Problem: I felt like I needed to do laundry all the time. I felt like it was never-ending and I would run out of underwear.
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Really? How can you? I think my daughter throws clothes in the dirty clothes that she just looks at.
I mean, glances. They really dirties up your clothes {note the sarcasm font}. How can I wash my clothes? (or, should it read, how can I wash ALL THESE *@&^)@!_ clothes!)
First off, my boys are now in charge of their laundry. My older son is 14 and the younger one is 10, soon to be 11. I heard whining about the laundry they had to fold because I was “always washing it” — and that was the straw that killed this laundry maid’s back. They were on their own. A few tips I have learned about kids doing their own laundry:
- Buy those pods, sure toddlers might eat them, but I might eat my boys if they spilled laundry detergent all over again. I have found them on sale a few times, I think that was God’s way of letting them live.
- Not having clothes is just part of not washing your laundry. Don’t do it, just say “gosh, that’s too bad I’m sorry you didn’t do it.” {and then walk away — you’ll need to do your happy dance, of natural consequences, in private}
They are SUPPOSED to wash their laundry on Mondays and Thursdays. When they DO wash it is up for grabs.
For me though, I stick pretty tight to this schedule:
Mondays: Whites
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Tuesdays: Colors and towels
Wednesdays: Bras or Bathmats (I rotate between them)
Thursdays: Nada
Fridays: Colors
Saturdays: Sheets (I usually only wash them every other week — I felt like weekly was overkill).
My daughter’s clothes get washed whenever her hamper is full. That’s about every week to 10 days depending on how many things she “glances” at. {sigh}. She also has a TON of clothes (thank you Goodwill) so I don’t need to wash hers very frequently. In fact, if I washed them more frequently, she would probably only ever wear 3 outfits. She does sort out her whites weekly and put them in with my whites (boys do too).
Anyway, I would just encourage you to find a system that works for you! I hvae a LOT of friends who find a laundry day works best for them. That way they can focus on it and have it over with. I also now have enough clothes to work this system. I used to do whites twice a week, but found that we weren’t running full loads so I bought some more underwear and now we’re good to go (tmi?).
BONUS HILARY PERK: My husband folds our laundry. a) he didn’t like how I folded it b) When I started working more frequently, I had a FREAK-OUT about doing all the housework AND working, and we landed on him folding laundry because it can back-up a bit, if necessary.
Anyway, find a sytem, your life will thank you for it. What’s your laundry system? Comment below or share it on our Facebook Page.
Lynness says
My system is not really a system, but something my mom came up with when we were kids- WEAR-AGAINS. If it is not stained or stinky, put it in a drawer specifically for wear-agains and wear it one more time before you toss it into the wash. (Does not apply to socks and underwear.) If it came out of the wear-agains, then I usually have them wear it on a bath day and have them put it in the dirty clothes basket when they get in the tub. Seriously cuts down on the laundry and by the time they are teenagers and more stinky and can’t wear them again, they can do their own.
And we don’t fold clothes. Even if they were folded, the kids would just come take their pile and dump it into the drawers and negate the folding. My son (who does his own) decided to hang all his clothes, and so do my husband and I. So now I just dump a huge pile of 3T to 7 girl clothes in the girls’ bedroom and tell them to come find their stuff and put it away. 🙂
Hilary says
That sounds like a good system Lynness! I like the wear again drawer! Smart idea!
Havok says
I remember I was put in charge of my own laundry basically as soon as I could reach the knobs on the washer and dryer. And I had to do it on Sundays, and fold it as well.
It worked out okay, I suppose, since as a kid you don’t really care if things get folded right, ha!
Now as an adult, laundry gets done when the hamper is full, but I normally try and do a load every Wednesday. Towels get done when we’re low. Sheets get done…not as often as they should, but meh.
Now if you could magic up a system that points my Mister to leaving all his dirty clothes in one place, that would be awesome xD
Hilary says
No, no one cares about things being folded but me (and my husband). Oh man, if I had a sytem like that! Let’s just say I woudln’t need ads on my blog! 🙂