Minimalist Challenge

[mmhmm]

omg i have to move out by this week. i'm still on this.
i'm only bringing stuff i need to my new place. i'll post
pics of my containers when i'm at my new place.

i really really love trying to categorize stuff, it makes
me understand what sort of items i own and what
proper storage i'll need. makes me see where the
messes happen.

i think i'm so messy because i don't have a place
for everything! i just throw shit around!

aaaand my new place has a walkin closet that's
about 60% SMALLER than the place i'm moving
out, so i've finally made my self go through, every
single piece of clothing item. i think my trouble
has always been i just like to do things fast and
get it over with. in the past i would have dumped
my entire drawer into a container. but now.
piece by piece.

omg i have so many underwear and bras i have
to throw out!

this is my current place in the living room i took this a few days ago:
i only ended up keeping a handful of items in that pile o'mess. the
rest i put it in boxes .. in categories!!! and donating it to a charity.

before

after

 

[kyuuei]

Those pictures rock [MENTION=10491]mmhmm[/MENTION] !! Yeah nothing motivates you to downsize like moving to a smaller place. The before picture looks like Jock's been living there for a week.

 

[mmhmm]

so i found this amazing charity that uses donations
to fund start ups for a slum community in bangkok.

and i bit the bullet and donated everything i didn't
'need' for my move to my new place. i just had
to close my eyes and tell them "just go take it
take everything". all my stuff filled the hallways
of the service entrance. (though i had to go digging
through one box, because i hadn't gone through
it yet, and omg, all my vintage cartier was in there.
whew.)

thought jock asks why can't i just sell my vintage
stuff, it just has to do with finding the right buyer
who'll pay the right prices.

foto:

and i've condensed everything i own into 15 boxes.
feels SO good. [MENTION=4939]kyuuei[/MENTION] omg love love this challenge.

i'm unpacking now, and i think i will also carefully
do through things while i unpack to make sure everything
has a proper place, and if not, i'll get rid of it too.

 

[Usehername]

That's really impressive, [MENTION=10491]mmhmm[/MENTION]! It must feel liberating to not have so many things owning your physical space and your attention.

 

[mmhmm]

That's really impressive, [MENTION=10491]mmhmm[/MENTION]! It must feel liberating to not have so many things owning your physical space and your attention.

oh my goodness, yes! sooo liberating, while cleaning things out
i found my school backpacks that i used in 7th grade! and i was
in 7th grade 20 years ago!

 

[kyuuei]

Absolutely delightful!! I love the photos too! I'll be posting a massive amount of photos once I return home since we'll also be moving to a smaller house, although a better designed one by far.. and I won't be taking even half of the stuff we currently have with us.. More like a quarter.

Go [MENTION=10491]mmhmm[/MENTION] !!

As for me.. I'll continue to write up the weeks, and when I get back to Djibouti I'll narrow things down further, and when I get home.. this challenge is going to be a huge undertaking since I'll be doing it for two people instead of myself.

I wrote up the wardrobe lists though for my parents.. My mother has 100 articles of clothing, and my father has 75, and 25 articles each of storage clothes if they need 'new' clothing for any reason, bagged and sealed and all of it fitting into a single closet instead of having drawers and cabinetry everywhere. More than enough for the both of them too, they're simple people those two. My mother's getting a whole new wardrobe when I return home, with clothes that fit for a change.

 

[kyuuei]

Thought I forgot about this, didn't yall! Hah!

Week 5: Food, Laundry and cleaners.. a catch-all week really.

This is a good week to go through several smaller categories and clean them out to make them more functional with the shape the rest of the house is coming into lately!

People usually stockpile one of these three categories.. Maybe you're good about using up the food you buy, and only keep on hand the necessary staples, but chances are the laundry room is used for things besides laundry.. or under the sinks and the linen closet is stuffed full of old cleaning supplies you never use.

For food, it is pretty simple. Pull it out, decide what you eat, and throw out old stuff or things that cannot be donated. Re-organize staples or things you have multiple packages of.. Large containers that seal off sugar and flour better seem old fashioned, but they work and keep the things you use less of fresh for longer. Make spaces in your cabinetry for particular foods. Freezers are another culprit where people tend to stock-pile food. If you write on a note taped to the door of the freezer what is in there, you'll quickly notice if you have too much. If you think you need something from the store, you can check it first.

You could go full-blown kitchen minimalism and toss out gadgets you never use or have replaced with better ones.

