How I Manage...Laundry
Laundry is one of those dirty words to most people. I think the frustration stems from the fact that unless laundry is done while everyone in the house is naked, it is never REALLY finished! So, since I do laundry full clothed I understand that frustration. I also have a husband who likes his shirts to not be completely wrinkled so leaving everything in a pile just isn't an option. (I mean, seriously, when his ONE request is that I at least hang up his shirts when they come out of the dryer you can't really deny that).
So on laundry day I make a list (because I like lists). My laundry & kid laundry are always on the list. Then I add in the other things that need to get done - towels, sheets, table cloths, the laundry chute, whatever it may be. Laundry is done on Mondays and Fridays so twice a week everyone has a chance to get everything IN THE BASKET clean. If it is on the floor it may or may not get washed.
On laundry day my best bet is to put all the laundry in the laundry room. This way, I have no excuses when it is time to switch loads. I usually try to do my laundry either first or last. First if I know that my motivation level is going to be low at the end of the day so I can make sure that our stuff gets clean and put away. I do it last if I know that I really want to push through it and get everything done - then I HAVE to finish it!
Generally once I finish a "group" of laundry I'll fold it and put it away. So if Aaron and my clothes take two loads - I'll do those first (flattening out the shirts in the first load while the second dries) and then put it all away together. The kids laundry all gets washed before we tackle that mountain. The reason being is if I'm going to put away kids clothes, I'd rather just do it once. It makes more sense to do it that way than to do two rounds. Also, as the girls get older they are put in charge of different aspects of folding and putting away as often as possible.
So the goal - two days a week and get it all washed, folded and put away at once. If not that day, then the next but I don't like it sitting around longer than that!
So on laundry day I make a list (because I like lists). My laundry & kid laundry are always on the list. Then I add in the other things that need to get done - towels, sheets, table cloths, the laundry chute, whatever it may be. Laundry is done on Mondays and Fridays so twice a week everyone has a chance to get everything IN THE BASKET clean. If it is on the floor it may or may not get washed.
On laundry day my best bet is to put all the laundry in the laundry room. This way, I have no excuses when it is time to switch loads. I usually try to do my laundry either first or last. First if I know that my motivation level is going to be low at the end of the day so I can make sure that our stuff gets clean and put away. I do it last if I know that I really want to push through it and get everything done - then I HAVE to finish it!
Generally once I finish a "group" of laundry I'll fold it and put it away. So if Aaron and my clothes take two loads - I'll do those first (flattening out the shirts in the first load while the second dries) and then put it all away together. The kids laundry all gets washed before we tackle that mountain. The reason being is if I'm going to put away kids clothes, I'd rather just do it once. It makes more sense to do it that way than to do two rounds. Also, as the girls get older they are put in charge of different aspects of folding and putting away as often as possible.
So the goal - two days a week and get it all washed, folded and put away at once. If not that day, then the next but I don't like it sitting around longer than that!
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