I have laundry issues.
Issue #1 – I don’t like washing it
Issue #2 – I don’t like hanging it out to dry
Issue #3 – I don’t like bringing it in when it is dry
Issue #4 – I don’t like folding it
Issue #5 – I really don’t like putting it away.
Ok so I just don’t like doing laundry, does anyone?? The problem with this is, I like wearing clean clothes and I like my children and husband to wear clean clothes. So I am on a mission to try and get on top of my laundry and find a system to help me stay that way.
I have been pondering this for a few weeks now. Yes, I always think about working before I actually do any work, don’t you? But in all seriousness – we’ve had a run of cold rainy days, with the good sunny drying days being days that I couldn’t get in and wash like a mad woman, so the right moment hasn’t actually arisen to finally get to the bottom of our many laundry baskets. Procrastination? Yes!
I have been managing to keep my head above water though, and almost do a load a day to stay that way, which is a lot better than my normal routine of trying to pretend the great mountain of washing doesn’t exist until the only clean undies in the house belong to the Twinadoes and I am contemplating if I could squeeze my big bum into them to save doing a load. So really, I have been doing good! After an enlightening laundry discussion on the parenting forum I hang out on I have, however, been inspired to do better.
Washing
We have several laundry baskets (big ones) so we can almost contain the masses of dirty clothes our family of five manages to create day after day. My Mum bought us a nifty double basket with a lid (thanks Mum) so I can sort lights and darks and keep it semi organised….well I try. In the past my goal has always been to wash a load every day and keep on top of it that way, but perhaps having two or three days a week where I wash everything would be better?
Stain removal
Now I really need help with this one. Mostly I just dump clothes into the machine, chuck in some powder (we use ‘lectirc powder because it doesn’t make anyone itch, it’s good for our clear water septic and it is cheap!) and wash. Sometimes though the clothes don’t come out real clean, and the girls are kind of messy so if I did some kind of ‘pre wash stain remover thing’ before chucking the clothes in would that reclaim some of the painted on, slurped on clothes?
Drying
We don’t have a drier, well we do but we don’t have a laundry in this house (just a trough and a washing machine tucked in next to the back door – and yes it is nightmare!) so we have no where to put one, so it is in the shed and never used. We never had a drier growing up and I only had our drier for a few months in our old house before we moved so I don’t really miss it – but yes you can all die of shock now. How do we get the clothes dry you ask? The old fashioned way…. I hang them out on the hills hoist washing line out the back, or on a make shift washing line strung up under the back veranda h. Most often the second option as then Muski can go in the baby swing next to me while I do it. If it is freezing or rainy or blowing a gale (or all of the above) we can hang a load and a half on these nifty drying racks that then get hoisted up into the ceiling space above the wood fire heater. No wonder I don’t like it!
I am trailing the ‘don’t leave the pegs on the line’ thing after discovering that there are people out there who are shocked and dismayed at my lack of love for my pegs. (yes I am serious!) I am not sure if this is any faster but it might be, once I get used to it. The tip of hanging a row larger items over the line and them coming back to peg them all at once is a gem if it is not too windy.
Folding and Putting Away
This is the part that I really don’t like… and this is why there is not only mountains of dirty clothes in our house but mountains of clean clothes too. They seem to make it as far as a basket in the dining room and no further!
We got the twinadoes new ‘child friendly’ storage for their clothes not long ago with the idea that they could then choose their own clothes and also help put them away, which has been successful if they are in a mood to co-operate. But the rest of the household’s washing pretty much falls to me to put away and bah… boring!
I have this idea if we reduced the amount of clothes and towels and bedding we owned that there’d be less of it to wash and put away – but I guess in actual fact unless we actually wear less it won’t change the quota much. Though I do feel if we got rid of stuff we didn’t use/wear then there would be more room to store clothes etc and that would make it easier to put them all away. Currently I have to shove towels into our tiny linen cupboard (that is another problem with this house, no laundry and no storage either!) Just the thought of the basket of towels I have waiting for me now is enough to make me decide never to wash again!
Have you all noticed that I haven’t mentioned ironing yet? That is because on the whole I don’t iron. Ironing takes up too much time, and having wrinkle free clothes is over rated anyway, plus I am not very good at ironing. Generally I only iron for weddings or funerals, or other really really special occasions.
So you see, I am laundry-ly challenged. If the weather stays dry, in the next three days it is my goal to get to the bottom of all laundry baskets. Washed, dried AND put away. Help!
Surely there must be some laundry gurus out there who can help? What is your hot tip for staying sane and not spending your whole life washing clothes?
Before I go I just wanted to link you all up to a new blog I found the other day – Planning with Kids. I am fast falling in love with this blog because of this Melbourne Mum’s down to earth advice and tips to make everyday life with a family a little more manageable. So head on over and say hello to Nicole – tell her the Laundry-ly challenged Picklebum Mum sent you!
Lulu says
mmmm…I have a lot of laundry battles myself. I must wash our clothes, and If I could get away without doing it I would but I also like clean clothes.
