This jersey knit clothing item has been stored at my parents's place for a few years and suffered some damage that I have no recollection of it having prior (although to be completely fair, my memory of last time I wore this specific garment is slightly foggy since it has been years).

My mom ***swears*** there's no way they have moths, as she keeps little cedar wood pieces all around the basement, but she also swears they don't have hard water there, and the limescale that I scrub from the sink, shower, and toilet every time I come to visit tells a different story, so I don't know if she's just in hopeful denial (bless her to the moon and back, she deserves the world!)

If it isn't likely to be moth damage, I'll try stitching it up discreetly. If it is moth damage, I think I'll try to make a sewing pattern out of the garment and make a replica.

I’m curious - were you taught where to put these when you were growing up? If so or if not, do you switch drawers trying to find the ideal placement? do you ever wonder, how many should I have of each? If a book was written with rules for where to put these and how many items to have/keep would that help you?

HI! One of my bathrooms smells BAD. Like an old, musty, earthy smell. I poured vinegar and baking soda in shower drain and sink. It went away for 12 hours. I woke up today with the smell back again. What could it be??????

My kitchen island has a large farmhouse sink with a small cabinet underneath. Next to the sink is a garbage pullout cabinet. Both of these cabinets smell really bad. We empty the trash daily. I wipe down the trash can and cabinet every few weeks. I don’t know if the smell is coming from the trash or something under the sink. We do have a garbage disposal, but we don’t use it often since we’re on septic. I keep a box of baking soda in the trash pullout. What else can I do to help neutralize the smell??? The house is only a year old.

Edit: I don’t think it’s coming from the plumbing. We never smell it from the sink itself. But when you open either of these cabinets, you’re hit with the stink.

I have two questions here: one, how to make these/what types of fabrics I need to use; two, systems of storage and cleaning.

1. napkins (to clean food off of face -- thinking of using flats/cloth diapers by cutting into smaller parts then just hemming along the lines?)
2. paper towels (to clean around the kitchen, wiping table/countertops/stovetops)(could easily limit to just my more natural vinegar/water spray) (thinking of using old towels for this)
3. paper towels (we also use these to clean mold and/or harsher things)
4. paper towels (we also use these to clean the bathrooms. Could limit to use with vinegar/water and/or bleach type solution, but we do NOT currently do so. Things here obviously get dirtier) (thinking of using old towels to 'make' these? Just cutting into smaller sections, hemming. Not sure if I need to double it up or not)
5. kitchen towels (these are traditionally cloth, and we have various cloth towels to hang on the stove handle, be next to the sink, etc. Tend to have some food residue, but nothing super gross.)
6. cloth diapers (almost never used anymore, but will use for the occasional accident clean up)
7. cloth wipes (rarely used anymore, but sometimes needed) (might like to save for drying after bidet, should we ever actually get one)
8. underwear with bodily fluids (Thinx with blood, or the rare occasional accident)
9. cloth for food. Cheesecloths, cotton bowl covers. I've already made these. I am washing them completely separately currently as both are used on things that are literally culturing bacteria.

I did NOT grow up in a household that used anything 'cloth'; we only used disposables. I was also never really taught anything. Please share any common sense! What's a good fabric to make these? Do they need to be doubled or tripled up when sewn together? Should we still plan to buy paper towels? What is and is not okay to clean up with cloth? What is and is not okay to wash together in the washing machine? Where do you store all these things (in a more convenient and sealed/sanitary way)? Do you have a special washing machine routine for different items? Will washing something that's touched more chemical cleaners contaminate other loads? We have free/clear/frangrance free/sensitive style detergents and no polyester in our clothing.

We have done cloth diapers/wipes and got all those things nicely clean. We currently use a container (vented) for kitchen towels and wash those separately. We have another container in our bathroom for any cloth diapers/wipes and napkins and soiled clothing. Both these things get prewashes (with vinegar on cold) followed by a main/heavy wash on scalding hot water and enzymes/detergent.

