as you get your dry-cleaning back, take your clothes out of the bags. The fabric needs to breathe, and the plastic can trap odors and humidity. If your clothes wrinkle inside your closet, it’s because you have the hangers shoved too close together. To prevent crease and wrinkles, leave an inch in between each hanger.

5. You’re dry-cleaning your clothes too often.

Overzealous dry-cleaning can weaken the fabrics (and make you broke). If the tag says “dry-clean only,” take it to the cleaners. If it says “dry-clean” (like most polyester, cashmere, and nylon fabrics), you’re usually safe handwashing it at home and laying it flat to dry.

6. You machine-dry your bras and other delicates.

The heat from the dryer will ruin the elastic. Lay your bras flat to dry or drape them over a hanger by the sturdy middle piece between the cups — not by the elastic straps or band, which will stretch out your bras.

7. You carelessly stuff your bras in a drawer.

Bending the cups out of shape will ruin the bra form. Instead, stack them inside of each other as you see at a lingerie store.

8. You’re wringing the water out of your swimsuits by twisting them.

This will ruin the elasticity of the suit and make it lose its shape. Instead, lay the suit flat between towels, and press and roll the water out. Then lay it flat to finish drying.

9. You machine-wash and dry your swimsuits.

This will cause the dye to fade and the fabric to pill. Unless you absolutely need to use a washer and dryer (in which case only do it once at the end of swimsuit season) hand-wash your suits in tap water or with a little detergent and lay them flat to dry.

10. You throw your sweaty workout clothes straight into the laundry hamper.

This causes smelly mildew. Before tossing them in your dirty clothes pile, hang them until they’re dry.

11. You’re ironing delicate fabrics.

Irons are way too harsh for most fabrics (like silk or fabrics with embellishments) and can leave marks if you’re not careful. Invest in a handheld steamer or try hanging the item in a super-steamy bathroom for a few minutes.

12. You’re storing your shoes in big buckets.

The best way to maintain the shape of your shoes and keep them clean is to store them upright, one of each pair in the front row and its match right behind it. This way you can see everything at once and don’t have to struggle to see what’s hidden in the back.

13. You crowd your jewelry on hooks.

Unless you have the time to untangle your knotted jewelry, always keep the pieces separated. Muffin tins and ice cube trays make great inexpensive organizers.

14. You forget to fasten buttons, hooks, and zippers, or to turn your jeans inside out before tossing your clothes in the laundry.

Loose hooks will snag other clothing in the wash and cause pieces to stretch out. Clothes that are heavily dyed, like jeans, should be turned inside out to prevent the dye from fading.

15. You’re washing your dark denim jeans instead of freezing them.

If you’re really worried about the dye fading or your jeans losing their shape, freeze your jeans overnight instead. The freezer will kill most of the odor-causing bacteria while keeping the dye intact.

1. The velvet bow

It will hardly take only a few minutes so that you can turn ordinary clothes into a designer & decorate your boring sweater or sweatshirt into a fantastic and cute t-shirt.

2. Bright detail

On your ordinary t-shirt, you can stick out some of the colorful ribbons. Now from the boring and colorless one, your sweater will turn out to be a unique and distinctive piece.

3. A top made out of the dresses

Can you believe your eyes from the dull and dull dress to the bright and fantastic top? Here is an excellent example for you to learn something new and creative. Every girl has clothing that they do not wear. It is the best hack for those girls.

4. Fringe Decor

The jacket seems boring because of its color, and I am sure you must want to add something new to it. Then there is the idea for you. For this, you would need a jacket, some fringe, and little patience.

5. To upgrade the back of the clothing

The sweater is boring with its color and shade, and hence here we have an idea to make it look interesting. To add an interesting fact to the top, you need to cut the stripes from the back. It would develop a design on the cloth.

6. Embroidered details

Well, old clothes seem to be annoying to us many numbers of times, and hence we always think of decorating them. For that, you need to follow some instructions to add some paint designs to them. It will help you avoid the old denim jacket.

7. A top made with the help of the t-shirt

You can quickly turn your old and boring t-shirt into a chic top such that you will feel excited to wear it again and again. But for that, you need to follow up on some special skills to help yourself.

