Laundry has been my nemesis for YEARS!! I mean really…..like I’d rather do almost anything else! Tackling Mt. Washmore can be daunting. Keeping up with laundry for a family can seem it’s never-ending, while it’s true laundry will always need to be washed. There is a better way to get a handle on it and not feel so overwhelmed! I have often wished for the concept of disposable clothing. I know I’m not alone on this one, however, a terrible idea for the environment. So instead, a laundry system is a good alternative!
The Struggle
My husband has work uniforms along with his everyday wear, there’s my teenage daughter (no more needs to be said here, anyone with a teenager understands LOL) my 8year-old who feels it necessary to use her clothing as a napkin even though she is provided with napkins at every meal which in turn can cause multiple clothing changes a day. Then there’s me, work clothes/scrubs and my every day wear! Don’t even get me started with towels, Ha!
I knew there had to be a better solution than feeling overwhelmed with laundry all the time. Not to mention the dreaded feeling of spending hours getting laundry done, just to have it pile up once again! I set out for a simple solution to my frustrations. Then I had an epiphany of sorts, What if I set up a laundry system to keep it in check? I spent one weekend tackling Mt. Washmore to get it all caught up. It was tiring and rewarding just the same.
For starters, I vowed to do at least one load a day from start to finish. This was a tremendous help! I then had the talk with my family….no more using a towel once and tossing it into the basket (or worse, the floor). From now on we are using a towel 2-3 times and hanging it up after each use. After all, we are CLEAN coming out of the shower. Right?This was a huge help but it still needed some tweaking. In order to keep it up at all times I implemented a system.
The System
A daily schedule, basically a category of laundry for each day. For example, I have Towel Tuesdays and Whites Wednesdays. This system eliminates the need to do extra laundry on the weekends when we really want to spend quality time together as a family and not have to be a slave to the laundry!
Another HUGE change I made is, I no longer fold clothes that are not mine! GASP! Each family member is given a basket with their clean clothing and it’s up to them to fold, match their own socks and put them away! This can be implemented even with young children.
The schedule that works for me:
Miscellaneous Monday
Towel Tuesday
Whites/Whatever Wednesday
Hang Ups Thursday
Folds Friday
Stinky Saturday (husbands work clothes)
Sheets Sunday
Most of the above schedule is self explanatory but I’ll elaborate just a bit.
Miscellaneous Monday: This can be anything left over from one of the other categories, bathroom floor mats, a comforter or just any stray items needing washing. Let’s face it Monday’s are one of the most Overwhelming days of the week…..weekend is over, back to work (dread) I want my Monday laundry to be easy peasy!
Towels Tuesday: Pretty self explanatory. Folding towels can easily be done while relaxing in the evening while catching up on one of your favorite shows, heck even kids and husbands can easily help to fold and put away! In the summer months when we are also using beach towels, the extras may need to be done on Miscellaneous Monday or Whatever Wednesday.
Whites/Whatever Wednesday: If I have enough whites for a full load I do whites (we as a family do not have many whites for clothing, they just can’t be trusted with white LOL). If not then it’s whatever else may need to be washed (sort of like miscellaneous Monday)
Hang up Thursday: I sort any clothing that needs to be hung up and wash them on this day. Let’s face it, part of the despise of laundry is, if forgotten about it sits and gets wrinkled. Well, if I only have one load that I have to hang up it is so much easier to tackle!
Folds Friday: Simply clothing that gets folded. Jeans, pajamas, socks, underwear, shorts ect… When this load is complete it gets sorted by family member and given to them to take care of themselves. I am left to only take care of my own, such a huge relief and time back to myself!
Stinky Saturday: My husbands work uniforms and undergarments. He sweats A LOT while working. So he has a separate basket for his things. This load also is washed with an addition of white vinegar to take out the musty smell. This load is the only other load that includes hang ups. Usually just 4-6 shirts, which is doable. He then folds and puts away the rest!
Sheets Sunday: Pretty self explanatory. In our house we have 4 beds, so each week 2 beds get stripped and washed. The next week the other two get done. When they are done being Laundered, simply return them to the bed at which they came from and no folding is even necessary!
In conclusion, Everyone has clean clothes at all times. No one ever stresses about not being able to find something clean to wear, and I for once in my adult life have made peace with the laundry monster!!
I’m always open to new ideas, I’d love to hear what kind of system you may have in place to make your laundry life easier?
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