Smart Washday Strategies Keep Laundry Under Control

Laundry often seems like a never-ending chore—actually, it is. The minute you’ve cleaned every last bit of clothing in your hampers, the process starts over immediately with the clothes on your back. The heap is only magnified with children. In general, Americans wash about two loads of laundry per household member per week!

Luckily there are some easy ways to streamline your laundry routine that could save you a couple of hours each week. By following a few simple tips, the days of unfolded clean laundry piling up and clutter taking over your laundry room will disappear.

Make the most of your laundry room time by following these simple tips:

Pre Sort

Don’t wait until laundry day to sort clothes. The process can begin long beforehand. Use multiple hampers in each room…one for whites, one for colored clothes and one for bedding and towels or delicate clothing. By sorting dirty items as you toss them in the hamper you’ll save yourself a lot of time on laundry day.

Schedule Laundry

Whether you decide to do all your laundry on one day or spread it out across several days, create a schedule. Knowing exactly when you plan to wash clothes instead of diving in only when every hamper in the house is filled to the brim gives the control back to you. You’ll be able to schedule other tasks simultaneously in a way that maximizes your use of time; you will also reduce the amount of random “emergency” washes throughout the week.

Fold and Hang Immediately

Avoid wrinkles by folding and hanging clothes immediately; ideally the moment the dry cycle is complete. Don’t allow clothes to sit in baskets where you may neglect them. They’ll end up covered in wrinkles, cluttering rooms, and may even end up on the floor from someone having to scavenge through them to get dressed.

To encourage immediate hanging, be sure to keep some empty hangers in your laundry room. To encourage immediate folding, designate an area in your laundry room specifically for folding.

Keep Socks Together

We’ve all seen the magic trick of the vanishing sock. While no one has discovered the mystery of where these rogue foot coverings end up, we can take steps to keep them together before tossing them into the laundry. Looking for matching socks after the laundry has been done adds up to a huge waste of time.

One idea is to use a mesh lingerie bag or pillowcase to keep socks together. Place all your socks in the bag just before washing, then toss it in the dryer as well. Secure the pillowcase with an elastic hair tie.

Equip Your Laundry Room

Make sure your laundry room is organized and efficient:

• Detergents should be easy to reach and close to the washer and dryer.

• Keep a sewing kit handy for quick repairs.

• Have small baskets on hand to hold knickknacks that come out of the wash such as loose change, buttons, or a stray sock.

• Don’t overcrowd your laundry room. If the item isn’t laundry related, remove it.

• Keep tabs on your supplies. Check your detergent and stain remover quantities at least twice a month and replenish them promptly when they are low. The goal is to never start a load and then having to run out to the store before finishing it.