The Easiest Laundry Basket Liner DIY Ever

Thank you to P&G for inspiring this post and helping me get my laundry situation under control.

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When we are asked to do a post for Gain Flings at Target, I almost couldn’t do it – only because laundry is THE WORST and I HATE IT. But I took a minute to think about what would make me enjoy laundry just a little bit more. The creation of Gain Flings, which are convenient little pods stocked up with detergent, oxy boost, and febreeze all in one, that you can just toss in the wash (available at Target), is definitely a bonus, but it’s still laundry. I thought about what drives me the most crazy about laundry and it hit me. I use actual cloth towels in my kitchen. I cook A LOT, so I go through three or four of them a day. I never feel like walking to my bathroom to throw them in the hamper, so they always end up piled on top of the washing machine (which for me, is actually in my kitchen) looking extra gross. I decided I would take this opportunity to fix this little laundry situation. After all, little things go a long way, not just in laundry but in all parts of life.

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So I purchased myself a lovely wire laundry basket, and set about making an easy-peasy laundry station. I wanted a place I could toss my kitchen laundry, but also store my Gain Flings and clothespins and other laundry necessities. I also wanted it to be a simple tutorial that anyone who is capable of basic sewing could whip up for themselves.

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Behold, the Easiest Laundry Basket Liner DIY Ever. This is a simple sewing project you can use to line any basket, with bonus pocket fun!

Click through to get the full tutorial for the Easiest Laundry Basket Liner DIY Ever, and to ALSO enter to win a $300 Target Gift Card! 

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How to make the Easiest DIY Basket Liner Ever

I got this amazing ship fabric at my favorite fabric store, Fabricworm. It appears to be sold out, but this one is very similar and so cute.

Measure your basket, the bottom, top, and each set of parallel sides.
For the bottom of your basket, and 1″ to each side measurement for seam allowances. For the each side of the basket, add 2″ total for the seam allowance along the bottom and the hem along the top. For my basket from West Elm, here are the measurements at which you should cut your fabric:
-Bottom: Cut 1 @ 19″ x 15″
-Longer sides: Cut 2 @ 19″ x 12″
-Shorter sides: Cut 2 @ 17″ x 12″
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Cut fabric for the pocket. For my pocket, I cut two pieces for the back and two shorter pieces for the front of the pocket.
-For the back of the pocket: 2 @ 13″ x 8″
-For the front of the pocket: 2 A 13″ x 6″

Cut fabric for the pocket ties. You will need two ties, one for each corner, and 2 for the lid.
-For the ties: 2 @ 3″ X 16″

Lay the bottom piece (19″ x 15″) right side up. Lay one longer side piece (19″ x 12″) right side down on top, with 19″ edges aligned.
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Sew in place with a 1/2″ seam allowance.
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Repeat with the other longer side piece on the opposite 19″ edge of your bottom section.
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Sew in place.

Trim the seams with pinking shears and iron them open and flat.
tri with pinking shears

When you open it up, it will look like this.
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Lay one shorter side piece (17″ x 12″) right side down on top of the bottom section, with one 17″ edge aligned to the 15″ edge of your bottom piece.
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Leave 3/4″ of the side piece overlapping on each side.
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Turn the whole piece over so you can see your previous seam lines, then sew in place with 1/2″ seam allowance.
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You will have some extra fabric on each side. That’s what you want.
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When you open it up, it will look like this.
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Repeat with the other long side piece on the opposite 15″ edge of your bottom section.
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Now your piece looks like this.
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Trim your seams with pinking shears and them open and flat.

Bring two 12″ sides together, right sides facing. You will see that they create a triangle of extra fabric when you align the 12″ sides.
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This is what you want to see, you are going to sew them together at an angle, because the top of our basket is bigger than the bottom.
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Sew together like so:
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Trim the seam with pinking shears.
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Repeat on the next corner. Repeat until all four corners have been sewn and trimmed. Iron the seams open.

