On July 4, 2007 we moved into a home we had been renovating for two years. As many of you know. . . moving includes purging. Purging of all that stuff you’ve collected over the years. I love to get rid of stuff and live as simply as possible.
For me, along with moving less stuff I was inspired to develop a new plan of attack and simplify the never ending chore of LAUNDRY. There are so many steps to laundry, aren’t there? . . . .Laundry to the washer, sort laundry, wash laundry, dry laundry, resort laundry, fold laundry, laundry back to its home room and finally put away (my least favorite part). So I came up with this:
Every person, has their own laundry basket or every bedroom has its own basket, depending how many are in one room AND
every person or room is assigned a laundry day.
For instance, today was Mr. A’s laundry day. At 5, he is asked to bring all his laundry in the basket to the washer. He places everything, but shirts which I spot treat, into the washer. The older kids (7 & up) put them into the dryer when ready. Then I fold and put them back into his closet and the older ones put their own clothes away. I don’t have to think (I like tasks which require little thinking). . . whose shirt is this? . . .who’s underwear is this? Every person has a basket, their clean clothes go back into their basket and the older ones fold and put them away. . . or on a good day I will fold and they will put the clothes away.
I do not do a separate load for whites and colors. Each child places all their laundry in one load and I add white vinegar (which I recently read was a laundry freshener and anti-bacterial;check it out ) and I wash in cold water. I was using bleach and was told this is not the healthiest for our septic system.
Everyones church clothes are brought to me and I do a special load at one point during the week so I can take special care of those items.
I use to do an entire load of just socks! Then I’d really have to wonder whose was whose. Not anymore! Socks go back to the person they came from. It’s funny but I still end up with unmatched pairs and those go into the “unmatched sock box” and eventually get put back together. . . a good project for someone needing “a project”.
One other tidbit. . . .I got rid of all dressers! No more stuffing into a drawer. All the closets have shelving and a small place for hanging. Shelves include individual plastic tote bins for underwear, socks and pajamas.
It works for me because. . . it simplifies!
Visit "Works for me Wednesday" at the We are THAT Family blog to read more helpful hints!
Happy Wednesday!
Heather
wow, I like the idea of doing a day for each- I would have never thought of that. Something to consider- thanks!
ReplyDeleteI love the shelving idea!
ReplyDeleteI do not mind the washing and drying. I will do all that, then I put all their clothes in their own basket. They are responsible to fold and put away. My big boys have one basket full of socks. They do not care if they are matched. they just wear two socks on their feet.
It's good to find what works for you because the laundry, like the dishes will never be "done"!
Great simplifying! I like it. One question. Do you just throw everything all in one load together? Do you have enough from each individual child to do say a full load of whites, colors, etc.?
ReplyDeleteNicole,good question. I should add this to the post.
ReplyDeleteI do throw everything all together. I use to sort out all whites and use a bit of bleach but I recently was told this is not good for our septic system. So I have switched to simply placing everything in the washer together and adding white vinegar which I read is a good laundry freshener and anti-bacterial.
Check it out HERE.
http://www.ehow.com/how_4584731_use-vinegar-as-bleach-alternative.html
Heather