For laundry.. if you use it for storage as well, it should be stowed away carefully and efficiently so it is not in the way (a few boxes on the top shelf). Usually the laundry is not the problem, it is the clothes (hopefully fixed from the closet week!) and the storage (also hopefully fixed by now!) that make it seem heavier.

Cleaners? Shouldn't take more than a few moments. If you use it, keep it. If you haven't touched it in a while, toss it out. Maybe organize it in a basket so you can carry them all anywhere you go, and then they won't be so scattered.

It's a particularly easy week if you don't clean out the whole kitchen and keep your food nice and neat .. Though, we've never been nice and neat with food. That'd be a week's project in and of itself. Hah!

 

[kyuuei]

Week 6: Paperwork!

With everything going digital, its really possible to not have a mountain of paperwork piling up everywhere. But we do anyways. Here's how you get rid of it.

1. Stop it from coming into the door. This can be as simple as signing up for paperless billing and bank statements, signing up for do-not-mail lists, and minimizing the amount of catalogs you receive in the mail if you can just as easily view them online. An e-reader will replace dozens of books and magazines and those magazines are safe in the cloud when you aren't using/reading them. Usually they are cheaper too! Neat (a brand of hard and soft ware for paper organizing) is coming out with a mobile software so you can take pictures of receipts, save them, and toss them immediately.

2. Scan and print to PDF. Scanning documents and saving them is so much easier. Search inquiries can be made, folders to organize them, and a catch-all folder to 'sort later' is SO much faster than going through stacks of paper documents.

3. Protect the important stuff. Some things you just NEED to have in paper. In which case, I don't think a filing cabinet is sufficient protection. A small document locker that's fireproof and waterproof keeps your valuable documents safe and secure. A plastic crate-like box made for hanging files can keep some convenience documents and documents-to-scan at the ready. Neat scanners have a "to label" section so you can scan a document and deal with filing it digitally later. Saving to the cloud also means protecting from computer crashes.

4. Don't create a to-do pile. Piling up papers means youll NEVER get to them until you roll your eyes. If it is a bill, open it and set it out on the desk right then and there. If it is something to reply to, same thing. If it is junk, toss it immediately. If you create a mail pile, and a to-do pile without ever giving each piece some attention you'll miss bills, let it stack up, and then roll your eyes and shove it all in a box.

5. Pile everything together. There should be a small space for papers that are valid and necessary to keep, a lock box of important documents, and hopefully a scanner of some sort. Put it to use, and take the time to scan, print to PDF, and organize your life! Shred documents with your information on them, and enjoy how lovely everything is when paper isn't cluttering your home.

 

[kyuuei]

Week 7: Junk Drawers.

We all have them. It doesn't matter if you lived in a room or a mansion... There's stuff. Lots of stuff. Tiny stuffs. They don't have a home, or direction, but you NEED them, I think... sometimes.. and so you go, "Hey! Im not utilizing this drawer! Im going to shove it all in there!" Sooner or later that drawer is overflowing, and you slam it shut and maybe even consider just dumping the whole thing into a trash can and pretending nothing happened.

The thing about curing junk drawers is having a place for everything. If you need to set up a small mail-catch area at the front door so that you have a place for that letter opener you got for free from that convention your friend dragged you to last year, then that's what you need to do! Is it worth keeping one of those and doing all of that just to have a letter opener? Depends on how awesome those are to you. Medicine, storage devices, napkin rings (do people still use those?!) and all sorts of crap just collects.. it needs a home. If it doesn't have a home in your house, what good is it? Freeloading around in a corner doesn't make it useful.

If you wanted it because you wanted to use it, put it out, in an easy to see and reach area on display and you'll use it. If you have no real intentions of using it, it needs to go away. This is the hardest part for me.. I have things I LOVE and I mean to use them, I really do!! ... But then I just don't. Sometimes I even get rid of things and then frowny-face when I decided, "Hey I could have used that thing just now." But if I really had wanted to use it, I probably would have by then at least once before.

1. Dump that drawer out.
2. Find a use for that drawer. If all of your stoage places have specific uses already, it doesn't leave room for all that junk to pile up in the first place.
3. Make homes for the things you want to keep. I don't mean shove it on top of a box, or in a different drawer. Is it worth keeping, do you use it, and if you do find a place for it where you use it the most.
4. Repurpose and toss out everything else.

