You get used to it… Because normal is just a setting on the dryer.

There are a ton of household chores and tasks that I just never seem to get to often enough – cleaning behind the fridge, vacuuming behind the couch, that weird spot behind the toilet… I could keep going all day.  But – it really bothers me when the place I’m supposed to clean things is gross.

So I try and keep the kitchen sink pretty clean, the shower and bathtubs clean, and my washing machine clean.  I mean, with two very small kids, the amount of yuck that I put through the washing machine on any given week is astounding.  I was cleaning the machine out with a rag and bleach spray, whenever I managed to get around to it, but it was annoying, hard to reach everywhere, and was one of those tasks I hated.

Then I saw Tide washing machine cleaner – I love Tide detergent, so I figured I’d give it a try.  It works, amazingly well, and leaves my washer smelling fresh and clean. I use it about once a month, and all I do is rinse out the fabric softener holder with hot water to remove the gunk, run a rag around the top of the washer where dust collects, empty a pouch of the cleaner into the washer, and run it with hot water.  I usually do this right before bed, and the whole process takes about 5 minutes.  Then I wake up to a clean washer!

I run an extra wash cycle if someone in the family has had a tummy bug or if I’ve washed something especially gross – it just makes me feel better.  I know there are probably some homemade versions I could use, but this is easy, and I need easy right now.

And that’s what I love about Tide Washing Machine Cleaner.

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So when Amazon.com first announced their Amazon Prime service, I thought it was crazy.  Who in the world would buy enough books to pay $79 a year for free shipping?  And if you pay $79 a year, is it really free shipping?

But then.  When I was searching for bargain deals on diapers, someone pointed me to the Amazon Mom program.  Which offered free prime shipping benefits, in addition to a discount on diapers and other baby things.  And it was free.  I did some quick math, and discovered that the price on the Pampers diapers I had been using was cheaper on Amazon than even at Sam’s Club – and thus I discovered that Amazon was not just for books, and also Subscribe & Save.  I could save on things we use, every day! And have them ordered and delivered on a schedule!

So when my Mom benefits ran out?  I forked over the $79.  Because honestly, we order a couple of packages a month from Amazon these days (paper towels, soap, diapers, wipes, etc.) – and not all of it is subscribe and save.  It makes it so easy to just sit down and order something (a book, say, or whatever) and not worry about putting together a $25 order to save on shipping.  And the shipping is FAST.  Two days, but sometimes faster.

Since then, they’ve added a lot more services to the Prime Membership – free streaming movies & TV, including some of my kids’ favorite PBS & Nick Jr. shows, a free kindle lending library, and more.  And now that i can access the streaming video from my PS3 – it could fast become a replacement for Netflix, in my house at least.

I cannot say enough good things about Amazon Prime.  For our house, it is totally worth the money we pay – and they are looking at adding even more services in the future.

Links to Amazon are affiliate links, but they didn’t ask for this review or give me anything for writing it.  I just really like Amazon Prime.

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