This is my first WFMW, I have loved reading other blogs that do it so I thought I would join in on the fun!
I am sure that everyone has a system in how they conquer "Mount Laundry" that collects at their house! I have a system that involves getting my kids in helping to care for the laundry. I have it where each of the kids' rooms has its own laundry "basket"(I use plastic milk crates) for dirty laundry. Each day it is the responsibility of my 4yo to collect the dirty laundry from each of the rooms and put it into the big hamper that I store/use in the master bedroom closet. Then I bring the hamper down to the laundry room and sort it into two baskets. If it is a laundry day then I use the washer as another "basket" so that a load can be started.
Once the laundry is all washed and dried, it needs to be folded and put away! I have a laundry folding table that has 5 small plastic baskets from the dollar store for each of my kids. When I fold the clean laundry, the kids' clothes get put into their respective basket and they are responsible for taking care of it! Whenever they come to me and say "I don't have any socks!". My response is, "Have you taken care of your basket?". More times than not, they will find a full basket and socks are in there for them.
Usually the rest of the folded laundry is up to me to take care of it. However, I am working at training them to help take care of the rest of the items that end up folded on the table so that the table is stacked with clothes ALL week long! I am also training my older boys to work the wash machine and dryer!
So this is what works for me in in conquering "Mount Laundry". It is what has worked best for me with having 5 kids. Sometimes I wonder if I could do it a better way! Hummm...wonder what I could change?!
So what is your system? Is there something you would change about how you do laundry? Do you find yourself buried in mountains of laundry?
For other WFMW tips/posts, head over to Rocks in my Dryer.
3 comments:
Yeah! I'm your first comment!
Fold, uh what's that? : )
Seriously, your system sounds great. A portion of our routine looks like yours but I can see where I can improve now.
Thanks for the tip.
I recently started using FlyLady and have begun putting in a load of laundry before I go to work and then coming home and taking it out before I do anything. That way I'm doing a load a day instead of letting the mountain build up! Thanks for your idea... maybe when I have kids I'll try it out!
Hi A-
Here's my hodge podge:
When we first married, I was able to get my husband to begin sorting clothes as he took them off. We have a colds basket and a whites in the walk-in and a basket for towels in the bathroom. He even offers to carry whatever load is up for the day downstairs as he leaves for work (I'm crazy about him!).
Emilie Barnes suggests making different colored clothes bags for kids so they sort as they undress; I haven't done that, as mine have their own baskets which they help me sort on the day I do their laundry. One thing that helps is to put my youngest's socks in a zippered bag (we do this as we undress him at night) and then we don't have to decide whose socks belong to whom when folding (my 5 yr old helps fold, too).
Another trick of the trade is to turn clothes inside out- the worn look is lessened from washings and I make quite a bundle back on the kids' clothes that I sell on ebay or at the thrift shop on base. My five year old has been taught to do this as she undresses.
I'm a stain fanatic- hate them. I carry stain stick with me wherever I go and have it strategically located throughout the house. It's best to treat ASAP. For those with pine trees, waterless hand sanitizer takes out tree sap.
Lastly, my mom quilts and uses something called Retayne to wash fabrics in prior to cutting; I use it on dark or brightly colored clothes and they don't bleed in the wash and still look pretty new after many washings. And if something does slip through, turning clothes inside-out often helps hide the damage!
Ok, this was my break so I'm off again...Tara
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