catching up on laundry

Alex · **Joined:** Mon Sep 03, 2012 2:44 pm **Posts:** 32

I have probably 5 clean loads and a few dirty, by the end of the day I'm exhausted any ideas to catch up?

Anna1111 · **Joined:** Sat Jun 30, 2012 7:14 pm **Posts:** 8115

Well, the options I'm aware of are:

1. If your kids are old enough (over 8 or 9, IMO) assign them laundry tasks - folding, mating socks, putting away, sorting, etc.

2. Take it all to the laundrymat, and do it all in 3 hours or so to get caught up if you're way behind.

3. If you have more money than time, take it to a fluff-n-fold & pick it up the next day.

4. Assign towels and sheets to each family member (by color coding or another method - and only do those things at designated intervals (no more than once a week, except in extreme circumstances). A kid who finds it easier to put their towel in the laundry for you to wash than to hang it up themselves can REALLY set you back in laundry time.

5. If it comes to the laundry inside-out, it goes back to the wearer inside-out!

6. There's no real reason to fold underwear, unless there is a person who REALLY cares - then just theirs can be folded and all else put in the drawer as-is.

7. If you're working outside the home, then put in a load of wash at bedtime and into the dryer before breakfast each day. Keeps it flowing.

Sis · **Joined:** Sat Jun 30, 2012 5:22 pm **Posts:** 8837

Unless this is from a big camping trip or something... I can't fathom having so much laundry! :?:

I'm weird. I think people have too many clothes and change them too often. However, if, for some reason, I ever had that much laundry to catch up on... nope, can't even go there. I wouldn't have that much laundry if ALL of my clothes were dirty plus towels, bedding and curtains! Here's what I *imagine* I would do:

1) Sort piles into each person's personal clothing, towels/bedding, other.

2) If towels/bedding are needed immediately I would wash and dry those first. Otherwise, I would wash a load consisting of one outfit per person (or 2 outfits if that made a decent sized load).

3) I would wash a load of bleached whites. If this included towels/bedding then I'd probably throw in any white socks and bleachable undies with that load.

4) From here I would seriously consider the loads I'm washing. What can be eliminated? I would have 2 towels per person and give away or store extras.

Since part of "catching up" would include drying, possible ironing, folding and putting away I would put the first load washed out on the line to dry. After washing and drying the second load I would bring the lined items in to dry in the dryer if needed. Those two loads would be folded and stacked to personal piles while starting a third load and NO MORE would be washed until those first two loads were complete.

I don't think I would endeavor to do more than 3 loads in a day and, after these first 3 loads were done, I would probably do one load per day to stay caught up.

Tory · **Joined:** Sat Jun 30, 2012 6:58 pm **Posts:** 5828

I am never caught up. If everyone in the house has clean clothes to wear and clean towels for showers, then I'm happy. I can do one or two loads and call it good for the day, lol!
I do not like clothes spilling out of the hampers. It drives me batty, but as far as all of the hampers being completely empty of any dirty laundry, that never happens.
Sheets get done in one day. Off of bed, washed, dried, beds made back up. My dc do their own making of beds. I don't take sheets off of beds and pile the sheets into the hamper and use fresh sheets. Nope. That just adds to what already needs to be washed.
Yesterday I did a full load of towels and another of jeans. Today, I did a load of whites.
Tomorrow I will be too busy to do laundry.

LisaTX · **Posted:** Tue Sep 04, 2012 10:48 pm

We only have about 2-3 loads of laundry a week. Two if I can stop dd from changing her clothes 5 times a day and throwing the clean ones into the dirty laundry, three if I can't. I do laundry once a week, usually on Friday. If I have my act together, I can get it folded the same day. Usually it gets folded on Saturday, though. The kids have their own hampers and bring them down on laundry day to be washed. The kids fold all the towels and washcloths and they are about to start folding all their own laundry. They have done it before, but not on a regular basis. Now they will be folding all their own laundry each week. They already put all their clothes away after they are folded. So, the work for me is minimal. I'm even showing ds how to run the washer and dryer because he is curious and likes doing it.

I love Anna's suggestions #5 and 6!

Alex · **Joined:** Mon Sep 03, 2012 2:44 pm **Posts:** 32

I love all the suggestions and going to put some of each in practice!! Feeling bad today, so going to try tomorrow. Thank you ladies, knew I could count on you.

Alex · **Joined:** Mon Sep 03, 2012 2:44 pm **Posts:** 32

All done!!!!! Did all the laundry and will never let it get that way again!

Anna1111 · **Joined:** Sat Jun 30, 2012 7:14 pm **Posts:** 8115

YAY! Great job!

Sis · **Joined:** Sat Jun 30, 2012 5:22 pm **Posts:** 8837

YAY! So what worked for you?

Alex · **Joined:** Mon Sep 03, 2012 2:44 pm **Posts:** 32

I decided to wash it all then sit down and just fold. Once I got a pile put it away, it was great because I cleaned out my dresser. Two bags full of clothes that didn't fit or I didn't like. I will now do wash a couple times a week.

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