Drowning in the laundry? Does the laundry mountain keep growing despite the implementation of a good few hacks? There’s a big chance of you using a laundry system that isn’t working for you.
Miss a day or two of doing the laundry and you have the washer jam-packed with this monstrous pile of washing; some more overflowing the hamper. Plus, clean laundry is all over the place.
Where did you get that? You wonder.
All of that is a great sign of a terribly managed laundry system.
We’ve hundreds of different views about the laundry system. Everyone has their unique solution.
Our family size, occupation, execution of the system, and amount of assistance all play a part in the effectiveness of our laundry system. Now, how do you find a better method?
A laundry routine consists of – washing, drying, and PUTTING AWAY clothes. Failure to attain even one of these can cause the entire process to crumble.
Not only that but looking at the big picture, the entire functioning of your house could be affected simply by failing to do the laundry.
Today let’s take on this major chore and figure out how to create a laundry system that really works for you.
HOW TO CREATE A LAUNDRY SYSTEM THAT WORKS FOR YOU
Establish a sorting system:
Have a basket assigned to each one of your family members. Kids should have their own laundry basket too. They should be encouraged to sort and put their dirty washing in their designated basket.
Play around with colors, and numbers as you have them sort their clothes.
Another way is having baskets with labels for sorting clothes by muddiness, color, fabric, usage, weight – heavier/lighter fabric, etc. Like one basket for whites and another for dark clothes.
Set up everything beforehand:
Sort the clothes. Pretreat the whites or stained clothes.
Soak denim/sheets/linens in warm water with a little detergent the previous night.
Load washer.
This will help you set the pace.Â
Daily or weekly routine
Some people prefer daily, others weekly.
Instead of arguing about the correct way, let’s find a balance between the two.
I do laundry every single day.
I recommend no less than twice weekly.
- Home wear, underclothes, towels, and sheets/bedcovering on weekdays as they don’t need much care.
- Office wear/delicate clothing (that needs special handling) on weekends.
Feel free to wash linens/sheets and towels with your regular clothing. If you wash them regularly, they don’t need presoaking/pretreating.
That way, you won’t have to wait until the weekend for a fresh pair of underwear.
And unnecessarily worry about the massive load of laundry on the weekend.
Additionally, if that moderates even one load of washing and putting away, if not more, you can utilize that time to complete ironing on the same day (weekend).
Your laundry routine will also depend on the size of your family. A large family must do at least one load daily to prevent a mountain of laundry.
Read: How To Get Motivated To Clean
Consider the size of the load:
The user manual states the capacity of your washing machine. It can help you determine the size/weight of your wash load.
Follow the instructions carefully to optimize the results.
A big wash load will prevent the flow of the wash cycle. Clothes won’t come out as clean as intended.
A smaller load will cost you more referring to — soap, hot water, and electric power usage.
Moderateness is the key.
Line dry:
Line drying will save the dryer time.
A big pile can easily be hung in one go.
When the weather doesn’t permit hanging clothes outside, these racks seem practical and cost-efficient.
put away the clean clothes immediately:
I know the likelihood of assuming I’ll fold all the clothes (together) at the end.
But folding all 6-7 loads jointly will make it more challenging.
And if you only want to get it done altogether in the end, you can have your kids fold with you.
Another basket for clean clothes:
Don’t have time to put away clean clothes?
It is understood. Things get in the way.
Keep a separate basket to fold & put the clean laundry as you take them off.
Rather than throwing clean laundry on a chair (which your kids might scatter sooner or later), fold and stack it nicely in a basket so that it’s easier for you to arrange later.
Another useful idea is to keep a small container around the washer to collect small objects pulled from the pockets before putting clothes into the washer.
Iron only if necessary:
One of my high school friends used to iron her underwear too.
I mean, really?
The point is, depending on the texture, usage, and occasion see if ironing is required.
If it’s truly necessary do not hesitate to reschedule it for a Monday evening.
Final words:
This simplest laundry system has helped me tame the laundry monster and reduce chaos. It makes me feel in control of things.
What laundry system do you follow? Don’t forget to share it with me in the comments section below. Thank you so much for reading. Happy Cleaning!