For a family of six, laundry is never ending. It's one of those things that will take over in a matter of days...or hours...if we don't stay on top of it. For a long time I dreaded it...hated it...would rather do just about ANYTHING other than folding the never ending piles that seem to be constantly covering every flat surface in our home. Seems I'm not the only one with a bit of disdain for laundry. Get a group of moms together talking about housework and I'll bet you a "grande non-fat extra shot no whip mocha" the topic of laundry will come up.
Here are a few things I've learned that have helped keep the problem in check.
We have a three bin sorter (colors, whites and reds) and a basket for towels/sheets. The kids bring their laundry into the laundry room every day and sort it into the right bins. Then, I can tell at a glance when I need to run a load. This works out to a couple of loads every other day or so.
Each kid in the family has their own basket over the washer and dryer. I fold the laundry directly from the dryer and put it in their basket. Did you get that? Don't move your laundry somewhere else thinking you'll fold it later. This eliminates the problem of laundry covering all those flat surfaces...I don't give it a chance. If I take it out and move it with the intent of folding it later, later becomes much later and it will most likely sit there for days (or weeks!). Just deal with it right then and there. It only takes me about five minutes to fold a load of laundry straight from the dryer.
I also have a hanging rack by the dryer so I can immediately hang things up. The only thing I hate more than laundry? Ironing! Hanging things up quickly all but eliminates the need for ironing. Oh hallelujah!
But my best laundry secret? The sock basket. Pull the socks right out of the dryer and throw them in the sock basket. No more sorting, matching and folding socks. Who has time for that? Life's too short to spend folding socks. When we need a pair, we know right where to find them.
Love it or hate it, what's your best laundry tip?
Here are a few things I've learned that have helped keep the problem in check.
We have a three bin sorter (colors, whites and reds) and a basket for towels/sheets. The kids bring their laundry into the laundry room every day and sort it into the right bins. Then, I can tell at a glance when I need to run a load. This works out to a couple of loads every other day or so.
Each kid in the family has their own basket over the washer and dryer. I fold the laundry directly from the dryer and put it in their basket. Did you get that? Don't move your laundry somewhere else thinking you'll fold it later. This eliminates the problem of laundry covering all those flat surfaces...I don't give it a chance. If I take it out and move it with the intent of folding it later, later becomes much later and it will most likely sit there for days (or weeks!). Just deal with it right then and there. It only takes me about five minutes to fold a load of laundry straight from the dryer.
I also have a hanging rack by the dryer so I can immediately hang things up. The only thing I hate more than laundry? Ironing! Hanging things up quickly all but eliminates the need for ironing. Oh hallelujah!
But my best laundry secret? The sock basket. Pull the socks right out of the dryer and throw them in the sock basket. No more sorting, matching and folding socks. Who has time for that? Life's too short to spend folding socks. When we need a pair, we know right where to find them.
Love it or hate it, what's your best laundry tip?
Great tips! I make sure all of the laundry is done, no matter how little is in the hamper, before I go to bed. If we start the day with one STITCH of laundry....we'll never catch up. We have to do at *least* four loads a day, and those are completely full....no half loads.
ReplyDeleteI do the same thing, sort of, with each person having their own basket to sort into. But mine are all the white instead of those cute colors. I set out some sharpies and the baskets and told each kid to take a basket and decorate it however they wanted. They just had to be sure their name was written all around the lip at the top. I don't have a spot in the laundry room to line up 11 baskets, so we keep them in a stack on the dryer and line them up every afternoon in the kitchen and quickly sort into them. Then we deliver them to each person's room to be put away before bed. I check for the baskets to be back in the laundry room each evening and if your isn't there then you're in deep trouble. LOL! Naw, I just make them go do it before they go to bed.
OK. I've said enough. My fingers are tired from all of this typing. ;) Lisa~ www.livingmybestlifeii-lisa.blogspot.com
Great tips...
ReplyDeleteYour blog header just makes me smile. It is the BEST...
Doing a little Sunday morning blog hopping...Its snowing here.
I have 2 GREAT GIVEAWAYS that I will draw for tonight ...
stop by and leave a comment...That's all that's needed.
Well, my dear friend, Angela, as you know - I do laundry every Monday and Friday. And the best tip I found, which works wonderfully for me - is to begin the night before. I get one load into the washer and dryer and the second one into the washer before I go to bed. Then I'm ready to start folding right away in the morning.
ReplyDeleteCan't utilize your idea to fold right out of the dryer, though. My "laundry room" is in the basement - not a pretty place. Not where you want to spend more time than necessary. The living room is much more friendly. *grin*