Laundry HE

Happy New Year! I hope the holiday season was filled with friends, family and fun! And hopefully you were able to sneak in some much deserved rest to recuperate from a busy 2010.


As we look ahead to 2011, I have some new changes here at LaundryHe to share with you all - I’m moving (sort of)! While you have always been able to contact me on the “Ask Kristen” tab on the Wisk Facebook page, I’m now making Facebook my permanent home.

I’ll continue to answer all your laundry and stain questions, provide tips and keep you updated with what’s new in laundry.

I’ll see you on Facebook.

To new beginnings!
Kristen

I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday! What I love about this time of year is how quiet it is. I feel like everyone is actually taking the time between the holidays and the New Year to just enjoy friends and family.  And, guess what? We all deserve it!

One way I want to encourage you all to relax is to enjoy the outdoors! Get outside for some fun in the snow (if you have snow near you), winter activities (paddle anyone?) or for a simple walk through the park or around town. This means you’ll be putting your outerwear to good use. In the spirit of the Laundry Line, I, of course, also have to share tips on how to approach and care for this particular section of your wardrobe.

Job one is weeding through your pile of mismatched gloves and mittens, and saying so long to ones that are missing their mates. For those that survive, check for wear and tear including ripped linings, missing buttons, holes in the thumb, etc.

Assess your anorak (and your top coat too). Most ‘puffer-like’ down-filled jackets are washable.  Check labels for specific washing instructions and make sure you use the right detergent.  Today’s front-loading High Efficiency (HE) machines are great for washing bulky winter wear; just make sure to use specially formulated HE detergent. Using a non-HE detergent in an HE machine can lead to oversudsing, which is both detrimental to your washer and can prevent your clothes from getting a full rinse.

Hats off – from baseball caps to knit caps to berets, all can benefit from a once over. Here’s a tip: put a soiled baseball cap on the top rack of your dishwasher (along with a full load of dishes) and wash as usual.  Voila, your cap will look as good as new.

Wash ‘n wear. Not sure what to wash and what to dry clean? Following is a good rule of thumb:  items made out of wool or silk should be dry cleaned (from coats to scarves). Items such as fleece jackets, vests or acrylic scarves are typically safe to wash.  Be sure to read the washing instructions, however, and wash in cold water.

Weather-proof it! Take time to weather proof your favorite pair of suede boots before you step outside.   Using a spray-on waterproof product specifically designed for suede or nubuck can help protect them from snow, slush, sand and salt.

Scarves and earmuffs are “musts” this time of year. Check wool or cashmere scarves for holes, snags or pulls. These should be dry cleaned at the beginning and end of every season.

Make sure you’re ready to face the elements – check zippers, buttons, toggles, etc.  If a zipper is broken, don’t despair. It’s often less expensive to have it fixed than invest in a new jacket. 

Hope you all get the chance to enjoy friends and family these next few days, and here’s to a wonderful 2011…see you next year!
Kristen

While the holidays are full of good cheer (and full houses!), it can be a little stressful for all those hosts and hostesses out there. For instance, I have a friend who welcomes her in-laws into her home for a few days every December and no matter how hard she tries, she just can’t completely relax. Now, that doesn’t mean she doesn’t love her in-laws, it simply means instead of getting lost in a magazine, she’s wondering if her guests are hungry. Or, instead of enjoying a decadent bubble bath, she’s trying to remember if she switched the guest towels.


From the decorations to the food to making sure everyone feels welcome, hosting friends and family is a lot of work! I hope, however, that all you Type-A hostesses take a minute to relax and enjoy the moment this holiday by keeping the following in mind:


Guests can take care of themselves. It’s true! Don’t feel bad if you pass up a movie or leave company alone to read a book. While you may feel the need to constantly entertain them, guests understand you have your own schedule to stick to. They probably even appreciate a bit of alone time in the midst of the holiday rush.


Get outside and get moving. My friend’s list of things to do around the house to ensure her guests are happy and cared for keeps her cooped up all day long. Get outside for some fresh air and to clear your head! Even better, try to coordinate with someone outside your home to swap holiday stories and memories.


Stock up before everyone arrives. Make sure you have all the necessary household essentials, such as dish soap and paper towel for the kitchen and shampoo/conditioner and toilet paper for the bathrooms. And, of course, laundry detergent for all those sheets, tablecloths, napkins, etc.! I have a friend who was slammed at home once and trying to squeeze in a load of laundry when she realized that she only had non-HE detergent for her new High Efficiency (HE) machine. Because she didn’t have time to run to the store, she went ahead and used it…a major laundry no-no! You must use HE detergent in an HE machine to ensure an optimal rinse for your clothes and to protect your washing machine from potential build-up in its gasket. But, don’t feel like you have to go overboard on the number of bottles you purchase – remember, more bubbles do not mean cleaner clothes so pay attention to the directions on the cap! An extra bottle should hold you over just fine.


