I’ve blogged here before, in various and sundry ways, about how I “collect” or “hoard” various household items. I blogged here recently about toilet paper and how I buy the really large packs at our warehouse club (Sam’s Club, no Costco here), because I really don’t want to run out. I see no need to run out of something I use on a daily basis. However, I can run down to Walmart and get toilet paper or paper towels if I need it. Unfortunately, this is not the case with everything that I use on a regular basis.
One thing I am really a packrat about is detergent:
That’s because I can’t just use any detergent in my new hE washer. I need and want to use the specially formatted hE detergent for front-loading washing machine. And get this – my Walmart and Kroger don’t carry the brand I like (in fact, Walmart only carries Tide, and I don’t like Tide detergent, at all). I can only find it at Target, and sometimes they don’t have it on the shelves. So, I tend to buy it when I find it and store it in my cabinet over the washing machine. I start to break out in hives and develop strange ticks if I am down to one or even two bottles. See, Tim has sensitive skin, and I’ve been using this All brand detergent, the Free and Clear one, for years. If I switch to anything else, his arms will break out into a mass of tiny red bumps. It’s the weirdest thing. He can tell if I use something else. So, I use the All Free and Clear – when I can find it. It’s hard to find here in the hE, and my big, huge, never-ending fear is that All is going to stop manufacturing it. They used to make it in a regular bottle, but now they only make it in their Small and Mighty bottle. I don’t know what I will do if they stop making it in the hE formula altogether. I can barely find it here, as it is. Sigh. So, when I do find it, I buy it. And hoard it.
So, we could go two ways with this, as in a Question of the Day. Your pick. We can ask the Question of the Day: What brand of detergent do you use and buy? Do you keep plenty on hand or do you just buy it as you need it. Or, we can go in a complete different direction and ask this Question of the Day – is there a product or item you really like and use, but you have a really hard time finding it where you live? So, when you do find it, you really stock up and hoard it like crazy?
Leave me a comment and let me know!
[…] I just posted this photo, complete with a blog story and “question of the day” over at my regular blog (here). Hop on over and answer the question if you’d like to play along. Otherwise, enjoy this photo of my “collection” of hE laundry detergent […]
I’m old-fashioned (and cheap) and I don’t like HE washers, & esp. not the fact that they make you use special–and expensive–detergents. So I have a good old regular washer and I use what our GE washer guy told me was the best detergent out there: Arm & Hammer Fabricare. I already knew it was true because I’ve never had a detergent work so well, AND it’s one of the least expensive brands! I love it and have been using it for years. I buy one box at a time. When it starts getting low, I buy a new one.
If I were you & in your situation, I would totally be hoarding that stuff, too! And I’d be scared they’d discontinue it, because that always seems to happen to me. I hope they don’t; hopefully they won’t because there are lots of people out there who HAVE to use allergen-free detergents.
Well this is funny and something I’ve actually been thinking about. I’ve used Arm & Hammer powdered detergent for years and suddenly it’s harder and harder to find – everything’s liquid. I have 2 on my shelf right now but am tempted to buy up the store. I mentally calculate how long what I have will last me! I should get through a year with what I have right now. But i can definitely relate to your fear. COmpanies have no idea the havoc they wreak by changing and pulling product lines on us!
You remind me of Matt’s sister (Jane Ann) she has the he washer and is a hoarder… of laundry detergent, tp, bath and body stuff etc. I recently found her stash of hoarded first aid supplies… like thousands of bandaids. She has no children, not sure why she has all those bandaids. 🙂
For me it is tide with downy.
I buy a box when I buy groceries. It’s not too hard to find but I am irritated when I accidentally pick up the wrong scent rather than april fresh… Sometimes I will buy extra if I see a lot of laundry in my future (like after camp)… but, as it is I do about 4 loads a day.
Oh, I always have at least one extra bottle. And I use the All Free and Clear too!! I also noticed your Clorox Color Bleach and Spray and Wash. I use those too! Great minds…I am telling you. Oh and I am a little behind on reading but THANK YOU for thinking I “rock”! You do too!
I use Gain detergent. I like the way it makes my clothes smell. I am thankful not to have the sensitive skin issue. However, my sister has that same issue and uses that same detergent you use. I have seen her buy it in what looks like 5 gallon containers!
I’m like you about the toilet paper thing. I buy the 24 pack rolls 2 at a time. There is only 2 of us in the house :-). I use Tide, I use to use Gain but hubs has an allergy to it. So I’m a Tide gal :-). I buy the huge thing of it because it’s cheaper for me to get it from Sam’s. I buy Downy fabric softner the same way.
Have a great day!
I use powder Tide. I buy it in the biggest box possible at Sam’s club every other month. I’m usually not out, but I like to have a few boxes on reserve. Currently they have boxes with 50% more free (same price as boxes without this label) so I have been buying a box every 2 weeks…so when these 50% boxes disappear from Sam’s, I will have a stockpile and won’t have to buy any for a while:-)
I used Purex, and I try to buy it in the grossly huge, difficult to carry bottle (a gazillion gallons, or something like that!). It’s not a difficult brand to find (it’s made by Dial/Viad or whatever their name is now, and they’re based here in town), but it’s difficult to find the size I want except at Target. Sometimes I use smaller jugs when I’m low on soap and funds to buy them. Then it can become a challenge to find what I want because that’s when the grocery store runs a sale on it, and other shoppers get there first and stock up on them!
