For many years, laundry was the bane of my existence. It has always been my least favorite chore and, truthfully, it was the one that made me feel least like an adult. I could never get a handle on this seemingly, endless cycle…until now. When I quit my full-time job in the early summer of 2021, I knew it was time to wrangle in the beast otherwise known as laundry.
First, I had to understand where the issue was coming from. It didn’t take long to realize that there was no system in place. Laundry was moving in and out of the machines without any real thought other than it had to be. I would try to make changes by buying cute hampers or putting it in my calendar but none of that made an impact until I implemented 4 Life-Saving Laundry Hacks.
Sort By Person & Not By Color
Growing up, I was taught to sort my clothes by colors (whites, lights, reds, blues/greens, and darks) to keep them from “bleeding” onto each other. When I became an adult, and laundry was my sole responsibility, this seemed incredibly time consuming and pointless so I did MOST of them all together; laundry detergents are much better these days and I wash pretty much everything on the warm cycle.
However, when I got married and then had my daughter, the habit of washing everything together made it feel like there was never an end. If we hadn’t worn much I’d wait to do a load and, if there was a lot to wash, folding seemed like it took ages.
Now, each person in our house has their own laundry basket that lives in their room. We also have a separate basket for towels and “others”. Baskets that are being washed go into the laundry room so that, if multiple loads are combined, they can be sorted straight from the dryer.
Only Start What You Can Finish
Do you often start the washer only to get busy, forget about it and return to musty clothes? I am almost certain this isn’t just me. I cannot count the number or times I have had to rewash, or re-rewash, clothes because life can get busy.
What if you were ok only doing what it was that you were physically, or mentally, capable of that day? This can apply to so many things in life but, in the case of laundry, that could look like only starting a load when you have the time to move it to the dryer directly after it is done OR only taking the clothes out of the dryer when you are headed to fold them right away. You may feel like this isn’t realistic for your schedule and, honestly, it may not be BUT it does release you from the pressure of having to do it all at once and, for someone who is a recovering perfectionist, that release of pressure makes all the difference.
Check This Out: How To Make Your Laundry Smell Amazing
Turn Clothes Right Side Out Before Washing
This has been a life saver in recent months! My husband turns his clothes out before putting them in the basket. I, myself, often forget as I change in a hurry. Let’s not even talk about the kiddo who changes as fast as lightening and strings clothes halfway across her room in an attempt to become Elsa, Queen of Arendelle. To balance our crazy, with his methodical ways, I just make sure that mine, or my daughter’s, clothes are turned before they go in the washer. You’re going to have to do it eventually so why not save future you the hassle.
Fold The Bare Minimum
I have to give credit to my husband for this one. He’s been doing this for year’s and I used to pick on him for it. Now, I understand it as part of his system and have adopted it for all of our clothes.
First, fold the things that have to be folded, often for the sake of space, like pajamas, and most bottoms. Then, stack or hang everything else. All of the folded and stacked items are stored in the dresser or hanging organizer while the rest is placed in the closet.
Pro Tip: Make your spouse put away their own laundry.
Here’s an easy breakdown:
Fold:
- Pajamas
- Jeans/Shorts/Leggings
Stack:
- Bras
- Underwear
- Tank tops/undershirts
- Casual tops
Hang:
- Dresses
- Cardigans
- Work pants
- Husband’s shirts
- Everything else
Let’s Recap
Laundry can be exhausting. It can often seem like an endless cycle and a necessary evil but there are ways to combat the dreaded beast.
- Sort by person & not by color.
- Only start what you can finish.
- Turn clothes right side out before washing.
- Fold the bare minimum.
I hope you’ve found these tips helpful and feel inspired to rethink your laundry routine. What are things that you do to minimize the stress of cleaning and organizing your family’s fabrics? Let me know in the comments below!
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