what is the most organized way to do laundry?

Question

I have a large family and my oldest is 7.so basiclly my husband and I do all of it. any tips?

Answer 1

I have a ton of laundry as well, so this is what I do. First of all, don't buy anything that has to be hand washed or dry cleaned. Separate into three piles - darks, light colors and whites...any more separating than this just causes more work. If you can hang a clothesline somewhere, either outside or in your basement you can get done faster. Wash a load that can be hung first (I like to choose one that doesn't have jeans or towels so they don't get stiff). Hang those, then wash your next load and stick in the dryer. Keep alternating from clothesline to dryer. The good thing about this is you can get everything washed quicker and you can leave some clothes on the line until you are ready to fold them. Good luck.

Answer 2

Seperate into piles: whites (socks, towels and underwear) white regular clothes, colors and darks. Would be nice if you had three different hampers so you don't have to pull everything out but that only works if your family USES the hampers. I have yet to see one that does! Sheets and bedding last and don't pull them off until your really ready to wash them. Your 7 year old is old enough to help somewhat. He can go around house and gather all socks or all shoes or strip the beds and bring down all the sheets and pillow cases. Teach him the important basics now! Nothing but whites with whites, check all pockets, empty the lint trap, always put in a dryer sheet, if in doubt wash on cold! Teach him how to do everything and stay there with him while he does if for the next year or until you are comfortable with him doing it by himself. It isn't too early, to start learning to take care of himself. He may be 10 before he can completely be turned loose with laundry but you can start now so that eventually he will.

Answer 3

Your 7 year old is certainly old enough to help with laundry. It should never get out of control if you stay ahead of it. Your biggest challenge is, that kids will try on a shirt, not like it, and throw it in the dirty laundry. Nip this in the bud! Encourage your children to keep their rooms neat (easier said then done, I know). Have the children keep their laundry in hampers in their rooms. Do at least one load a day, at least two on the day you change your sheets. Don't feel that you need to wait for a day if you don't have a "full load." Every washing machine has a setting for a small load of laundry, or you can combine the bright and dark colors, just wash on cold water, and know which clothes have a tendancy to bleed.

Answer 4

for organization - get different baskets for the different types of laundry. for the younger kids who can't read use pictures on each of the baskets so they know where to put what (i mean really, what kids have delicates, so this should be pretty easy :) ). as for you and your husband doing all the laundry - 7 is old enough! my older sisters were doing laundry by that age (i wasn't because, well, 4 people in a household of 5 doing laundry is enough). it should only take you showing them a few times to get it. and you can make a sign to help them remember together (what temp and stuff to wash the clothes in). now, at 7 they totally need an incentive - you know your kid, you know what the best incentive would be. they may have to work toward a big incentive - if so, keep a chart out by the laundry so they can see their progress.
now you can get better organization and an extra helper! (hopefully)

Answer 5

To catch up on my laundry, I would have to do 2 loads a day (there's only 4 of us). To make it go faster,after washing, put the 1st load in the dryer then the 2nd on the line(if you have one) ..this way the dryer gets used only 1 time instead of twice. OR..if it really gets backed up, I go to the laundromat and get it all done at once.

Answer 6

pick the days you are going to do laundry,,then gather up all the laundry and sort them,,lights darks whites and gentles put them all in piles on the floor,,then fill the washer up with the temperture of water you need then add the soap,,i think arm and hammer is the BEST and is not exspensive..and if your washer has a softner dispenser add the softner then keeps you from coming back till wash is done..i like to add pinsole to the darks gets all the stains and odors out,,its awesome try it in one load you will love it..then put clothes in dryer or line dry them..but remember to hang dry all the clothes you dont want to shrink

Answer 7

I have 3 laundry hampers 1 for lights 1 for darks and 1 for towels
all my kids know how to use my system.

Answer 8

Once laundry day comes, separate whites from colors. Throw the whites in the washer, after they're done, put them in the dryer. While those r drying, get started on washing ur colors.

Answer 9

stay ahead of the quantity...wash daily...even just a load or 2
sort when the clothes come off...different hampers/baskets for each kind of load
fold and sort as they come out of the dryer
sort into baskets...one for each person in the house, one for kitchen towels, one for each bathroom linen closet,
baskets with clean clothes are the responsibility of the owner to put them up...of course my family just gets dressed in the closet by the dryer! so once a week I put their full basket on their place at the dinner table and it goes to their room before they can eat then I ask for the EMPTY basket back the next day

Answer 10

If you can remember to do it....it is better to wash the things that dry fastest first. That way you don't have wet clothes waiting for the dryer to finish. For example...do blue jeans and towels last, do cotton shirts and underwear first.