I thought I'd post this here too while I'm at it.. but ways of re-purposing t-shirts. If you're looking for a way to use old t-shirts and/or clothes, there's a hundred tutorials online. Depending on the amount of clothing you have, you can have some really cool stuff like a new bath rug or entry-way mat, a bean-bag chair, or produce/reusable shopping bags. The thing about reusable shopping bags is... they need to be washed! They get food items on them, they touch a hundred surfaces.. they can get nasty pretty quickly. And usually stores make them out of annoying plastic-y fabrics that won't hold up to washing and long-term use. A heavyweight t-shirt however is easy to wash, easy to make into a bag, and breathes and sanitizes way better. Also, you get the bonus of having whatever designs you want on it. A small mesh bag with a few t-shirts tucked into it and you have portable reusable bags for free without losing a t-shirt that you loved just because it had a ripped sleeve.

There are lots of ways to hack and recycle materials you already have. If you're nervous about losing items, it might be worth looking around online to see if you can repurpose it into something really awesome and more out of the way or useful.

I was cleaning the other evening.. and although it only took me an hour to do all of the deep cleaning.. I thought to myself, "I don't feel like organizing all this stuff.." It really is a pain to have so many clothes that laundry is annoying to do and put away. It is kinda irking to have to re-organize and dust off so much gear. If things become annoying to do and maintain.. it is a good time to re-evaluate if you have too much stuff.

I read a story about how this woman had her home broken into for burglary. Only... she was a minimalist. The thief took off with some lipstick, a few bucks in cash, and some old coins. It really was a really cool story to read.. To think that you wouldn't have to really worry about too much even if you were gone a long time because there isn't much to lose in the first place.. and the valuables you DO own you probably take with you? It's an awesome idea.

 

[kyuuei]

My closet layout:

- Work out clothes
- Lounge clothes for sleeping and being inside
- Everyday wear
- Winter warmth
- Dressy clothes
- Formal business attire
- Specialty clothes

1. Work out clothes
- Basketball shorts generally suit my purpose. 3 pairs
- T-shirts usually suit me just fine, and tanks in the summer. 3 pairs each
- A pair of jogging pants and a long sleeve shirt will keep me moving in winter. 2 pairs.
- A pair of running shoes

2. Lounge clothes
- A pair of winter pajamas to keep me warm while moving around the house.
- Some simple shorts and tanks. 2 pairs each
- A pair of sandals

3. Everyday wear
- Cargo shorts, my first go-to clothing item. 3 pairs
- T-shirts, my second go-to item. 5 shirts
- A pair of skating shoes
- Some cargo pants. 3 pairs
- Light jackets and over shirts. 4

4. Winter Warmth
- Hoodies and light jackets. 2
- Fashionable jacket for work 2
- Heavy jacket 1
- Thermals 1 set
- A pair of heavy boots for my feet, they'll also double as work boots

5. Dressy clothing
- Summer dresses. 4
- Skirts and matching tops. 2
- Fitted jeans. 2
- Winter sweater, skirt, and leggings outfit. 1
- 2 pairs of shoes to match these

6. Business and work clothing
- 3 pairs of slacks. White, gray, black.
- 3 Button down shirts. Colored ones and one white one.
- A pencil skirt
- A modest full-length dress
- A pair of high heels to match it all
- A pair of flat shoes to match as well

7. Specialty clothes
- Swimming. 2 trunks and 2 tops. One cover up. One pair of sandals.
- Snowboarding. 2 jackets and 2 pants. 2 sets of thermals. 7 socks. two beanies. A pair of gloves. A helmet.
- Work clothes. A pair of rough, loose jeans. Spandex. A long sleeve shirt.
- Costumes. One tupperware box's worth of costumes. I can't bring myself to eliminate this section much more than that.

I also cannot limit my army gear and clothes since many of things I own I am signed for and have to turn in much later on.. so they'll go in two big tupperware storage containers.

I'll have a large tupperware storage container that will have some of my extra clothes--when a pair of shorts has had it and finally makes its way to be recycled, I'll have a back up set that I haven't worn in enough time that people will think they're new. I can 'go shopping' in that box when I get an itch too.

90% of these things on the list I already own. I'll make some room in my budget, eventually, to secure some quality items that I really do require--a tailored white button down shirt is a classic that can be used in so many ways it seems unfair to not have one. Some thermals and another set of snowboarding clothing would also be really nice, but they're not necessary right now.

