Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Shopping for Domestic Success


I’m in a bit of a tricky situation – we’re moving to our new house in a few weeks, and of course I want to decorate each room, plus get new bedding, bath and kitchen supplies. But we also have a wedding coming up in just under a year, which means gift registration is right around the corner.

What to do? Buy new stuff now? Or get by for a few months and save it for the registry? Anybody else been in this same boat?

I decided to get the towels now – they seemed essential for practicing good hygiene – so I picked them up at a JR Outlet Store in North Carolina.

There was a huge selection of colors and they felt like good quality towels, so I settled on a dark green and gold color combo. I decided we needed a few towels in every size from the extra large bath sheets right down to the washcloths. I even tossed a few decorative towels in for good measure.

I love a good deal, so I was pleased to discover the towels at JR cost less than same sized towels at Walmart, Target and Bed, Bath & Beyond (even if you use the 20% coupons).

Thinking they’re cheaper because they’re lesser quality? You’re not the only one.

When I told my mom about my new towel purchase, she asked if I checked to make sure they were 100% cotton. No, I didn’t check. Does it really matter? They felt nice.

Apparently it does matter. If the towels have rayon or silk in them, they stop absorbing water after the first time through the washing machine. Who knew?

Fortunately, I snuck by with a win this time. Our new towels are 100% cotton!

And for my second success in one week, turns out I’m an expert towel folder.

Anybody ever watch “Step by Step” (the ‘90s version of “The Brady Bunch”)? I kept thinking of this one episode where Carol Lambert (Suzanne Somers) is teaching the kids how to fold the towels so they have all smooth edges. Who knew the cheesy TV I grew up with – and I’ll admit, loved – would actually be useful in my adult life.

Check out the clip – the towel folding scene is about 1 minute into it.

4 comments:

  1. Love that you're posting! And two in one day? Fabulous. Enjoyed your YouTube clip, too. My mom is a crazy lady when it comes to folding towels correctly. You should follow some of the wedding planning blogs that I follow!

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  2. Oh Carol Lambert, she continues to guide my life on a day-to-day basis. She folds towels and has volumous hair! She's a saint.

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  3. Now that you have learned to purchase towels that are cotton you need to learn about sheets. You will be glad the towels are cotton. The ones with polyester do not even dry soft!!
    Remember thread count...the higher the thread count the better the sheet. They will wash and dry better, wear better and feel better.

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  4. Wait for the registry. Why buy what you need? People are going to buy them for you. Wait it out. :P

    Another small tip. Paint now! If you move in with plans to paint in a month or two ... you'll never get it done. Paint before all your stuff is in place.

    I've bought towels from Target. Try Big Lots too. Both have great deals!

    If you're looking for a color that happens to tie into a season, look for after season sales (like Christmas). I was looking for green towels (just because I like green), and found a bunch of green wash clothes at target dirt cheap. They didn't have any design on them ... they were just green.

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