Fold the top of your liner 1/2″ to the wrong side and iron. Fold another 1/2″ to the wrong side and iron again. Sew in place at the edge of the fold, all the way around, to create the top hem.
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Now to sew the ties. Iron each 3″ x 16″ piece in half the long way, wrong sides facing, to find the center. Unfold and iron each edge into the middle like so (see the bottom tie in this image).
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Fold the tie in half with the unfinished edges encase on the inside and iron again.
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Sew the open edge of the tie closed.
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Sew the other edge of the tie to create symmetry.
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Fold each tie in half and sew a straight stitch across the fold.
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Now to sew the pocket. Take one of your larger (13″ x 9″) pieces of fabric and lay it right side up. Pin the folded, sewn edge of your tie to the edge of the fabric, evenly spaced from each edge of the pocket. Lay the other 13″ x 9″ piece of fabric right side down on top. Sew in place all the way around the edges with a 1/2″ seam allowance, leaving a hole for turning, back stitching at the beginning and end. Clip each corner.
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Turn the piece right side out, push out neat corners and iron flat. Iron the hole seam flat.
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Lay the smaller pocket pieces (13″ x 6″) right sides facing. Sew in place all the way around the edges with a 1/2″ seam allowance, leaving a hole for turning, back stitching at the beginning and end.
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Turn the piece right side out, push out neat corners and iron flat. Iron the hole seam flat.
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Lay the smaller pocket piece on top of the larger pocket piece and pin if desired (I am usually too lazy to pin).
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Sew in place at the edge with a straight stitch around three sides of the smaller piece to create a pocket. Do another line of stitching 1/4″ inside the first to strengthen the pocket. Select where you want your pocket to divide and sew two more lines of stitching parallel to the edge of the pocket.
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Tie the ends of each tie into a tight knot and trim the edges.
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22. Place your liner into your basket, and tie your pocket onto the side. Stuff with Gain Flings and other laundry essentials. The wire siding of this basket is perfect for storing clothespins.

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It’s a little thing that makes life so much easier!

If you could use a $300 Target Gift Card, leave a comment below to enter to win the “Little Bit Goes a Long Way” Sweepstakes. Just leave a comment answering this question: What little things do you do that go a long way?

Attribution Statement
This post is sponsored by P&G. Save on NEW Gain Flings and Tide Pods at Target. Text CLEAN to Target (827438) for mobile coupons*.


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57 Comments

jasmine

I try to tackle a few things each day. when sunday swings around and there are 15 loads of laundry in the basement its daunting. but two loads a day, i can handle that. Escpecially when i delegate folding and sorting to my three boys!

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Amanda Costa

We buy our meats when they are on sale and separate them into portions for dinners and freeze them that way. It’s a little bit of work to go a long way with cost savings!

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Chrysta

We use reusable containers and pack lunches, which saves a ton of money.

Thanks for the giveaway opportunity!

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April

I try to take care of all mail the day it comes through the door, so I’m not handling things multiple times. And I also clean as I do things, especially in the kitchen to help keep clean up time at the end to a minimum. I use down time in the kitchen to empty the dishwasher so it’s ready to be loaded as I cook.

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Lucy

Just before bed, I lay out my clothes for the next day. It only takes a few minutes, because at that point I’m too tired to consider too many options. I just think about the weather and how dressy I have to be, and I grab items out of the closet. This not only helps me not wake my husband while I get ready, it streamlines my morning routine.

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Lindsey S

I try to clean the kitchen counter tops and sink each night. That way when I get up in the morning, the kitchen is ready for breakfast. It makes such a difference for me to start the day with a clean kitchen!

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AmyL

doing laundry at night and throwing it in the dryer in the morning – that way i feel something gets accomplished when i’m tending to something else that may or may not get finished.

thanks for hosting the giveaway!

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Deborah

My husband and I DIY as much as we possible can. He is a wonder with power tools and I finish things off with my fine art skills. Doing things yourself is not only rewarding but it really makes those pennies go a long way!

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Lauren

We switched over to glass containers for our leftovers. I don’t worry about my husband putting them in the microwave at work and it cuts down on our plastic waste. Even if they’re reusable, they always seem to get gross after a while!

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Emiko F

I’ve been making my own laundry detergent (sorry sponsors). For the money I would spend on a one month supply of detergent, I get about six months of homemade stuff.

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Stephanie Huffaker

My laundry room is on the 2nd floor (where all the bedrooms and 98% of the laundry is generated) but I got tired of the kitchen towels sitting at the bottom of the steps to be taken up (or on the table, or the island, or the counter…. etc.) I put a small hamper in a narrow cabinet that I wasn’t using for anything else and can toss the towels in there. It’s out of the way, doesn’t clutter my kitchen and reminds me to take them all up to be washed at once. Then they come out together and can be put away in the drawer they belong. Small thing but saves my sanity!

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Kindra S.