And, finally, while you may plan ahead for weeks, remember that not everything has to be perfect. Here is where those Type-As need to listen up! Who cares if the weather prevented your plan of outdoor caroling and everyone is stuck inside. Or, if you ran out of coffee at breakfast. The hostess in all of us can fall victim to stressing out if not everything goes to plan, but it’s really the imperfect moments that make the memory. Plus, if you’re stressed I promise your guests notice. So, try and go with the flow just a little bit more this holiday.


What are your tips to stay stress-free when you’re hosting houseguests? I’d love to hear them!


I hope everyone has a very happy holiday – now, get off the computer and go have fun!

Cheers!

Kristen

The holidays are filled with family and friends, but nothing brings loved ones together like the arrival of a new baby. Yet, when I look at all the holiday gift guides out there, I find tons of ideas for adrenaline junky brothers-in-law, beauty-loving co-workers, golf-fanatic dads, etc. For some reason, ideas for first-time moms are few and far between. So I took matters into my own hands – I’ve hit the pavement to see what first-time moms are really looking for this holiday season.

It’s exciting being a first-time mom, but it can also be overwhelming. From what I can tell, everyone has an opinion on what moms MUST get, but it’s hard to prioritize what is really needed and what is a nice-to-have. To top it all off, some items aren’t so obvious. Sure, there is a gift registry, but what happens when all that’s left are bottles and you want to give something a little more snazzy? You’ll refer to the below, of course! I’ve compiled a short list of great gifts for first-time moms to make their lives a little bit easier once the baby arrives.

Gym Balance Ball. No, I’m not being insensitive and telling that new mom to start working on her core, I promise! I have a friend who swears by her old gym ball in keeping the little one bouncing, happy and, most important, quiet. She takes him in her arms, bounces up and down and he happily sleeps!

Sleep Sheep. Sometimes, you need to focus your time elsewhere and you can’t be bouncing on a gym ball for hours, can you? So, a lot of moms these days turn to their Sleep Sheep which produces four soothing sounds from Mother’s calming heartbeat to the gentle sounds of nature.

You! Sounds funny, but just offering your services to help can go a long way, whether its watching the baby while she gets a much-deserved mani/pedi or running to the grocery store. Something you can pick up is laundry detergent – and lots of it! There are few greater reliefs to a new mother than knowing that the hamper is empty and she won’t have to worry about running out of onesies tomorrow! Remember, most front loading machines are High Efficiency (HE) and there are a growing number of top loading HE machines as well. You must use HE detergent in an HE machine and because HE is ok to use in non-HE machines, it’s a safe bet!

New moms are often wondering where the day went and, even if they don’t ask, they sometimes need a little help and time off.

Have you been down this road before? Are there any gift ideas you want to tell us about, whether you’ve been the gifter or the giftee? We’d love to hear them!

Happy Shopping!

Kristen

We’re officially into December which means the holiday party season is upon us! Lucky for me, my friends and family love hosting get-togethers and I usually end up with my December weekends booked by mid-November. The parties, people and festivities are always great fun, but knowing what gift to give to the hostess is always a little tricky, not to mention stressful if you leave it to the last minute (ok, maybe I’m talking about myself).

In the past few years I’ve spent quite a few afternoons kicking myself for not picking up that perfect gift I saw last weekend or last month. I want to help you from suffering from my fate so I’m going to share with you a great list I found on Yahoo Shine – and everything is under $50! I’ve also pulled together a list of my tried and true ideas in hopes they save you in a bind. And the best part of my list, if I do say so myself, is that many of the ideas are items you can stock up on so you have them ready to go at a moment’s notice!

Kristen’s Top 5 Holiday Host & Hostess Gifts

- Gourmet coffee is a great gift idea that your fun-loving hosts can enjoy immediately the morning after the party and is typically an item they won’t purchase for themselves. La Colombe, a local New York brand served at all of John-Georges Vongerichten’s restaurants, is one I’ve used in the past.

- This one might seem a little random, but giving peanut butter from Peanut Butter & Co has had my mom friends (and their kids!) absolutely raving. Make sure you go decadent with Cinnamon Raisin Swirl or Dark Chocolate Dreams. Yum!

- I’m sure a lot of my Laundry Line readers out there have visited Etsy on occasion and if you haven’t, you should head over there stat! In particular, look up Aprons 2 Tie 4 – they have the cutest retro-style aprons that are perfect for a hostess who wants to look put-together if she’s still putting the finishing touches on dinner as guests start to arrive.

- I love a good boardgame and I think lots of other people do too, however, we’re always so “connected” to our phones, blackberries, etc. that we forget to sit down and play! So, encourage your hosts to tap their inner youth with a round of Clue or, my personal favorite, Scrabble.

- Bring Champagne! A lot of people don't think to buy it for themselves, saving it for "special occasions.” Just go ahead and buy a case (it's like getting two bottles free) and keep it on hand so you have it ready to go for a last minute gift.

Do you have any hostess gifts you always count on? I’d love to hear them!

Cheers!

Kristen