Anyways.. Looking at this list, it seems REALLY hard to downsize my closet to contain just this in my wardrobe. We'll see how it balances out in the actual house.. but it is a pretty good start. The list rounds out to approximately 100 items.

 

[kyuuei]

Tips for going digital with your paperwork:

1. Find a system that works for you. It has to be easy to use, easy to back up, and easy to access, otherwise youll never do it and papers will pile up. I use the Neat system because the scanners are accurate, simple to use, portable and small enough to tuck away, and the software is really useful. If I need a document, print to PDF and I can file it or email it to myself as needed.

2. Create a cloud. You could pay for one, which Neat now offers, but I don't really like paying for monthly services like that. What I do is I email documents to myself in gmail, and then label them under different folder names and archive them. I put the document in the subject title, and now I can access the document anywhere anytime, and it serves as an oh-shit back up. Computer crashes, hard drive crashes, no problem.

3. Multiple back ups. I back up my neat database everytime I update it. I keep the back up on my portable harddrive. I also email myself the backup every once in a while so I can download it from online if I need it. I don't really back up the email one too much, every so often I'll have to scan something important and ill email myself a bunch of files at once during that time.. but overall it gives me security. I have an offline access, an online access, and a daily access at any given point in time. This helped a lot when my computer suddenly decided to crash on me.. I downloaded the software onto a friend's computer, pulled up my files, and had my promotion packet printed before the end of the day. I couldn't say that if it were a box of actual papers destroyed somehow.

4. Keep the most important documents. It's okay to have a stack of "I haven't filed these yet--I dont know if I need them.." and its okay to have an "I Love Me" binder with all the essentials and important things in it. I keep a folder with a copy of important documents in my car just in case, and originals in a binder protected at home. I use the digital files 99% of the time, but there is always that one time someone wants a copy right then and there--and usually I shock them by actually having it.


What I'm still trying to figure out is how to declutter as a nerd. Books are difficult for me, as are gadgets, games, and electronics. I think Steam has been a HUGE asset for me in this regard, and so has having friends interested in similar hobbies--we can swap, trade, and borrow without buying tons of new items. But my collection of sculptures and art projects? My japanese inspired decor? Those panels that don't match an effin' thing that I still cant bring myself to rid of? And all of the swords and weaponry? when I get home, I see that easily being my biggest hurdle.

I'm still trying to simplify my beauty regime even more too. I've done PRETTY well, lowering it all to the size of my full-sized tote and a wall-hanger with extras. But I'd like to have everything I use be able to also fit into a traveling container. My tote isn't really made to pack in a suitcase to take with me. I'm going to start giving some of these Lush products a try--if they work out well, I could have my answer by finding something that helps my skin and getting to reduce a lot of these creams and potions I currently use on and off.

 

[kyuuei]

Went through organizing my digital files. I've gotten as far as I can get without having my computer here with me--I should have it by mid-August. But all the music is in a folder, all the pictures in a folder, and all the school work and documents are in a folder, which is a HUGE leap in the right direction. I'm going to go through some of the entertainment items and delete old things that don't amuse me anymore, documents are all organized and I'm satisfied with my school work folder again.

I still need to buy a small jump drive to keep the important stuff with me at all times--documents and daily activities and such. If I save everything to a jump drive instead of to my computer, I can easily file and back things up as needed. I think saving everything to a jump drive instead of to your computer keeps files organized and from being lost and it also helps your computer.

 

[kyuuei]

These two posts have some really awesome insight into trying to declutter papers.

http://simplemom.net/yearly-planning-with-a-file-crate-system/ -- SimpleMom's year crate. The idea is 52 files are available.. you stick in grocery lists, sticky-notes, birthday cards and wedding invitations in each week's file... On sunday, take the file out and review any papers in it. Keeps things neat, and if you have to organize things later on you can keep them in the old files and review them later.

http://simplemom.net/making-a-household-notebook-work-for-you/ -- A spiral-bound notebook you can carry with you.. Seems like it makes sense. I have a disorganized green notebook that I write EVERYTHING in for the army.. Maybe when I get home I will have something more organized.

 

[garbage]

We're in the process of moving house, so I'm taking the opportunity to sort my stuff into Donate, Sell, Trash, and Keep. The first three boxes are going to be massive, because razing clutter once in a while keeps one centered and focused on what's important; other people 'just starting out' could use some of my stuff and I may as well pay it forward; and also it's easy to haul a bunch of stuff to the thrift store or Salvation Army or what have you.

