Doing laundry. For many, those words elicit groans and complaints. The tedious process of sorting, washing, drying and folding seems never-ending. The piles multiply as time passes between loads. Socks go missing, stains mysteriously appear and items wind up wrinkled despite best intentions.
Is it any wonder laundry earns a reputation as the bane of existence for busy people? But I’m here to tell you it doesn’t have to be so bad. With a few practical tips, you can streamline laundry and prevent it from becoming the monster under the bed or in the closet.
Embrace the Power of Pre-Treating
Spray or scrub pre-treat stain remover on clothes as soon as possible. Don’t let stains set in and get harder to remove. Keep a pen pre-treat stick in your car, purse and key bowl so you can quickly address spills and drips from daily life. Having pre-treat on hand lets you relax when accidents happen since you know the stain will come clean in the wash.
Sort Smarter, Not Harder
Set up hampers or bins for lights, darks and delicates to simplify sorting. If you wash towels and bedding separately, give them their own bin too. Sort as you disrobe to avoid piles of clothes overwhelming your bedroom. Teach kids to sort their dirty clothes right away to establish lifelong habits. Sorting upfront cuts total laundry time and reduces chances of ruined clothes.
Schedule Laundry Time
Block time on your calendar for laundry like you would an important task or meeting. Knowing it’s booked will help motivate you to get it done. Waiting until you “feel like it” often backfires. Tackle loads based on your family’s schedule. Do a quick load in the morning so clothes are ready to wear again same day. Set an alarm to remind you to switch loads.
Make it a Family Affair
Get kids folding clothes and linens as soon as they are able to help instill it as a standard chore. Offer incentives like screen time or activities as rewards. Turn on fun music to make it upbeat. For kids too small to fold well, have them match and roll pairs of socks. Assign someone laundry duty each week to wash household towels and bedding. Share the load so no one feels singled out.
Leverage Laundry Day for Other Tasks
Catch up on calls or emails while waiting for the buzzer. Watch a show you’ve been wanting to see. Catch up with family or friends. Meal prep ingredients for upcoming recipes. Schedule loads between activities so you can start a load, run errands then switch to the dryer after. Time flies when you multitask.
Invest in Gear to Upgrade Your Laundry Room
Treat yourself to laundry accessories that make the chore feel more luxe. Plush hangers in pretty colors or wrist-saving shirt folders can make putting clothes away almost pleasant. Use scented soaps or light scent boosters so laundry smells divine. Play music, podcasts or audiobooks to learn or be entertained as you fold.
Kondo Your Closets
Marie Kondo may have the magic touch when it comes to tidying. When your closet space feels relaxed and roomy, keeping up with laundry seems far less daunting. Go through clothes a few times a year to donate items you don’t love or wear to make future laundry lighter.
Laundry might never top your list of favorite things to do. But it doesn’t have to be the plight of your existence either. With a few helpful mindset shifts and efficiency strategies, you can make laundry more manageable. Don’t let it weigh you down. Toss those dirty clothes in the wash and embrace laundry as the clean start it can be.
References: Professional organizing tips from The Home Edit by Clea Shearer and Joanna Teplin, 2022.
Laura has had an enthusiasm for laundry ever since she was a teenager experimenting with wash cycles. She went on study textile science in college before working in product testing.
Soon, Laura found friends and family constantly asking her laundry advice, realizing she had become an unofficial laundry guru. The questions kept coming in, so Laura decided to start sharing laundry tips online to help more people. The enthusiastic response led her start the blog “Laundry How”.
Now in her late thirties, Laura uses Laundry How to tackle all kinds of laundry topics – stains, fabric care, detergents, and more. She provides advice from both her studies and experience testing techniques out firsthand. Laura continues to grow an engaged community of laundry learners, feeling fulfilled empowering people to make laundry an easy, confidence-building ritual rather than a dreaded chore.