8. A scarf made up of the old sweater

You would like to throw away your old sweater which you do not want to wear and add up to your clothing style. But you can turn that sweater into a beautiful scarf by following some instructions to make it out. It will give you a complete winter look that is definitely for you.

9. Decorate your skirt with the help of ruffles

It is the idea for those who want to give a chance to the old skirt or want to decorate the boring and basic one. A ruffle decoration is best for those girls.

10. The small pom-poms

It is the small pom-pom trim lace that you can add to the old jeans by stitching them. I am sure you will love to add a different color to it.

11. An off-shoulder shirt

Your basic t-shirt seems to be boring and much ordinary such that it might off your mood while wearing it. Turn it into the new top by cutting off its collar and hence stitch the edge. Place the safety pin on the piece of elastic and then insert it into the opening in the stitched side so that to make sure you can pull it away in all ways.

12. Embellished hat

The different beanies are popular with embroidery work. But the prices are for the cap are high, and many people cannot afford it. But nowhere we will give you an idea to create your hat with your hands. For the preparation, you need a good cap and a piece of fabric with embroidery and beading.
Embroidered details

Well, old clothes seem to be annoying to us many numbers of times, and hence we always think of decorating them. For that, you need to follow some instructions to add some paint designs to them. It will help you avoid the old denim jacket.

What you’ll need:

• 1 cup white distilled vinegar
• ½ cup of baking soda
• ½ cup borax

Steps to follow:

1. White vinegar

Our first method of how to make your clothes softer involves white vinegar. In many ways, this is a wonder potion for household tasks. It is a great cleaning agent as it breaks down substances easily and adds a shine to bright surfaces. White vinegar is also great for hair as it is known to help with dandruff and is also a natural remedy for head lice.

If you want to help soften your clothes without the use of fabric softener, white vinegar can help in the laundry department also. To make your clothes feel softer out of the wash, mix 1 cup of distilled white vinegar in the rinse cycle of the washing machine. Vinegar is non-toxic but naturally dissolves the alkaline detergent. This alkalinity can cause clothes to stiffen, so white vinegar will reduce this stiffness and result in softer clothes.

2. Baking soda

While white vinegar helps to neutralize the alkaline property of laundry detergent, sometimes you need the opposite to happen. Acid spills can occur on clothes regularly. This might be particularly the case if you have had a rough night due to illness (whether self-inflicted or not). This is because both urine and vomit are acidic, so you need to find something which will cancel it out.

This is where baking soda comes in. It will not only work on these stains but will also help soften the clothes overall. To do this, simply add ½ cup of baking soda to the wash along with your regular detergent. You should end up with relatively stain-free clothes which feel soft and bouncy to the touch (depending on the fabric).

Baking soda is not only great for softening clothes, but it makes your whites brighter and sharper and gets rid of the bad odors which may have come from these acidic spillages. It will also aid with clothes that have developed a more general musty smell.

3. Borax

Another way to keep your clothes soft and lush is to use borax. Borax is a naturally occurring compound that has been added to different brands of laundry detergent over the years. Most famously there is the 20 Mule Team Borax, a detergent that has been in use since the 19th century. If it’s good enough for the professional staff, it should be good enough for you.

Adding ½ cup powdered borax to the wash water will soften the hard water, which in turn softens the clothes. Borax also helps whiten your whites and gets your clothes cleaner. In fact, white vinegar and baking soda will also help give your washing machine a sparkle when used in your cycle.

Because it softens the water to soften your clothes, it will also help remove soap residue from them. This means it’s great if you want to use a harder soap on dirtier clothes. If you have some clothes which have a fungal mold, it can also help to get rid of it. We don’t mean there are literally mushrooms growing out of your clothes, but if your sweaters are smelling a little funky, this could be the reason.

4. The salt bath

There is another way to help soften your clothes without using a fabric softener. It is quite effective but is unfortunately time-consuming. For this reason, you should only use it if you are able to plan ahead. This method is the salt bath method of making clothes softer.

Take a clean bucket or similar receptacle and put your dirty clothes in there. For every quart (4 cups) of water, add a ½ cup of regular salt to the water and mix it in as best you can. Put the dirty laundry in the bucket of saltwater and leave for 2 – 3 days. The salt acts as a preservative. This is why you can’t just leave your clothes in regular water. Without the salt, they will smell musty after the wash.

