that much laundry for 4 people ?? wow
we have 7 here- and we do maybe 12 a week at most including the never ending piles of towels the two teen girls use.
we do have a large load capacity washer and dryer though .
We have a large load washer as well; holds 18 large towels with room to spare. If we didn't, we would have 25 or 30 loads a week.
#1 - We don't reuse towels. One use the wash.
#2 - We don't re-wear any clothes. One wear then wash.
#3 - DS and DD are both involved in athletics which means LOTS of clothing and easily go through several outfits on a normal day.
*DS has weight lifting everyday followed by football practice - two different sets of sweaty clothing that must be washed daily. Then, he has a JV football game Monday night and a varsity game Friday nights - those days he has to change clothes from PJ's to school uniform to weight lifting clothes to football practice gear to football game gear. Except for the first Friday of every month. That day he has to wear a specific shirt and tie to school. After Mass (around 10:00 am) at school he has to change to his football game day jersey. Next, into weight lifting clothes for 7th period weight lifting. Followed by football practice wear for football practice and so on and so on.
*He also plays varsity baseball, varsity basketball, track and field and wrestling so he has to change multiple times daily all year for his various sports.
*DD has volleyball 4 x week in the summer and fall and basketball in the winter. Her athletic clothes must be done daily as well.
*DS, DD and DH workout at the gym on the weekend. That is another set of sweaty clothing for each.
*If they go out with their friends on the weekend, well that is another outfit there.
*Finally, they both have part-time jobs and both volunteer at the museum. Those activities each have specific uniforms that have to be washed once worn.
For them, wearing the same thing all day is not an option.
#4 - Bed sheets and blankets are done once a week = 3 loads/week
#5 - Dog and cat blankets washed once a week = 1 load/week
#6 DH changes from sleep clothes to dress clothes for the office to casual clothes for the evening at home - 3 outfits a day for him.
It's no big deal, really. DH is good about doing a load before work everyday, one or two after work and the rest on the weekends. I do a load here or there and the kids will, too. We have a good system that works for us.