
Laundry is one of those house-hold chores that just seems to pile up around us. Despite good intentions getting the laundry done in a timely manner is often challenging. But it doesn’t have to be. Here are some helpful tips to banish those laundry day blues.
Daily Washing vs. Once a Week: No rules here. If you prefer tackling a bit of the laundry each day, assign each family member a day of the week in which that person’s laundry will be done and leave 1 or 2 days for sheets / towels. Whether you choose daily or once a week, it is best to designate the day(s) so this is not left to chance. Hint: Teach your children how to do their own laundry. Young children especially will think this is a fun activity.
Sorting vs Non-Sorting: This is a personal choice. If you are a sorter, start by setting up 2 laundry bins or baskets. One for whites and one for colors. Place your dirty clothes in the appropriate containers each night and the sorting is done for you. You can set up this system for each family member if this makes sense for your home.
Hanging, Folding & Putting Away: This is probably the most dreaded part of doing laundry. Unless you don’t care if your clothes are wrinkled or hard to find, there is no getting around this. Keep hangers near the dryer so hanging clothes can be hung up right out of the dryer. Having a table set up near the dryer where you can fold the clothes as you take them out of the dryer is also ideal. If that is not an option, identify the most convenient place to fold your clothes. Folding right away will help to alleviate the need for ironing later. Now that the laundry is folded, it is time to be put away. Organized drawers and closets will make this step a breeze since everything has a designated home.
Too Much Laundry, Not Enough Time: There are wonderful washing services that will pick up and deliver your laundry nicely washed and folded. This a good solution if “free” time is limited. However, this doesn’t help with putting your clothes away. That task is still up to you and your family members. Another solution, hire a high school or college student to do your laundry. You can also show her/him where to put the clothes away so the laundry is completed start to finish.
Doing laundry will not bring joy to our lives. However, setting up some simple systems will help to alleviate the drudgery.
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