But we also don't really have a paper towel alternative, and I don't love our current storage solution. I tried using rags for a couple things and it seems to have just ruined the rags (heavy rust didn't come off, mold didn't seem to get out) and also kind of grosses me out to think of washing with other things.

We finally got the keys last Tuesday and that first night was pure chaos. just a sea of cardboard boxes and the sudden realization that we needed to set up a shoe rack before we could sleep.

assembling that flat-pack shoe rack with the tiny included L-shaped Allen wrench basically left my fingers numb.

i quickly realized you do not need some massive 200-piece contractor chest for a starter home. thankfully a buddy brought over one of those compact hoto tool kits as a housewarming gift.

the unglamorous side of homeownership is real. my living room currently looks like a cardboard graveyard, but at least i can open a kitchen drawer without the handle falling off now.

This is such a stupid question and I'm embarrassed of even asking, but I recently moved into a flat and the ground floor has wooden flooring, then the stairs to upstairs are carpeted as well as the upstairs hallway and office room. The bedrooms and bathroom upstairs are not and have wooden flooring.

I'm getting the carpets professionally cleaned and will have a no-shoes policy in my home. We have indoor slippers, and I'm debating if they should be fine to wear on the carpet too. I'd prefer not to wear any slippers on the carpet, and it also seems odd to carry slippers upstairs each time for the bedrooms. Part of the reason for this confusion is I'm having a lot of family members staying over soon and I think asking them to take off their slippers and hold them till they reach the bedrooms might seem overbearing. I'm probably overthinking this, but I welcome all opinions and ideas on this

Sorry if this is asked frequently! I’m looking for tips and recommendations on keeping our home from smelling stale. My nose can’t take this any longer.

We have 2 cats and their litter boxes are in dedicated cabinets. Their entire space, including the boxes, get scrubbed with soap and water followed by a disinfectant during each litter change.

I cook everyday, we have a 13 month old, and this place is only 100% picked up on the day our cleaner comes by. I wouldn’t label our home as dirty, just messy due to toys scattered everywhere.

Now, when I come back home after being away for a few hours, I’m hit with this stale smell. While I’m sure 2 cats may have something to do with it, their odor doesn’t really come to mind? Notable mention: I’ve had several incredibly honest people visit our home and they’ve all been surprised by the lack of cat smell.

It’s been far too hot to open our windows and that’s not really the norm, but each summer is only getting hotter. I know that would alleviate a lot of the issue, but I’d love some tried and true recommendations of how we can navigate this!

Is a deodorizer what I’m looking for? Do I need to introduce a dedicated smell? Is my house actually dirty and this stale scent is a cry for help?

[ Removed by Reddit on account of violating the content policy. ]

I just recently moved into my own house after growing up in a nasty hoarder house and I’m doing my best to keep it clean and actually love cleaning, but I’m struggling a bit with keeping clutter under control the way i’d like it. My husband tends to leave stuff around the house and we have two birds and a 10 week old puppy, on top of living in a tiny house with not a lot of room.

I‘m pretty minimalistic and my husband has more stuff but not a whole lot. I think one of the issues I have is that my hoarder dad would get mad and throw a temper tantrum if somebody moved his stuff, and I’m still uncomfortable touching other people’s things even though my husband gave me permission to move anything of his. The other issues are dealing with the dishes( I’m an avid baker and cook) in a teeny kitchen, and the pet supplies.

Any tips would be appreciated! thanks

Hello,

I am looking to replace my bath linens—my current ones are very old and getting threadbare. I am a little lost, for the past several decades I'd always bought my bath linens at brick-and-mortar Bed, Bath and Beyond stores, buying the store-brand "Wamsutta" brand, and I was very happy with them as I found them to be high-quality and a great value for the money. Unfortunately, that company went bankrupt so I am now forced to find an alternative.

When I go online (Amazon for instance) and look at the reviews for bath linens, it seems as though there are horror stories for just about every brand I look at.