I try to do a few household chores each day. That way if one day I am not feeling well or am busy on the weekend, it is already all done. Also if I skip a day, it’s no big deal. Some days I have more energy than others. i find the laundry gets put away if I only do 1-2 loads per day. if I try to do it all on one day, it never gets put away and then gets all wrinkled and I HATE IRONING!

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Karin

I make sure the kitchen is clean before I go to bed each night. It makes SUCH a difference to me to walk into the kitchen first thing in the morning and have it looking good as I start the day.

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Allison C

I make sure that the kitchen sink is empty and the baby bottles washed before I go to bed every night. It makes a huge difference in maintaining an organized kitchen.

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Casey

We’ve got a little basket in the fridge labeled “EAT ME FIRST!” that keeps all of our about-to-expire items. I go through the fridge once a week to weed out the older stuff and this helps us not to miss/waste anything!

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Matt

I try to pick up and clean after myself as I go so I save myself more work at the end of the week. It makes it much more manageable when you’re only making little messes that need to be cleaned on “cleaning days.”

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Heather

Some of the little things that I do that go a long way are shopping at second hand stores as much as I can, using coupons, looking for sales, in the home I make sure the dishes are always clean and the laundry is always done so I never get overwhelmed and behind.

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emily

I have been trying to do better about getting a few household chores done each day so they don’t all pile up at the end of the week.

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Ashley C

I used to hate folding laundry but now I watch Conan as I fold so the experience is enjoyable every time!

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Nicole

I make the bed first thing in the morning before I do anything else. It really makes the whole house seem a bit more put together. I always feel so much better when it’s made

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Kristine Laird

I do the dishes every morning, a load of laundry each day and one whole room each weekday. It is SO EASY if I keep up with (1 hour a day tops!). It leaves me plenty of time to work on school during the day, my clean freak husband doesn’t have more work to do when he gets home and my kids have a safe environment to play in. Then we get to relax in our nice clean home all weekend long!

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Janie

I put all of my items that cannot be dried in a delicates bag that can be set aside after the wash cycle.  That way, if my husband is doing laundry and I am not home he doesn’t accidentally dry my “hang dry” items. A lot of my clothes don’t have tags to read washing directions.

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Jak

I always keep things in the same place, and I keep them where I use them. My keys get clipped to my purse. My nailclippers and lip balm go on the nightstand because they always land there. Oven mitts go to the counter to the right of the stove because that is where I always put them down. I try to store as much as I can this way. As a result, I have not misplaced my keys in over 15 years! I know where scissors are, where my go-to earrings are, where my mom’s recipe for gingerbread is likely to be.
I know where my towel is. 😉

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Anna M.

I do a load of laundry every day so that it doesn’t pile up all week long. I’m searching for other ways to save time and get motivated because I hate cleaning, so I’ve been enjoying reading the comments.

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Anastasia

A few years ago I bought a laundry basket with 3 separate interior liners. One bag is for whites, another for colors, and the final one is for jeans. This way my clothes are already separated for me when I go to do laundry on Saturdays. It makes laundry so much less of a chore and helps me from just throwing my clothes on the floor.

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Linda Jone

We have to retire end of May, three years early. To save we have returned to the little things that make a difference in the budget. Budget hardy includes planning meals in bulk to freeze, returning to canning, dehydrating and building up our pantry. Being sure to use leftovers and packaging up really well for storing in freezer or pantry. Actually feels good going back to our old habits, but not so good for the reason.
Thank you for the opportunity to enter this contest for a chance to win!

Love to sew and love your laundry basket pattern. Where we live and have lived for the past 20 years, we are not allowed to hang out our laundry. There is nothing better than air and sun dried laundry!! I really miss that!

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Mariah

This diy laundry basket liner is so cute!

We just got married 2 months ago, (ages 20 and 24); on our honeymoon road-tripped from Southern California to Nampa, Idaho; and just got new part time jobs while my husband is finishing his last semester for his bachelors degree. We’re definitely still learning how to make a little (especially in the $$ department) go a long way! My husband and I have decided to use Dave Ramsey’s Total Money Makeover to set up a budget and aim to spend only $20-$25 a week each on grocery. If we buy a Gatorade or a water bottle, we wash it and reuse it for our lunches every day. We also buy the double zip Ziploc sandwich bags and wash those out and reuse them (we get about 3 weeks per bag — around 21 uses!) We try to make sure to date all our leftovers so that we can eat them in time, and make our food schedule for 1 week at a time so that no food or money is wasted.
I think, however, the most important little thing that goes a long way is that we both try to speak the other’s love language more often than we speak our own, and believe me, it goes a long way!!

