FINALLY...A Laundry System That is Working!

**AmyBoz** · 04-14-2008, 12:09 PM

For those of you who have been around for awhile, it is no secret that laundry is absolutely the bane of my existence. We're a family of five and I feel like I am constantly doing laundry. There are always laundry baskets full of clothes waiting to be washed, waiting to be put away, etc. I hate laundry.

However, I've recently made some changes to my system that have helped me immensely. They aren't big changes and are mostly common sense, but it has made a world of difference in my life.

You may already do these things, and if so, good for you! You've figured it out as well!

Here's what I'm doing now:

Before going downstairs to take clothes out of the dryer or off of the line, I gather up all of the empty hangers in all of the closets. I hang them on the clothesline (mine is in my basement). Then, as I take clothes out of the dryer or off of the line, I immediately hang them on the hanger or fold them and put them in the basket. Everyone has their own basket, and everyone's clothes go into those baskets. So, when the dryer is empty, I take the adult basket and the hanging clothes right to our room and hang and put them in drawers. The Dd basket goes to her room, where she puts them away. The boys baskets go to their rooms, etc. Again, not a big change, but not having to fold them later and then put them away...just changed my whole mindset about it. It is suddenly much less of a chore for me.

Also, I put a load in the washer in the morning before I leave for work, and I dry that load when I get home. Then, after dinner, I take anything out of the dryer and deal with it. If there are line-drying clothes that aren't ready yet, I deal with those the next morning.

Again, this is common sense and you may do these things already, but it took me 36 years to figure this out and wow...do I feel better.

**NoDebtMom** · 04-14-2008, 12:23 PM

Congrats on finding a system... I, too, find that when I get them put away quicker, the rest flows more smoothly. Instead of dumping out baskets of clean laundry just to have a basket.... and baskets everywhere, having the clean stuff away is so crucial.

**mommy4ever** · 04-14-2008, 12:55 PM

We're a family of 6. Laundry is an unrelenting chore.

What I've done for us is this: Everyone is assigned a laundry day.

• DH and myself are Mondays.
• DD4 are done on Tuesdays, usually only 1 load.
• Wednesdays are towels.
• DD11 and DS13share a day, as dd9 is home at noon, she does her own, 2 loads, by the time ds13 gets home, are done, so he does his 2 or 3 loads.
•dd9 get done on Fridays, I do her 2 loads.

Bedding is done on respective laundry days. Each person does their own. Usually loads are light enough that sheets are done with clothes. OR if loads are too full, they all get done on Wednesdays, with towels.

Perhaps not the most conservative method of laundry, but it works for us very smoothly. Plus saves time as I rarely have to sort laundry, which is great as I have 2 girls in the same sizes, and I never remember 100% who's is whos.

So, we do laundry mon-fri, and none on weekends. This allows for things to hang to dry as well.

**geckoace** · 04-14-2008, 03:12 PM

my biggest laundry revelation (besides everyone having there own hamper) is to put a laundry bag in the hamper like a trash bag and then pull the whole thing out to take down to the basement. before i would take the whole hamper and then it would take days (ou know the old forget and rewash) and the newly dirty clothes would pile up on the floor

but now they go in the naked hamper. also i only do one persons laundry at a time and i put it away right away

**AmyMCGS** · 04-14-2008, 09:14 PM

Good for you, Amy, to have found something that's working so well for you.

I go in spells where I'm on top of laundry (a load a day) and then I go in spells where (like right now) I have a mountain to do.

**Lady_V** · 04-14-2008, 10:26 PM

I have always had a system... unfortunately the 24 other units I share the 2 washers & dryers have a system too... MINE!

I now resort to tossing a load in at 10:30pm. When they are done, I bring them back in and hang them on the wooden rack. Whatever needs to dry more, or is needed that morning, I toss it in the dryer.

**Becci** · 04-15-2008, 02:18 AM

We are a family of four (well at the moment another on the way). I wash everyday. I just was whatever is in the basket then line dry. I don't own a clothes dryer but weather here is pretty mild. I have a line under the verandah that I hang clothes on in the winter so they don't get wet.
When I bring the load in (usually late afternoon - like I should be doing right now) I fold mine and DBF clothes first, hanging what needs to be hung straight onto hangers. Then Ds15's then Ds12's clothes. The boys clothes get piled on their bed for them to put away then I do ours.
Linen get done when it needs to and depending on the weather.
I have started to get the boys to bring their own clothes in lately. I hope this will help when the baby comes. You should hear the comments about how much folding they have to do! Well wear your clothes a little more possums!
I do want to get into a routine with the bed linen though. Certain people on certain days. I wash sheets once a week but it's hit and miss which days. I think this might be better to do once I finish work and am home to wash and hang them out.

**Cricket1** · 04-15-2008, 03:22 AM

Hmm...I might have to consider doing this, Amy. Laundry can sit around here forever waiting to be folded and put away. That's a great idea. I also like the one of doing certain people's on certain days. That would make putting it away a heck of a lot easier. No need to sort and route through it. Great ideas, ladies!

**Darlene** · 04-15-2008, 06:59 AM

Good for you Amy!!

**emily_hope** · 04-15-2008, 07:10 AM

Way to go! I do at least one load of laundry every day. I have a delayed start on my washer, wish I SO enjoy. I put a load in when I leave for work and it starts about an hour before I get home. When I get home, I throw it in the dryer and when it's done I fold. The DDs put away their own clothes.

**PrairieRose** · 04-15-2008, 08:41 AM

I've always found that if I can stay on top of the laundry and keep the house at least picked up that I can get through most of what life throws at me without a major meltdown. Good for you Amy, in coming up with a system that works for you.

**Michelle** · 04-15-2008, 12:16 PM

I'm glad you found a system that works for you. I do something similar when I do multiple loads in one day. Otherwise I just fold and have the kids put away their laundry after school

**Ceashels** · 04-16-2008, 09:50 AM

I'm currently at my girlfiend's house watching her 3 kids. I have learned that there is ONE laundry basket and when it is full it gets washed. One light, one dark load. I am thinking this is almost daily for her or at minimum every other day and the bed/bath linens get washed regularly on their own schedule.

I don't know if this will work in my home or not.... I don't like washing things together like bath linens and clothing and kitchen towels because finding my long hair woven into a cloth napkin would make me want to hurl...... !

**Hoosier Momma** · 04-16-2008, 01:57 PM

I do clothing on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and sometimes Saturday. Tuesday it is the towels. I alternate Thursdays on bedding (ours one Thursday, the kids' the next Thursday). I rarely do laundry on Sunday.

This is the best way for our laundry to stay under control. I have a hamper in each bedroom and one in the main bath (so the kids can throw their clothes in at bathtime).

I stay on top of the laundry pretty well, actually. With four kids under 10, I have to!