Let’s face it: laundry is a drag! But the good news is, if you do your best to manage it right, you can get through the week without going crazy. It can take a lot of work to stay on top of your laundry, especially if you have a busy lifestyle. However, there are some useful habits that you and your family can get into that will take the pain out of that pile of clothing.
With a few simple tweaks to your schedule and a little organisation, you can make wash day a breeze. Here are seven simple ways to manage this never-ending chore!
How to Manage Laundry
If you live alone, then this article is probably not for you. A busy mom, parents with young kids or large families, however, may need a few ideas to avoid being swamped by dirty clothes, ironing, and odd socks. Let’s start the year by creating some brand-new habits to help us through our busy days.
1. Set a Wash and Dry Schedule
You might think a laundry routine is unnecessary. After all, it’s just washing! (And it’s always there!) But when you make the conscious decision to do your washing at specific times each week and follow through with the steps needed to complete it, you’ll find a healthy rhythm that’s easier to maintain.
Make sure you have given yourself enough time for the whole process (washing, drying, folding and putting away).
For larger families, your routine may include doing a load a day. This will help to prevent it from piling up on the bathroom floor and becoming overwhelming.
2. Sort Your Dirty Laundry
Sorting your dirty washing is an important step in keeping your head above water. Separate your whites, colours, and delicates into separate piles. This will help you to avoid any colour-bleeding mishaps and will also help you to keep your washing organised and make it easier to find what you need.
Check and sort according to your schedule, which will allow you to do a long, hot wash for bedding and towels or a short, cooler wash for delicates. If possible – and if you have the space – it’s a great idea to sort your laundry as you go. That way, each laundry basket is its own load and you can simply pop it in the machine. (Or get one of your family members to do it.)
3. Use a Laundry Basket or Two
Using laundry baskets is a great way to tackle this beast. Place a basket in each room. This will make it easy for everyone in the house to keep their dirty washing in one place. It will also help you to keep your washing utility area organized and clutter-free.
If you have the space, designate different hampers for specific items. For example, overalls, jeans, or very dirty sports gear can be kept separate from sheets, towels, or baby clothes.
You may even want to buy a basket for each family member. Once you’ve finished ironing or folding those fresh, clean items, you can hand the basket over to its owner to put away neatly in their cupboard.
4. Get The Family Involved
This may be obvious, but getting everyone involved in your laundry routine can help you on many levels. If you have kids, it will help them learn responsibility and give them a sense of pride in helping out around the house. Asking your spouse or partner to help with these chores is also a great way to get some quality time together while simultaneously addressing one of your household’s biggest chores.
Consider having a family meeting to discuss everyone’s needs and schedules and then decide what works best for all parties involved. Even younger children can get involved in sorting socks or folding dish towels.
Set the right mood! A great tip is to get your family involved and make laundry day fun rather than a chore you have to do alone. If you are working on it with kids, they might feel more invested in the process if they have some control over what happens during each step of the process (choosing which clothes go in which machine and how hot/cold water should be used).
5. Don’t Overload the Washing Machine
Overloading the washing machine can cause your clothes to come out wrinkled and not as clean as they should be. This will either mean another load of washing or extra time ironing – and who wants that?
If you’ve got a lot of laundry, either choose to wash more frequently or consider buying a larger washing machine. For example, the Samsung 15kg Top Loader is the perfect choice for a big family with five different water levels, which still allows for smaller loads. Plus, it comes with a 20-year warranty, so you know it’s going to be part of your family for a long, long time.
6. Skip the Dryer – Hang Clothes Outside
Hanging your clothes to dry is a great way to save energy and money. It’s gentle on your clothing and allows the sun to do its job of drying and killing bacteria at the same time.
Your schedule could include doing a load of washing before you head off to work for the day. Before you leave, pop it on the washing line, and it’ll be dry when you get home. If you do need to use a tumble dryer, be sure to check out the best way to do so while using the least amount of energy.
7. Fold and Put Away
Folding and putting away your laundry is an important step. As soon as your clothes are dry, fold them and put them away. In many cases, this will remove the need for ironing and will get those items stacked away before the cat decides to use them as a comfy bed. This little tip will serve a busy mom well.
Dealing with several small loads quickly means that they don’t add up to a mountain! This will help you to keep your laundry area organized and clutter-free.
Clean Clothes Simplified
Keeping your washing in check doesn’t have to be a chore. With these seven simple tips, you can make laundry day a breeze.
Do a load a day, sort your clothing, use a laundry basket, set a schedule, don’t overload the washer, hang clothes to dry, and fold and put them away. Oh, and don’t forget to ask for help!