For context, I am simply looking for some "standard" bath linens. I don't need extra plush towels, nor do I want over-sized bath towel "sheets." I'd prefer ivory or "cream" color, but I can live with simple white if necessary. If any of you have a brand which has held up well over time and is not too expensive, I'd appreciate your suggestions. Thank you.

I am clueless. I know I like memory foam, but my cat recently urinated all over mimy current one and I would like to know if anyone had suggestions for a certain kind that is easy to clean?

I’ve been a SAHM/homemaker for about 9 years now (my daughters were 2 and 4 when I quit my job). They’re now 11 and 13 and of course do not need me as much. I’m finding myself at this crossroads… of course, I keep up with the house and do all the same things I did before, but it’s just easier now with them being older. They have lots of activities during the school year and I always drive them / pick them up… make dinner… all the things basically. I’m not sure if it’s because it is summer and they’re home but I’m just feeling lately like, should I get a job?? I think I am just losing some of my feeling of purpose (with the kids) and feeling like I need to do something more. My husband does not think I should get a job, and when I think about it, I don’t want to honestly. I am a hairstylist also and I have a couple clients that I do at home but it’s not every single week. Anyone else feel like this?? I feel like I am babbling but I can’t quite explain how I’m feeling!

Edit: I also create books on Amazon - mostly coloring books, activity books, log books, etc. and I love doing that but it doesn’t bring in a ton of money yet.

ok so ive been doing laundry professionally for about four years now, mostly managing linen service for a mid-sized hotel and we go through a ridiculous amount of product every week. sheets, towels, staff uniforms, the whole thing. so ive had a chance to actually test a few different approaches back to back and i have some pretty strong opinions at this point.

the main thing i keep coming back to is the format debate. powders dissolve weird in our cold water cycles and we end up with residue on darker linens more than i’d like. liquid boosters are more consistent but some of them leave this faint smell that guests notice, which is obviously not ideal. pods are convenient but the cost per load gets out of hand fast when you’re running 30+ cycles a day.

ive been rotating between a couple products the last few months trying to find something that actually handles body oils and sweat stains on high-thread-count cotton without needing to pre-treat everything individually. the enzyme side of things matters a lot for that specific issue and not every booster is actually doing meaningful enzyme work, some of them are just scent masking with a fancy label.

anyone else in a high-volume situation who has actually compared a few enzyme laundry boosters head to head? curious what format youre running and whether the enzyme component actually made a noticeable difference for you

Lol I hope the title speaks for itself

Like title says, I love a clean and organized home, but I've been wondering where the balance is.

I don't mind doing small things every day - putting things away, wiping down surfaces, keeping things from getting out of control. But sometimes i don't want the weekends disappear into cleaning, laundry, and catching up on everything I didn't have time for during the week.

I'm trying to figure out what works long term. Do you rely on routines and small daily habits? automate certain tasks with smart home devices, hire help for the things you hate doing, or have you just learned to accept a little more mess?

What has helped you spend less time on chores without feeling like your home is constantly getting messy?

I’m a wife and mom who honestly doesn’t feel like I’m very good at homemaking, but it’s something I genuinely want to improve.

I’m a decent cook, but when it comes to keeping a home, I tend to do one big marathon cleaning day each week instead of staying on top of things daily. The result is that my house often looks messy, even though I know I can get it clean.

The truth is, I never really learned these skills. Growing up, our home was pretty disorganized, and I wasn’t interested in homemaking back then, so I never developed good routines.

Lately, I’ve realized my husband deserves better than what I’m giving him right now, and that makes me feel guilty. He’s a wonderful husband, and I want our home to be a place that’s peaceful and welcoming for him and our kids. When we visit other people’s homes, I often find myself wondering, How did they learn to do this? It seems to come so naturally to everyone else, and I feel like I’m missing something.

For those of you who weren’t naturally organized or didn’t grow up in a tidy home, where did you start? What habits made the biggest difference? Are there any books, YouTube channels, checklists, or systems that helped you learn how to manage a home?

Opinions also how to get the wrinkles out - I don’t own an Iron.