Getting on Top of the Laundry: Finding a Method that Works for You

 

source: wendy crockett

I would say that laundry is on of the chores that people most complain about. Because it’s continuous and involves so many steps, you often don’t feel as if you’re ever done, which can be discouraging.

In my quest to finally get on top of laundry, I’ve come across many different systems. Combining some of the following systems is a good place start for coming up with a system that works best for you:

A Designated Laundry Day

Setting aside one day a week to focus on the laundry and get it all done is a tempting approach for many reasons.

Pros: Once you’re done, you’re done, and you don’t have to think about it for the rest of the week.

Cons: If you get distracted or off task, chances are you won’t finish in a day, and you’ll end up disappointed and stressed out.

A Load of Laundry a Day

While it can be tempting to try to do all the laundry in one day, other people find success with doing one load of laundry every day.

Pros: Laundry can become part of your daily routine. For example, start a load before breakfast. Switch it over after breakfast. Fold it while you prepare dinner and put it away before bed. You’re never overwhelmed with multiple loads that needed to be done yesterday and you don’t need as many clothes because you’re doing laundry regularly.

Cons: If laundry is your least favorite chore, the idea of doing it every day is not appealing. If you get behind, you have to catch up sometime.

Keep Clothes in a Family Closet

If putting away laundry is the worst part of laundry for you, then having a family closet near – or in – your laundry room may make the difference.

Pros: I keep all of my girls’ clothes in the laundry room, and I love that I don’t have to trek all over the house to put their clothes away. It definitely makes that step easier. In the mornings, I can grab their outfits for the day quickly as well.

Cons: Setting up a family closet may take some work and/or money if you don’t already have something set up.

Sort Loads of Laundry by Room

Rather than just sorting laundry by color, sort it by room so that the clothes from each load can all be put away in the same place.

Pros: If putting laundry away is your least favorite step, this way also saves the hassle of running all over the house to put it away in its place. You can just head to one room for each load you finish. If your kids are old enough, they can be responsible for their own laundry – either the whole task or just the folding/putting away.

Cons: You will have to wait longer to do a full load if you’re not combining the laundry from all family members.

Take All Dirty Laundry to the Laundry Room Immediately

Rather than keeping laundry baskets in each room, get in the habit of taking it to the laundry room every day.

Pros: Having all of the dirty laundry in one place gives you a better idea of what needs to be done. Lori also points out that if the loads are ready to go, it’s easier to just pop in a load when you have time.

Cons: You have to make a concerted effort to get it there every day, and it may take a while to make it a habit for everyone in your family if it’s not what they’re used to.

Do you have another system that makes staying on top of the laundry easier? Have you tried any of the systems above? Did they work for you? Why or why not?

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