As an American expat living in the U.K., laundry is the household chore that causes the most culture shock. Unlike in the U.S., tumble dryers aren’t common. A lot of homes have a combination washer and dryer machine—and weirdest of all, it’s often in the kitchen.
While this can vary widely, we’re currently in a house with exactly that. Although the dryer works fine, it’s not great. I hang-dry most of our clothes, but when I use the machine dryer, it takes about ninety minutes to dry anything except towels, which takes two full hours.
Plus, the loads usually come out wrinkled and full of static, especially in winter.
All this to say, I’m always looking for great laundry hacks that mean I can more effectively use the dryer function. Recently, I decided to find out if either dryer balls or laundry sheets would improve my life.
As it turns out, yes—one of these items has officially changed my laundry game.