I'm very utilitarian. I don't like kitchen appliances that do one thing--an electronic orange juicer, a milk carton opener especially made for soy milk cartons, etc. Give me a few things that do.. lots of things.

Nor do I like things like ottomans, chases, or recliners sitting out in the living room. So, we're getting ourselves a decently-sized couch with reclining seats. Bam, solves all of those problems at once with one piece of furniture.

And so on.

I'm going to start taking pictures, once I get some actual boxes to put this stuff in.

Subscribin' to the thread.

 

[kyuuei]

We're in the process of moving house, so I'm taking the opportunity to sort my stuff into Donate, Sell, Trash, and Keep. The first three boxes are going to be massive, because razing clutter once in a while keeps one centered and focused on what's important; other people 'just starting out' could use some of my stuff and I may as well pay it forward; and also it's easy to haul a bunch of stuff to the thrift store or Salvation Army or what have you.

I'm very utilitarian. I don't like kitchen appliances that do one thing--an electronic orange juicer, a milk carton opener especially made for soy milk cartons, etc. Give me a few things that do.. lots of things.

Nor do I like things like ottomans, chases, or recliners sitting out in the living room. So, we're getting ourselves a decently-sized couch with reclining seats. Bam, solves all of those problems at once with one piece of furniture.

And so on.

I'm going to start taking pictures, once I get some actual boxes to put this stuff in.

Subscribin' to the thread.

I love it! I can't wait! Pictures would be SO welcomed!

Im huge on multitaskers as well.. I will almost always spend a bit more money on something that replaces 2 or 3 things rather than one. The oven I am buying for my tiny house is amazing--range ventilator, light for cooking underneath, microwave, food warmer, defroster, traditional oven and a speed oven all in one piece.

 

[kyuuei]

Found it and posted it on my house blog, but I figured it deserves to go here too.

A way to organize your make-up without taking up tons of counterspace:
Step 1. Identify a magnetic place on your wall. (For me, it'll be the back of my medicine cabinet's door, so that you can't see them when it is closed). If your walls just happen to not be magnetic, decorate or hang a piece of magnetic boarding.
Step 2. Stick magnets on the back of your make-up canisters.
Step 3. Magnetic make-up! Organized, and out of the way but easily accessed.

 

[garbage]

In a commitment to minimalism, I'm doin' this (except the strikethrough'd):

1. Make a commitment to Buy Nothing, except necessities, through the end of 2012. Tell at least one other person, or better yet, spread the word through Facebook, Twitter, G+, email, etc.
2. Necessities are OK. Of course you’ll have to buy groceries and household supplies and medicine, and shoes for your kid if the shoes get holes in them. Christmas decorations are fine, as are balloons for your New Year’s party. And if you need to buy stuff for your business or work, go ahead and do that. But avoid buying gifts, or new clothes or gadgets or other things for yourself.
3. Find other ways. If you need something, like a sweater or a hammer, see if you can find a different means other than buying it. Can you do without for a few more weeks? Can you borrow it from a friend? Trade? Find it free on Craigslist? Get it at a thrift store (yes, that’s buying, but buying from Goodwill is better than buying from Walmart). Can you make your own?
4. Celebrate without buying gifts. There are lots of ways to celebrate the holidays, and buying gifts is only one possibility. We can have get-togethers with great food, with outdoor sports, indoor board games, out in nature. Or we can give food as gifts. Or our time. We can volunteer together. We can create movies and art together. Be creative!
5. If you cave in and buy something for some reason, don’t fret. It’s much better to avoid buying for most of the holiday season, and save resources and carbon emissions (and debt), than to just ignore the issue and buy without limits. Just renew your commitment not to buy anything else after the slip up.
6. If you’ve already done some shopping because of the sales, don’t worry. You can still participate by starting now, and forgetting about what came before!

Of course, I don't buy or really accept gifts anyway, so I don't see this being a big deal at all.

 

[kyuuei]

In a commitment to minimalism, I'm doin' this (except the strikethrough'd):


Of course, I don't buy or really accept gifts anyway, so I don't see this being a big deal at all.

This would be much more difficult for me.. I've always been a huge gift-giver. I've decided, this year, to start doing 80% handmade gifts.. So I think that's a step in the right direction...

 

[kyuuei]

Alright! I've been continuously working on this, and I have a couple ideas I came up with for people who want to do things a bit slower.