I use All Clear laundry soap that I get at Costco since it is cheaper there than at the grocery store, we buy two when we are there, same with liquid fabric softener, and toilet paper and paper towels, all things that we use a lot. Also dishwasher detergent, we buy in bulk. Egads, does that sound bad?
As far as laundry soap goes I usually will just buy whatever is on sale. I don’t usually don’t “hoard” up on anything but chocolate…hehe But I do make sure there’s always plenty of TP in the bathrooms. I have this fear of someone coming over and we’re out so that I will stock up on….
I use All Free and Clear, too, but I had no idea there was a hE thing going on in the washer/dryer/detergent world. I buy the big jug, and try to keep a couple on hand. I don’t stockpile that stuff.
The second series of the Baxter family by KK is just as good. You do need to read them.
I’m sorry you are missing the rain–I really am!! Maybe TODAY is your day. We are not getting it here.
I just had to come to you….oh my goodness…IT’S RAINNING OVER HERE!!!! Yippie yeah liquid falling from the sky! I hope it’s rainning you way and at my house….Please let it be rainning there too! Lakeland Drive is getting RAIN!!!!
I like to mix it up a bit. I hardly ever buy the same detergent back to back. I do always keep a bottle of something Free and Clear for Sadie, though.
I use Tide HE or Wisk HE. I never really have any trouble finding HE around here. I also like Arm and Hammer HE a lot. I think that it doesn’t have very many fragrances or anythign that would cause a breakout.
I usually only have 2 bottles on hand.
I don’t think I hoard anything specifically. I just try to have an extra or two of everything on hand. So general hoarding is my game!
I tend not to hoard simply because my budget does not allow for it. If I hoard up on one thing other things need to be bumped off the list. Right now, I really like the mandarin/lime laundry detergent simply for the smell. They have a matching fabric softener but the softener tends to be more expensive than the other brands, so if I see that on sale, I will buy a couple of those.
Stacy,
It is this one:
http://www.cuisinart.com/catalog/product.php?product_id=295&item_id=397&cat_id=341
Yes it is expensive. Yes the grates come off for easy washing. When you first use it the grates smell, but it is the most useful thing in the world. We found it for less than $100 at Costco. Look on EBay, they might have a good deal on it, I have seen it on Amazon too. It has been the best thing that we have ever purchased!
And we like the floating hinge and the temperature control features are awesome!
Stacy~
Yes, I made a few slight changes to the Honey Chicken Stir-Fry ( from Allrecipes). I added lots of minced garlic. I also added a few tbsp. extra honey (I like things sweet). Rather than frozen veggies I used fresh green peppers, onions, and frozen broccoli. Oh, and I doubled the sauce. :o)
The only thing I hoard is Snickers Dark Chocolate Candy Bars. I have no problem finding places to buy them, which actually IS a problem. I hide them in my bedroom (can’t be any more specific) so the kids don’t eat them.
I get my detergent, color-safe bleach and fabric softener at BJ’s. I usually get whichever jug is cheapest. I always have at least 2 huge jugs of everything at all times. Dom gets me Clorox gallons, 3 or 4 at a time, usually at the dollar store.
I hoard everything! There are certain food items that I can only get at certain stores, so when I’m there I buy as many as I can. Remember all the Little Sizzlers in my freezer???
It seems whenever I really like something, it gets discontinued. So now, I don’t ever say out loud that I like something – some corporate bigwig might be listening and decide to get rid of it.
Lately I’ve been using Tide and Downy — but here’s why.
CVS puts them on sale and then offers “bucks” back on it and P&G sends out coupons, so I get the “good stuff” for cheap! I generally have about 4 on hand.
Sherry
ps I really love the lavendar-vanilla scented stuff!
I’m not really brand loyal to much, but laundry detergent happens to be one of those few things. I buy Method. And it’s hard to find around here. In fact, Target happens to be the one place I can (usually) get it.
I use the All Free & Clear too. I found it the first time at Walgreens, and I love it…maybe you should check there?
I don’t hoard anything out of fear they’ll discontinue it, but I usually stock up on toilet paper big-time so we won’t ever run out. I think that right now there are at least 24 rolls in this house 🙂
Too funny! I’m a crazy person and I stock up. I do use Tide though. It’s the only HE that my grocery store carries. I like Tide but it’s expensive.
What’s funny is my neighbor emailed me last week about running out of detergent and I thought, HOW COULD YOU RUN OUT? But I didn’t say it. I gently told her to go and see my husband and he’d give her a bottle. She laughed at me for having a couple on hand. She has 3 young boys and two dogs. I don’t understand why she doesn’t have a backup. It’s our personalities. She is carefree and I guess I’m not! LOL
I also stock up on pickles, mayo, mustard, ketchup, mascara, concealer, shampoo, hairspray, toilet paper, obviously stamping and scrapping supplies!! There are things you just must have a back up for!! LOL
We always buy detergent and other cleaning agents every month. Sometimes we don’t finish a bottle or pack but we still buy the following month so the stock accumulates. One time, I was surprised when I checked the laundry cabinet outside full to the max.
I am smiling at this post! I HOARD laundry soap myself. I am a fan of Arm and Hammer and have about 22 bottles on the shelf next to my washer. I buy a couple whenever it goes on sale 🙂 I’m afraid I’m not as good on the fabric softener front. I only have 14 bottles of the store brand.
take care,
Dawn
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