It is a beautiful place, where I lived.

I used to escape to my grandfather’s old barn after school, running as fast as I could so the fresh fall air would blow my hair and make me look wild. He built that sturdy red barn himself and I used to marvel at it’s height as I stepped in the front entrance and escaped to the back, pretending that I was stepping into another world.

Every year since I left, we visit my old home. And the first thing that struck me was the wonderful Oregon smell. I think it’s all the rain that gives of a clean aroma and makes everything smell more, if that’s possible. It’s like cutting grass when it’s wet.

I could probably tell you where we are as we drive just by the smells! When we get to the country road where my old house was located, the field smells of dirt and whatever crop was planted that year. Sometimes it’s mint and other times it’s hay or sugar beets.

And with each smell, waves of memories flood my conciousness. Four wheeling in the fields in the winter, the slew in the summer; picking blackberries from the back of my uncle’s truck; riding down the pully swing over the crick; days swimming in the river, nights standing by a bonfire’s warmth and glow; every memory I have is brought back by the smells of that place.

I absolutely love it.

Maybe I’ll move back someday, but for now I’m happy that I get to spend our family vacations there and make new memories with my kids.

From the experience of moving away and going back, I know that scents are the most powerful memory trigger. That’s why I’m excited to announce that for the first time, Arm & Hammer Laundry has launched a collection with 3 scents inspired by nature in partnership with the National Park Foundation (which Arm & Hammer is proud to contribute). The newest A&H Laundry detergent line, Clean Scentsations, gives your clothes the pristine freshness of the great outdoors while Arm & Hammer Baking Soda help power out dirt and odors and at a fraction of the cost.

I know you have a favorite memory of traveling that can be recalled from a simple scent so make sure you enter the Sensational Memories Contest by submitting your story! The winner will receive a family vacation to Yosemite National Park with an expert-curated travel itinerary!

Scholastic is also partnering with Arm & Hammer to provide families with outdoor trip ideas on it’s Smart Family Travel platform. There, you’ll find the top 20 trips for families plus fun activities for kids and a free educational printable for each destination. Even if you can’t visit them, this is a great resource to learn more about our great country.

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Arm & Hammer. The opinions and text are all mine.

The post The Smell of Memories and a Sensational Giveaway! first appeared on True Aim.

Laundry is like a gnat that flies in your face on a summer evening.  It’s always there and no matter how many times you swat at it, it keeps coming back.  I used to get discouraged by just sorting laundry, but now I know it’s something I have to incorporate into my routine, like brushing my teeth.  If left unchecked the laundry monster can grow into a behemoth.  So here are a few ways I stay on top of it.

Too Many Clothes

We are so grateful for family and friends who have passed on their gently used clothing.  I went about 4 years without needing to buy anything for my girls because of it.  There really can be too much of a good thing though and when my daughters’ couldn’t manage it themselves, I got rid of 50% of their clothing.

They’re Not Dirty

After getting rid of a lot of clothing, I had to tackle the problem of clothes going straight into the dirty hamper even if it wasn’t dirty.  Part of it was that my girls didn’t want to fold their clothes and put them away because of how stuffed their drawers were. So that was covered.

Next, I explained the rules for clean vs dirty clothes.  Underwear gets changed everyday and if they go outside, pants are dirty.  Shirts and dresses are clean if they don’t get any food on them and when in doubt, ask mom or dad.  I can see that there is a real temptation to “clean up” their room by scooping everything up and putting it in the dirty laundry bin. That’s why I started to make them do their own laundry.

Developing a Laundry Routine

The kids each have their own clean laundry bin and share a dirty hamper.  Throughout the week, we’ll clean and dry loads as the dirty bins get full, but we wait to fold laundry as a family twice a week.  While we fold, we like to listen to an audio book or radio show like Adventures in Odyessy for free online.

Stop Sorting

Since I started teaching my oldest daughter how to use the washer, things have gotten easier, but we’ve had a few color bleeding incidents with whites getting mixed in with the darks.  Now, “The Rules Have Changed”!  Purex® No Sort for Colors is the detergent with breakthrough Anti-Color-Transfer Technology which traps loose dyes in the wash and does not let them settle onto other fabrics.

I don’t have to worry about Audrey sorting anymore and we do less loads!  It’s #LaundrySimplified!

With all the extra time and money we save not having to sort the laundry, my kids can get back to being kids.

Keep in mind the back label reads “Purex No Sort detergent is packed with innovation, but it can’t perform miracles, so please follow these words of advice: wash strongly colored fabrics or new pieces of clothing, especially jeans, separately at least 5 times before doing a mixed color load with Purex No Sort detergent.”

For more tips on conquering the laundry monster, follow Purex on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, or Youtube!

Have any laundry day tips?  Please leave a comment!

The post Stop Sorting Laundry! #LaundrySimplified first appeared on True Aim.