Idea 1: Create an outbox. A big box at the front of the door. Every week, or day depending on what your goal is, select something that needs to go 'out'.. A pair of shoes you never wear, an article of clothing that doesn't fit, a DVD you meant to return to a friend.. Something. If you're going that way, grab it from the outbox! If it's full, take a few minutes to take the items to their respective new homes.
Idea 2: Minimize your flat surfaces. If you have a surface, you will put something on it. Guaranteed. Create a use for the flat surfaces that makes it inconvenient for you to use as a junk-drop-off.


As for me lately.. I've been systematically reducing my clutter.
- I narrowed my tons of storage boxes down to three of the smaller tupperware containers.
- Sorted my army gear so that I can probably get rid of half of it! I just need to ensure some of the things are not on any of my records before I completely let them go.. But now, I have a ruck with my common gear, a tan bag with my CIF, and a green tough box with all of my clothing. I have three duffles of stuff that needs to GO.
- I've only kept the DVDs that have both languages I am learning as well as my favorites during trips that I keep going back to using. I begrudgingly let go of my NES (it has none of the wires and emulators can replace everything) and PS1. my PS2 I gave to my youngest sister.. if I ever desire to play any PS2 games, I can always go over there to play them, she needed a DVD player, so I gave her all the games, some DVDs I liked but had to part with, and the system under the condition that she let me know if she's getting rid of it.
- I have gathered up all of the pictures I could possibly find in the house in one section, and now I'm going to start the process of going through them, scanning them, backing them up into CDs and a master drive, and selecting the best ones for photo books so that there's something for people to easily access.
- I reduced my art supplies down to just two small organization boxes, canvases, a small easel and a large easel.
- I did an initial run-down of my clothing.. I will be continuing this endeavor with another complete overhaul soon. I want to get down on the numbers.. like only having 3 bathing suits vs 6, one drawer of shoes vs the entire bottom section shoved full, etc.
- I found an awesome program on amazon that allows you to trade in old hardware for amazon credit.. I'm going to attempt to turn in some of my old equipment in exchange for a nice back-up drive the whole house can use.
- I'm getting rid of a lot of my artistic things--I need two pictures I really love framed. I want to get rid of a couple pictures, some masks on my wall, etc.
- I got rid of my TV! I never really used it, and although I still have my PS3 and intend on using it... I just don't need the TV. By the time I get my home, and get settled in, and start really needing a television, there will be some really nice ones on major clearance. so it'll be a fun adventure to shop for in the future.. maybe something with energy efficiency for my poor solar panels.
- Tons of CDs, CD covers, DVD covers, and paperwork went out the door. If the CD was in my car, I kept it and tossed the cover. I haven't changed or gotten rid of my CDs in years, I probably never will, so why keep the empty covers? GONE! The ones that weren't in my car had to go covers and all..
- Jewelry went out the window today too. I kept only enough to fit on my little hanging organizer that travels easily--everything else had to leave!

... >.>.. Im still having so much difficulty with the hygiene stuff. I have tons of perfume still, and tons of soaps, lotions, and such that I use occasionally but I cannot seem to find a decent replacement for these things with something that multitasks more. So if any ladies are having issues with this, please let me know any tricks you've done to reduce the clutter. The only thing I've been successful at is re-using the items in my cleaning products to make them smell great.

 

[kyuuei]

We made the switch over to making all of our cleaning products vs buying them... using up what we have left over in the house and making new products as we run out. The theory is to prevent stockpiling of stuff, having a ton of bottles, and most importantly to save money. So far? It's been amazing. Before I left for my trip, we were almost out of fabric softener, dryer 'sheets' (we make a liquid and dip a sock or something into it and throw that in the dryer), all-purpose cleaner, dishwasher detergent, and carpet freshener. I made all of these items in 30 minutes before I left without rushing to a store. It was pretty cool getting everything set up for my parents before I left without throwing an extra trip into my already busy day.

The dishwasher detergent is not as strong as the store bought stuff.. I realized that if you do a pre-soak, air-dry the dishes by just opening the door instead of heat drying them, and ensure that you use vinegar for the rinse cycle, it helps a ton. So far as heavily soiled dishes.. Soaking them with dish soap and water is the best bet. We put a small amount of soapy water in a sink, scrape out the food particles, and do a quick rinse and let it sit in the sink. The quick-rinse water goes into the plugged sink, and by the time it is full it is time to load up the dishwasher.

Bulkapothecary.com is the cheapest I've seen for anything from citric acid to essential oils.