Is Bigger Better? Some People Think So.

 

Do you have laundry woes? Many of the clients I work with have a real struggle staying caught up on their laundry. It piles up so high they don't EVER want to do it, and really, can you blame them? I wouldn't either. Mount Laundry can feel like Mount Everest at times. Christmas Boy and I do separate laundry and we have different laundry philosophies...

He has his hamper, and I have mine, and never the twain shall meet. I pre-sort into two bins (whites and colors) and I prefer to do my laundry in small frequent loads, rather than wait until I have a ton of it. He, on the other hand, believes bigger is better. Big loads = less frequent laundry.

He dry cleans all his business clothing, combines all his remaining laundry regardless of color, and does it all at one time in one or two large loads. Whatever your preference, here are ten tips to help you stay on top of Mount Laundry and keep the family in clean skivvies every day.

1. Pre-sorting is the way to go. Sort your clothing as you remove it from your body, rather than putting it all into one hamper. This way, you never have to sort out a big pile of clothes before washing. Provide each family member with two (maybe three) small laundry hampers. Designate one for whites, one for darks and maybe one for a third catetgory such as light colors, towels, or dry cleaning. The categories you choose are up to you of course, but the point of multiple hampers is to avoid mixing the laundry to save sorting time later.

2. Keep a stash of hangers near the laundry machines so you can pull easily wrinkled items out of the dryer and hang them immediately. This will save you time and headache because they won't need ironing later. If you don't have anywhere to install a closet rod in the laundry area, just put a few sturdy hooks on the wall or the back of a door for hanging items.

3. Don't run out of supplies. Always be sure to have a back-up of laundry detergent and any other supplies you regularly use. Getting into the habit of replenishing supplies early will ensure your laundry stays on schedule.

4. Teach young children laundry basics. You can enlist the help of kids as young as four years old, and approach laundry as a teaching opportunity. You can explain the difference between whites and darks, you can let kids help put the clothing into the washer, show them how to measure detergent and also how to fold different pieces of clothing.

5. Designate days. If you have several kids, you may need to give the older ones their own day each week to use the washer and dryer. Putting them in charge of doing their own laundry gives them a sense of responsibility and also means you'll never be blamed for ruining their favorite sweater or turning their underwear pink. They'll do it themselves and learn from their mistakes.

6. Big or little? Determine whether you prefer to do all your laundry in large loads on one day during the week, or whether it works better to so several smaller loads more frequently. Either way is workable, it just depends on your lifestyle and personal preference. Bigger isn't always better in this case.

7. Use cold water. Today's detergents work just as well in cold water as they do in hot, so why pay to heat water when cold will do just fine? And since we're talking water, save money by setting the water level for as low as possible for each load and if you're in the  market for new machines, the front loaders are more water-efficient than top-loaders. Plus, they hold a lot more!

8. Keep socks together by washing them in a mesh lingerie bag. They're ridiculously inexpensive. Give your kids and spouse each their own mesh bag and have them load their socks into it before they go into the wash. The bag keeps socks together in the washer and if the bag isn't too full, you can even dry them in the bag too.

9. Fold as you pull. I have a folding table right in the laundry room and I prefer to fold my laundry one item at a time, as I pull it out of the dryer. I find myself highly unmotivated by a big basket full of laundry to fold, so I just stand in front of the dryer with the door open and pull one piece and fold it. Pull another piece and fold it. In a matter of just a few minutes, I'm done and the clothing never sits wrinkling for hours in a laundry basket.

10. Put clothing away quickly. It's easier to stay organized when your clean clothing makes it back into your drawers and closets. But it's tough to put it all away if your dressers and closets are packed with stuff you never wear. Make it easy to put clothing away by culling your wardrobe frequently and donating anything you rarely wear.

What are your favorite tried and true tips for staying on top of your laundry? What simple processes have you put into place to make laundry simpler for you and your family?

Other posts related to organizing your home:
Organizing Projects You Can Tackle In A Weekend
Clutter Diet Helps Organize Your Kitchen
Simple Solutions Are The Best

Comments

[Deb Lee]

This is a very timely post for me as I'm in the midst of doing laundry! I also prefer smaller, more frequent loads but I really hate doing ALL the steps of laundry. I don't mind starting the washer or putting clothing in the dryer. It's the "after it's dry stuff" that I don't like so much. To keep myself on track, I usually do step #9 - fold as I take each piece out. Nobody likes wrinkled clothing, right? Oh, don't get me started on ironing! That's not a part of my laundry process at all. Thanks for a great post!

[Deb Lee]

This is a very timely post for me as I'm in the midst of doing laundry! I also prefer smaller, more frequent loads but I really hate doing ALL the steps of laundry. I don't mind starting the washer or putting clothing in the dryer. It's the "after it's dry stuff" that I don't like so much. To keep myself on track, I usually do step #9 - fold as I take each piece out. Nobody likes wrinkled clothing, right? Oh, don't get me started on ironing! That's not a part of my laundry process at all. Thanks for a great post!

[Deb Lee]

This is a very timely post for me as I'm in the midst of doing laundry! I also prefer smaller, more frequent loads but I really hate doing ALL the steps of laundry. I don't mind starting the washer or putting clothing in the dryer. It's the "after it's dry stuff" that I don't like so much. To keep myself on track, I usually do step #9 - fold as I take each piece out. Nobody likes wrinkled clothing, right? Oh, don't get me started on ironing! That's not a part of my laundry process at all. Thanks for a great post!

[Margaret]

In Poland dryers aren't very popular.Frankly speaking I don't know a single person who owns one... We do hang our clothes iutside our homes, spin webs of yarn between trees :)
I don't even know if automatic dryer makes clothes less/more wrinkled than only washing... What do you suggest to people who have to deal with washed only, slightly wet loundry?
It's ironing that really bothers me...
You fold/hang clothes right after getting them out of a dryer. And don't iron them later? Or are there only some sorts of clothes you iron.
what about jeans trousers and Tshirts? I iron them. What about you.

[Margaret]

In Poland dryers aren't very popular.Frankly speaking I don't know a single person who owns one... We do hang our clothes iutside our homes, spin webs of yarn between trees :)
I don't even know if automatic dryer makes clothes less/more wrinkled than only washing... What do you suggest to people who have to deal with washed only, slightly wet loundry?
It's ironing that really bothers me...
You fold/hang clothes right after getting them out of a dryer. And don't iron them later? Or are there only some sorts of clothes you iron.
what about jeans trousers and Tshirts? I iron them. What about you.

[Christmas Boy]

For the record, (outside of washing a purple robe with white underwear, white towels and white socks a couple weeks ago) the "all-in-one" load philosophy has worked out pretty well. ;o)

[Monica Ricci]

Deb, I don't like all the steps either, but often, just being DONE with it is enough motivation to get me through each step. You didn't say whether you have kids or not, but if so, they should be helping out -- especially with the parts you hate!

Margaret, tough one. I would think hanging clothing to dry would make it more wrinkled, but that's just a guess. What to do with damp laundry in the house? How about a laundry valet?

Christmas Boy, you crack me up. Do you like your new lavender underwear? Hee hee.
~Monica

[becoming minimalist]

i didn't know that about using only cold water. i guess i could have tried it in the past to test it. i'll give it a shot. that would definitely help cut expensive energy costs!

[Deb Lee]

Actually, I don't have any children, unless you count my dog. So, really just me...and all the steps. =)