1. Don't have 15 outfits per child over 2... this means you won't have as much to do when people run out of clothes. Maybe simple, mix & match around 6 playoutfits, and 2 church ones will suffice... main pont, PARE DOWN on excess laundry.
2. Pack up non current clothing... no, I don't mean style silly! Just size, season, etc... You don't want to keep washing that maternity sweater that ends up on the floor for a year after your youngest turns 2.
3. Use laundry bags, or baskets, but I recommend BAGS, they can be washed right along with the clothes, and they can hang on the back of the door, as long as you wash whats in them regularly. I still haven't found a great source for these... The nylon ones are plecchy feeling, and seem to be too big or too small. You can sew some pretty ones out of a heavier weight home dec stuff, or do a lined cotton version. You just want to be sure to add a strap to hang them up by.
4. Make a schedule of laundry for your home, organized by the bag. Here's mine.
Monday-Diapers, Mike's Jeans, Charlotte's
--Jeans are Mikes work uniform, and being a mechanic, they get REALLY dirty (resolve, formerly Spray n Wash will remove grease if you use enough) --
Tuesday - Levis, Towels, Sheets
Wednesday- Mark, Diapers, Lanas
Thursday--Kitchen Towels(yes, they have their own pretty bag...see below) Levi, Charlotte's
Friday- Towels, Lana, Mikes non jeans
Sat- Diapers, Levi , Charlotte
5. PUT the clothes right back into their bag out of they dryer, and put them away AS SOON AS THEY ARE DRY!
No, I don't love laundry, but I am loving my family by getting them their clothes done BEFORE they need them.
Good tips. I agree on keeping the number of outfits down. I don't usually end up with a mountain of laundry simply because we don't have that many outfits that I can go days and days without washing.
ReplyDeleteI take most of our clothing items (shirts, trousers other than jeans, dresses, skirts) out of the dryer while still slightly damp and hang them. (Sometimes I have things hanging in doorways or on the shower curtain!) I smooth them out so they finish drying wrinkle-free. Then we either take our clothes to the closet or take them off the hanger to fold and put away. Other items such as jeans, underwear, etc. stay in the dryer till done.
Lana, I LIKE this! One question, though. Do you wash light and dark clothes separately?
ReplyDeleteHowdy! I'm your newest follower!
ReplyDeleteHappy summer, Lana!
ReplyDeleteI’m following you from Making Friends Monday. Please follow me back on my blog “Inspire!”
Ron
http://inspiredbyron.blogspot.com/
Hello I am so glad I found your blog! I love what I have read so far! I will be visiting often! Thanks for linking up at Making Friends Monday! I am now following you too!
ReplyDeleteGreat tips, thanks so much for sharing!
ReplyDeleteI am a new follower from Making Friends Monday, so glad to have found your blog and I look forward to reading more. Hope you have a wonderful week!
Eloise
Mommy2TwoGirls
http://mommy2twogirls.blogspot.com/
Hmmmmm... lights and darks. I guess not for most bags, but I do wash the adult jeans separately. Most of my kids stuff has been washed enough that it won't bleed anymore, and I always wash new red things separately on hot just to set the color. (red kitchen towels bleed a lot!)
ReplyDeleteOur whites & non jeans seem to wash ok together, at least, so far. Your mileage may vary on this though... :-)
Thanks, Lana. That's a good point that kids clothes get run through so many times that the only thing coming off of them is (hopefully) the dirt! I usually do a separate wash for delicates: shirts I like, Eli's slacks, things I don't want tumbling around with bits and pieces of the yard.
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by Making Friends Monday last week. I am here to follow you back! We are gearing up for another Monday of fun and hope you join us!
ReplyDelete- Leandrea
www.couponsaregreat.net