10 Tips to Make Laundry Less of a Chore

 

Laundry Day.  Laundry isn’t actually my least favorite household chore, there is something oddly therapeutic about it to me.  Well I mean compared to commuting in rush hour or being up against a deadline it's relaxing in comparison.

I didn’t actually learn how to do laundry until I went off to college….true story.  For parents that really set me up to succeed in life this was one thing that was missed.  Although I think my mom was probably like me, sort of a control freak and didn’t want some teenager ruining the family’s laundry. :)  I recall phoning her panicked late one night from college because I thought I had dyed all my laundry pink.

I do all our laundry on Monday.  People are always shocked when they hear this; but wouldn’t you much rather spend one whole day doing it than to be working on it constantly and feeling like it’s just a never ending cycle (no pun intended)? I just don’t want to consistently have a load in the wash all week.  Monday is a day I am typically home all day so there is plenty of time to get it all done.  My kids and I all have enough clothes that we don’t need to be constantly washing stuff. With a little planning ahead this is rarely an issue.  There is something nice about having all the laundry done and put away early in the week and getting a break from it until the next week.  When I was working outside of the home I would do all the laundry on the weekend for the same reasons.  This isn’t to say that I haven’t had to deviate from the schedule and do a load from time to time, but one load mid or late in the week is much more manageable.  Plus, if all the laundry is done and put away on the same day you don’t have to worry about ironing (I almost never iron) because you are hanging up or folding right away.  It’s not crumpled in the bottom of a laundry basket waiting for a spare moment so you can put it away.  

Here are a few helpful laundry tips and tricks for you:

1. Be organized.  Every member of our family has their own hamper.  All hampers are pulled on Monday, sorted and then hampers go directly back to their spot.  I have a place for items that need mended and a divided tote that stays in the laundry room: 1 side for hand wash items and the other side for dry cleaning.  When doing the laundry is a great time to take stock of what is going on in your family’s wardrobe.  My sons each have a tote in their closet for outgrown items.  As we notice something is too small or worn out it goes in the tote.  Once the tote is full I sort for our yard sale or pack up for a hand me down.   This is also a great time to figure out if you need something.  If I am washing socks and they look overly dingy or have a hole I add to my running list in my phone that it is something we need to purchase. I don’t trust mom brain to recall this when I am in Target up against nap or lunch time!
2. Buy a mesh bag with divided compartments if you do not have one. Lifesaver when it comes to toddler and infant socks.  I don’t lose them in the laundry and then they don’t have to be paired up when folding laundry.
3. Stain treating – I only stain treat on laundry day. I know, this sounds scary, but this has never been an issue; ketchup, mud, food stains, washable marker, etc.  However, if blood was involved I treat it right away. I use 2 products for my stain treating.  Oxi Clean Max Force spray for everyday stains and Lestoil for grease splatters, baby spit up or anything that seems more severe.  Lestoil has saved so much of our stuff!  My mom has used this for years and Kroger is the only place I have really found it. It can be found in with the household cleaners not by the laundry stuff.  Word to the wise a little goes along way, and it is very strong smelling. My husband did not want me using it when I was pregnant. I barely let either product set on the clothing before throwing in the wash (9 out of 10 times on cold water) and am always pleasantly surprised by the outcome.  Total game changer with yellowed stains on baby clothing.
   
4. Not everything has to be washed right away.  Thankfully our kids are still the age where we determine what is clean and dirty after wearing. I don’t have to deal with everything making its way to the hamper yet – kids seem to be notorious for this.  Jeans are washed every 2-3 wears if possible.  Same goes for pjs (not for the baby) my oldest wears pjs 2 nights in a row unless he had a leaky diaper or ate in them.  Same goes for me, pjs are washed every 2-3 days unless I cleaned in them or lived in them longer than just sleeping in them. (hey it happens)  My husband wears a uniform for work so after he comes home and showers he will put an outfit on for just a couple hours.  Then he will wear it again around the house the next night if possible.  Adult towels are washed once a week, except for the towels the kids have at bath time, I wash theirs after every use just because I worry about sensitive skin.  All the towels in the kid’s bathroom are white, towels in the master are various colors – no special reason just easier to sort.  Obviously less laundry means less time doing it.
5. Washing new clothes before wearing them.? This is an age-old debate.  I buy a lot of secondhand clothing – thrifting, consignment stores, yard sales.  So that is a must.  I leave items in our garage until it can be washed just to be on the safe side.  Now brand new out of the store clothing? I still wash before the first wear for my kids because of potential irritation that could be caused from chemicals left over from the manufacturing process.  It’s not a must do per dermatologists to wash before wearing and I am guilty of not always doing that for myself because I am indecisive and return stuff sometimes after trying on at home.  I shudder to think how many items I would have been stuck with if I would have washed right away and then put it in my closet!!
6. Read your labels! We take really good care of our clothing.  I get a lot of wear out of things.  If I am getting rid of something it is typically because I am bored or tired of it – not because it is worn out.  Even more importantly is my oldest son’s clothes because I have a son 2 years behind him that can wear a lot of his stuff if it is properly cared for. Most baby clothes and some children’s clothes are supposed to be washed on the delicate cycle, I definitely do this. Hand wash items I try to gather and wash once a month in the sink and dry on a drying rack in our bathtub.  Lots of people share success at washing their hand wash items in the washer on the hand wash cycle – admittedly I have been timid to try this.  (Primarily because it would be a super small load and I think that is kind of wasteful.)  We also never dry anything on any setting, but low heat to avoid shrinking and excessive fading.  I wash everything on cold with the exception of towels.  I wash bath towels on medium and dish towels on hot to kill any gross germs. 
7. Think about your time and the care for an item when out shopping.  Hate taking things to the dry cleaners? Dislike hand washing items?  What about that adorable top with all the stitched on gems or embellishments?  I distinctly remember shopping with my mom growing up and showing her things and she would ask me what the tag said about washing it.  We would look at the tag and a lot of times if it was dry clean only or hand wash we would pass on it.  Who could hardly blame her with 3 daughters that all loved clothes and remember she was the only one doing the laundry!  Don't feel bad if wash and wear items are all you have time for.
8. Do you know the correct order for adding your laundry detergent?  I didn’t until recently reading an article in HGTV magazine.  For a top-load washer you should follow your manual (who has any idea where their washer manual is) first put in your detergent, then add your laundry and then start the actual cycle.  Apparently pouring your detergent on top of the clothes can cause it not to distribute evenly – makes total sense. 
9. Be careful what you put in your washer.  I know it is a big trend to make your own detergent or purchase homemade detergent at Farmer’s Markets. Check the ingredients. Recipes containing Borax are not good for modern washing machines.  Also never use dish detergents such as Dawn as it doesn’t rinse out completely and leaves soapy residue behind that becomes a medium for mold and microbial growth.
10. Get your family involved.  Little ones can help with sorting, folding small items and my son loves helping transfer laundry from the dryer to the basket or if you hand to him, from the washer to the dryer.  My husband puts his own laundry away and sorts his work uniforms from the rest of the laundry.  It doesn’t ALL have to fall on the mom’s shoulders.

I hope these tips take some of the dread out of doing the laundry. Have a helpful tip I didn’t mention, please share below!