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Katherine T

Now that it’s nice enough outside, I like to take a midday walk and refocus before tackling the rest of my workday. Being away from the computer screen and in some fresh air definitely helps me get a long way work-wise!

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Jess

I take a little time out of my day to chop up fresh fruit when i get home fro the store, so I can always grab it from the fridge and go – It takes me an extra few minutes of upfront time, but in the long run i eat healthier, feel better, and dont waste fresh produce.

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Katie

One of the little things that I do is use Sunday as my prep day – I do all of the week’s laundry & put it all away, I grocery shop for the week, prep all my meals and snacks and plan out outfits for the week. Sounds lengthy but when I stick to doing it weekly, it never takes me very long but gives me TONS of extra time during the week!

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Lora W.

I am the organizer of the Girls’ Night Out for my friends. Everyone is so busy. We are a difficult group to get together but it is so worth it for our mental health.

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Kathryn

Every evening when I get home I take all trash and anything extra out of the car. This means there are no big pile-ups and leaves the car looking a whole lot neater.

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Michelle

When washing my daughters bibs with Velcro closures, I do them up and put them in a lingerie bag to stop the Velcro from snagging other items.

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Maureen

Every night before bed, my son, my husband & I pick out our outfits for the next day. It helps us save time in the morning when we are rushing to get ready for school/work

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jmaddengross

Love this, especially the great fabric! Need to dust off my sewing machine.

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lois

I do laundry on saturday no matter what. It means I never get to monday with that terrible feeling of – nothing is clean!

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Andee

Pick out what I’m going to wear the night before; it makes everything so much easier!

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Michelle R

Being a mom of a 16yo boy I’ve learned many tips over the years. I always feel like something isn’t right if i don’t start the day unless i make my bed!
As for tips n tricks, I’ve got my son even prepping food for quick meals! Even when I’m exhausted after a trip to the grocery store i clean my veggies n fruit, break down all the economy packs of meats n freeze the smaller portions!
Now that i am pregnant again (a total surprise) – while im excited to be having a daughter I’m staying to look back on the things i did when my son was little so i can start planning on doing those along with our current routine!
Thanks for the givaway- if we win it will come in handy! Very handy!

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Lindsay P.

I play music at the end of each day for 5 minutes and my daughter and I pick up as much as we can in 5 minutes. Making a game out of it makes it fun and running around releases a little energy for my daughter.

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Kim Straubing

I find rewards in little accomplishments: clear a counter top, hang-up a shirt, dust a vase, plan a meal, straighten a drawer. Then the rewards are small, but many, and they add up!

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Jessica

One thing I do to make life easier is to flash freeze a variety of fruits. Then I put them into labeled packages in the freezer so I can make fresh, cold and delicious smoothies whenever I want!!

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Nicole

I make sure the kitchen is totally clean before bed, so my morning coffee is stress free. Great way to start the day.

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renee

Leaving a couple of folded new trash bags in the bottom of the can . They are always there for replacement. Easy!

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nicole dz

we have a weekly board in the kitchen and each kid whenever a dinner, lunch, snack, or breakfast idea comes to mind they right it down under each category for the next week, then we all sit down as a family and vote on meals and the I prepare some of them ahead of time, and such. That way everyone is included and getting something they want. Its a great idea for large households. And saves time so your not scrambling for a meal or running out to get something to eat or for an ingredient at the store.

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Jeannie Fagerstrom

I use half to a quarter of the recommended amount of liquid detergent in my laundry.
My clothes are just as clean and I can stretch that container of detergent. There are six of us and we go through a Big dispenser of detergent every four to five months. The 116 load dispenser can go 150 loads or better. :0)
We also hang to dry everything we can – T-shirts mostly. The jeans get dryer time.

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Carmen N

Whenever I can, I make sure to either not print at all or print documents in draft mode to save on ink.

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Cheryl Wacks

Each day I try to take 15 minutes to clean out a drawer, closet shelf, end table or some area to reduce the things we don’t need. When I pull out a drawer later I feel good knowing I have some sort of organization in my life! I also reuse all packing material that comes into our business for when I ship back out! Hate to fill landfills.

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Lu Peters

We travel a lot and I save tissue paper from clothing store purchases for folding in between tops and I reuse dry cleaning bags for jackets & skirts to keep them wrinkle free in the suitcase

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