We don`t have a dryer, or a clothes line….we do have a couple of poles that hang up on the veranda so I put things on hangers and hang them out, then put them straight into the cupboard (usually on average 5 days later…..I tell myself they need more time to dry) My partner will wash things and hang them out if I tell him too….but he works longer hours than me so usually I try to do it.
I don`t own an iron….if we need something for a wedding then I take it to the dry cleaners and it comes back ironed….thank god my partner doesn`t need proper workshirts… (Ok they are collared and buttoned but I informed him when we moved in together that I did not iron but he was more than welcome to buy a iron and do it himself)
I have no hints for washing, just wanted to say you are not alone in your washing battles…
I wish I had a dryer though, it would make things easier….because I can never wash all our clothes at once cos we don`t have the space to put them
Trace says
OK, here is my number one laundry tip…
It’s all about minimising the number of times you have to handle something…
When I take the washing in I take it off the line in the reverse order that I put it away (I only iron work shirts). So for me, I put all the pants in first, then the shirts, then the boxers, then the socks, then the jocks. And for things in drawers, I fold them as I put them in the basket. And I only get the stuff for one room at a time. Then I go and put those things away (so the jocks first, then the socks, etc etc).
Then I go out and grab the next person’s clothes.
It seems to make it so much quicker… and you could always use lots of baskets if you really wanted to do it in one hit. (I like the change, and it works really well on hot days when you need to cool down in between).
PlanningQueen says
Thanks so much for the kind words and sending people over! Laundry is definitely not a favourite of mine either and I fall into the category of a load a day girl. This is mainly to keep the turnover of school uniforms going. Like Trace above, I have found folding it straight into the basket from the line works well. I have also taught the older three children to examine their clothes at the end of the day, to see whether they are dirty or not. My little girl, has a habit of changing outfits, so she knows now to put them back in the drawers if they are not dirty.
Marie says
I felt at home reading your post! It’s nice to be assure that you/me (and others out there) are not alone feeling this way… I don’t mind chucking in the laundry inside the washer. It’s the hanging and folding that I really can’t stand.
I tried to do this with the TV turned on, but it just kept me from folding well! Haha!
Happy washing! :)
Cheers,
Marie
Babyamore (Trish) says
LOL – I just found the Planning Queen too the other night – her site rocks … and will help put a rocket under my seat.
Laundry is a big issue here too – with cloth nappies too. My husband helps hang it out – and we hang shirts on hangers I have hardly ironed since the twins were born.
I fold on dining table while I watch the kids play just outside the window. The 14yr old can be bribed to help.
Great ideas here.
fazzbech says
My tip: Accept the fact that a clean pile of clothes that should be packed away but isn’t is better than a dirty pile of clothes. So, wash, wash, wash, bring it in, but if you don’t get to put it away, don’t stress. Husbands and children will get used to looking for the clothes they want to wear in the big clean laundry pile. And every piece they take from that pile, is one less that you have to pack away!
And ironing…you’ve got that down pat, I totally do the same! Or should that be..don’t? ;-)
cellobella says
I fold in front of the telly. Problem is I’ve been blogging so much my tv watching time has fallen.
I hate hate hate laundry. I have two laundry baskets – one for whites – one for coloureds – they both get mixed up.
My dryer is broken so I hang and then forget.
I hang towels by folding the towel in half and pegging it to the line rather than put it over the line – that means they are already nearly folded when you take them off.
I try to hang socks in their pairs so I can fold them together when I take them off.
Ironing is only done on a must needs basis. I told my husband when we got together that I was a birthday shirt ironer only ie he gets one shirt ironed a year. On his birthday.
But I must go. Washing to be done.
:)
Kylie says
Hey Kate – laundry is not my forte either – but I have found a solution to stains. mackenzie is the grottiest child I have ever come across – and I have found THE best stain removal product and …. I can’t remember the name of it – I can’t even go and look – coz I am in QLD!!! It’s in a little red bottle – something or another oxyaction stain removal. Works wonders! I’ll tell you it’s name when I get home!
brightonwoman says
I was going to leave this lengthy comment…and decided that perhaps I should just blog about it instead. :-) I’ll get it up within a day or two probably.
Jayne says
Good old fashioned Velvet soap or any yellow laundry soap bars will shift almost any stain – rub it onto the stain and scrub then throw it into the wash.
Storage – look for spots you can put up extra shelving, like in the bathroom for towels.
Otherwise I loath washing and iron is a 4 letter word in this house :P
Toddles says
Well i hate laundry too! It makes my house look like a total mess but i suggest 5 easy tips
get a laundry basket from walmart that is longer and they come with four in a row hooked together.
Then put colors in one whites in the other, or put one persons clothes in one and then the others in another, ext.
buy a lot of hangers too! then you can put the on the side of the cart laundry holder thing and then when you finish washing each clothing load switch then hang that load.
Also try saving quarters and go to a laundry mat. Take in all the clothes you have and wash them. so what if you take up 60 wash machines, atleast your work is being done.
final tip dont get discouraged