After the 2 – 3 days are up, rinse and wash in a normal laundry cycle. This is one where the time and effort will hopefully pay off but is not a good idea for regular use. You will still end up with softer clothes by the end of it. It’s also great if you have old or vintage T-shirts. Use the same solution of salt and water and immerse the t-shirt in it for three whole days. After this time has passed, wash normally and tumble dry afterward. You’ll notice the results once dry.

5. Use the correct amount of detergent

Remember to always use the correct amount of detergent. Follow the directions on the bottle of detergent and use only that amount. Adding too much detergent can reduce the softness of clothing.

Tip: Baking soda, vinegar, and borax can be used in conjunction with others. Do not use chlorine bleach and vinegar together in the wash. Vapors of this combination may be harmful.

These are perfect solutions if you haven’t got any fabric softener at home. Try them out and tell us which worked for you!

Coat Closet

A good old coat closet, reminiscent of an era when coat racks were behind every door. The uses of a coat closet are undermined. They are not only places to stow away your coats into, but they can also serve as mini closets. Granted there is an effective organization at play!

Install hooks, lots of them. They can be used to hang up jackets, bags, and umbrellas. If the closet does not come equipped with shelves, you could do some DIY stacking using wood planks from your local hardware store. A supply of hangers also never goes amiss.

Shoe Bins

A cluttered closet floor is always an off-putting image. Luckily for you, I have some tricks up my sleeve that is sure to be of use.

Shoe Bins. Clear containers in which you can put your shoes. It prevents clutter, and the clear surface also enables transparency. You can purchase a similar bin for socks too, in case you’re running short of available drawers. Shoe pegs are also very useful when it comes to the department of shoe organization. You can have a handyman line said pegs along the bottom of the closet. Hang up your shoes from the pegs.

Bath Supplies

A bath supply closet is a perfect fit for you if you want a place to store all your fancy toiletries. Quite easy to put together, all you need is a few shelves and perhaps some wallpaper to brighten up space. Add a mirror, too.

Another space-saving technique is to keep your laundry basket on the floor so that every time you open the closet to get shower gel or a similar product, you are reminded to do your laundry!

 Craft Closet

Not for everyone, but a definite godsend for those who love crafting. A love for crafts ends up almost always in overflowing desks and drawers, too much paper, and too many paints. Use a spare closet to store all your supplies. Use clear bins for visual simplicity and ease of access.

Not for everyone, but a definite godsend for those who love crafting. A love for crafts ends up almost always in overflowing desks and drawers, too much paper, and too many paints. Use a spare closet to store all your supplies. Use clear bins for visual simplicity and ease of access.

 Linen Closet

A place to keep your towels, sheets, and blankets in an organized fashion. Different-sized containers, self-dividers, and hangers are a few ways to keep the closet tidy and accessible.

It also might be a good idea to install a few high shelves for stowing away bulky mattresses or quilts.

Office Supply Closet

A clever and convenient way of keeping your home office free from clutter is to make sure you have a supply closet installed nearby. This is a place where you can keep your books and papers and documents in a place that is both easily accessible but out of immediate sight.

Wire racks are another useful addition as they can hold pretty much anything- from paper to washi tape.

Magazine racks for storage

Magazine racks are hidden gems and do much more than just hold magazines. They can be used to keep sheaves of paper, stray books, important documents. Clothes too are quite effectively organized in these wire containers, especially smaller items of clothing like gloves and socks.

If you are short on the drawer space and need a handy way of storing woolens or hosiery, magazine racks in hall closets are your best bet!

 Cubbies

Cubbies can be custom installed or DIY-ed (simply flip the shelf brackets). Either way, they are great for individual storage and ensure a clear division of space.

This concept can be applied to the storage of almost anything, starting from food and kitchen supplies to books and journals. I have implemented said idea to make demarcations of books by year and author( a convenient filing option that has made life a lot easier), but you can do this for just about anything.

Laundry Basket for Sports Equipment

As outlandish as this may sound, a laundry basket is a great place to keep sports equipment together, all in one place.

As a member of a family with vastly varying fitness habits, I have often come upon a stray football on the stairs or a limp jump-rope on the sofa. It is also quite the task, locating these items if they are not all in one fixed location.

A laundry basket does exactly that, it is a one-stop destination and saves both time and energy.