How I made one small change that had a huge impact.
I have six kids, and we live on a large property with wanna-be farm aspirations. To be frank, we get down and dirty. A lot.
(And all the mamas with four boys were ALREADY saying, “Amen!”)
When my kids were really little, I just got the jobs done around the house, mostly on auto-pilot, mostly sleep-deprived, and didn’t think too much of it.
As they grew, and as the movement for grassroots, organic, and all things promoting chemical and preservative awareness grew, I became more aware.
Aware of chemicals in our every day life. Aware of preservatives in the foods we eat. Aware of local resourcing and the impact on our environment.
At first, I got overwhelmed. I didn’t have the brain space available to change the world, and I thought that organic and fresh were adjectives that only belonged to an elite group of people that had money and no children.
Over time, I just looked for ways to change ONE thing as I could; just one. Not ten, not all, not one I couldn’t afford, but just one in the hopes that trying it out and seeing it through and figuring out how it works for our family would get us to a better place in life.
That kind of thinking works.
I read a blog post around that time explaining the issue with laundry dryer sheets, and how they are made with many chemicals. Those sheets and chemicals were getting tossed in our laundry, and those clothes were making direct contact on our skin.
I had been using dryer sheets for years, and I thought I had earned a gold star for my penny-pinching capability of cutting the sheets in two to get them to last longer. To think I was adding more chemicals in to my family mix was not sitting well with me. But fresh-smelling laundry is one of the great joys of life, so going without was not an option. (If you think I’m being dramatic, ask yourself how you feel when your laundry smells bad… 😉 )
So what could I do?
I started researching other options and finally came up with woolen dryer balls. They are not only organic and chemical-free, but the motion of tossing them in the dryer with your other clothes makes the dryer more efficient and your clothes dry faster with less wrinkles.
So what about the smell?
Every woman who has ever done laundry knows that once she’s put all the effort in to cleaning those clothes, they had BETTER be smelling good!
I have been playing around with essential oils for years now, and really enjoy the effects and benefits they offer. I could never be classified as “crunchy” because I need too many fast-and-furious options to get things done around here, but I love learning more and am always open to hearing the latest in science and health.
I am a Young Living member, and I LOVE the company and the quality they carry. They are my favorite for marketing and transparency on their grassroots processes… but not quite on their price tag.
Now I realize that you are PAYING for quality, and there IS a price to pay for the measures they take to ensure purity and organic products, truly I get that. But sometimes that price tag directly conflicts with my wallet, and sometimes I need to find another option that does not sacrifice quality but still serves my family well.
For those times, I love to use Rocky Mountain Oils. They are 100% pure, full of advice on blends and benefits, and free shipping on orders over $25! The more I use them, the more I love them. Shipping is fast, customer service is great, and knowing I’m getting an amazing product for so much less than other companies is super satisfying.
Now, right, wrong or indifferent, I feel like HOW you are using the oils plays a major factor in which ones you want to buy. In other words, I’m not putting an Amazon or Walmart type of oil directly on my skin, even with a carrier oil when recommended. I’m also probably not going to put it in the bathtub when I want to soak, either. But if I’m only diffusing it in an open-air room, I feel like that is totally safe and warranted.
And that’s how I feel about the dryer balls.
So for YEARS now, I have ordered this lemon oil from Amazon, and all I do is put a few drops on a couple dryer balls as I toss them into the dryer.
It works SO well!
The few times I have run out of the lemon, I just grabbed lavendar or something similar, and it worked amazingly, just the same.
I still have the same set of dryer balls I originally bought years ago. A few have rolled away and hidden in dark places I haven’t found yet, but since I only need a couple in each load, I’m not ordering a new set… yet.
So if you are looking for one small, easy way to change your world for your family for the better, order these dryer balls and try the lemon oil with it! I’m sure you’ll be surprised by how well it works… and if you never have to pick a dryer sheet out of the lint catcher or from under your bed again… bonus!
Oh, and one extra little tip: if you struggle with static and cling issues, all you have to do is take a safety pin and stick it through your dryer balls and leave it pinned as they toss with your clothes. I used to do that in the beginning, but some of the pins fell out and I never ended up with a static issue, so I never ended up replacing them.
Happy, Healthy Laundry, Friends!
And if you want to see my recent dreamy Laundry Room DIY renovation, click here.
Disclaimer: any of the clickthroughs you find on my pages are links to products that I have used and love and trust. I may make a small commission on anything you purchase on the other side of the link, so please know it will go to fund my crazy projects, wild ideas and writing habits. It will not cost anything extra for you. Thank you for your love and support!
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