How do you have a life and do laundry?

[ShiftyLookingBadger]

Apologies in advance if this has been done to death but...

Am I missing a trick here?? I have a DH, DD(3) AND DS(1). We have anywhere between 5 and 8 loads of laundry to do (this includes separated colours, towel loads, bedding loads etc) DH and I both work full time so when I do all this at the weekend I don't leave the house and neither do my kids!! Bearing in mind dishwasher loads, nappy changes, breastfeeding, trying to clean bathrooms (although I confess this can get dropped to once a fortnight... Don't judge me ). DH contributes in other ways - walking dogs, poo picking the back garden, sharing nappy duties, cooking the majority of weekend meals...

How do you all get your laundry done and still make sure your family has a life?

[RJnomore1]

I wash overnight.

[brownelephant]

the mashine does the washing.
takes me or dh 5 min to sort & load and maybe 10 to hang up to dry, another 10 to fold and put away (dc&dh fold and put away their own clothes)

[reallybadidea]

There are 6 of us so we generate a LOT of washing. I put a (10kg) load on every morning and hang it out after dinner. The previous load is either usually dry by that stage or I throw it in the tumble dryer to finish off.

At weekends I will put a couple of extra loads on and throw in tumble dryer.

[Fleurchamp]

Yeah - put the washing in at night, set the delay so that it finishes at a convenient time to hang (morning for me).
Fold and put stuff away while DH wrestles the kids into the bath and put the next load into the now empty basket.
Iron the bare minimum/ get someone else to iron.
Do a load every day - I find if I leave it, it just builds up and becomes unmanageable.
I do towels and bedding at the weekend.

[MyNewBearTotoro]

I don’t separate anything (apart from woollens) and just bung everything in together at 40. As soon as we have enough for a full load DP or I put on a wash and we do a lot of evening or overnight washes and don’t leave everything for the weekend.

[AgentProvocateur]

Put it on timer overnight and hang up in the morning. Don’t live your life by the laundry demands

[TheFishInThePot]

Set the timer on the machine so it starts while I'm at work and finishes soon after I get in. Tumble dry in the evening.

[MyDcAreMarvel]

There are nine of us and I do laundry for 8. We have a laundry stand with sliding boxes for each person next to the dryer. Boxes put away daily.
I do three to four loads a day, but don't find it a particular issue.

[MyDcAreMarvel]

Oh and I only separate whites or darks.

[Yvest]

You buy a dryer and then you put everything in the washing machine and everything apart from shorts and sweatshirt material in the dryer. I can do 3 loads washed dried folded and back in cupboards between getting home and going to bed

[shazkiwi]

Buy a Lakeland electric airer - if you don't have a dryer. It dries a large 9kg load bone dry within 24 hours if not before. We have a normal airer beside it for overflow & have been known to dry sheets & towels over bannisters & doors in emergencies. Its up to you & your OH who collects, washes, hangs up & puts away the laundry. I vote OH.

[SneakyGremlins]

shaz do you have a link?

[Grobagsforever]

@ShiftyLookingBadger stop doing so much laundry?? Have you heard of the Environment?? EIGHT loads a week is two per person and two of your household are babies!!

[SandAndSea]

I've had loads of washing on the line for several days - it got rained on and then was almost dry and then more rain and then snow... I decided not to worry about it. I didn't want it in the house so just left it out there. Today, I did another 3-4 loads and then peeled the crusty (iced solid) washing off the line and took it all to the launderette to dry. It all fitted in one big drier and took about 40 mins to dry. Whilst we were waiting, DP and I had a little walk then went to the chippie (which also meant I didn't have to make a big dinner). It's all airing around the dining room at the moment and will be put away tomorrow. Job done!

[halfwitpicker]

Same family size here and we probably do 3/4 per week.

Washer and a tumble dryer. I fold it whilst the kids play, sometimes they join it. I refuse to do the folding at night / during my spare time.

I don't iron anything either.

[Onceuponatimethen]

I need this thread - thanks so much for starting it op. I’m like you

[Onceuponatimethen]

Going to copy the idea of using the time delay

[Onceuponatimethen]

And hanging up in the morning

[SneakyGremlins]

I also find a lot of things don't need a three hour wash? An hour cycle will suffice.

So I'll put on a load before I go to the supermarket for instance, then it's done when I get back, and I'm not wasting time waiting an extra two hours

[Onceuponatimethen]

For me it’s the prewashibg, swim stuff that needs 30 degree c etc that causes the problem

One child potty training eg, messy toddler eating... etc lots of stain treatment needed

Should I really just chuck in with vanish and pray?

[TittyGolightly]

3 of us here. Clothes I do 2 dark loads and 1 light per week. 1 load mid week and 2 at weekend. All dried on an airer. Bedding washed every 3 weeks, towels and tea towels 1 load a fortnight. Towels go into washer dryer overnight.

That’s less than half your washes for 1 less person in the household.

[SneakyGremlins]

Once YES!

[Onceuponatimethen]

Maybe I will!

[Zoflorabore]

A load at least ( normally two ) per day. Tumble dry in winter and line dry in spring/summer where possible.

I wash the uniforms daily in one wash and usually do another wash for towels/underwear and clothes I have worn.

We never really have a full laundry basket.

Whites twice a week ( separately ) and bedding is usually done on a Friday.

I do have OCD and my washing is quite extreme as I wash everything after one use.
Also iron pretty much everything so I make a lot of work for myself.

I do use the quick cycle for uniforms and also have a washing machine cleaner that I use once a month to keep the machine fresh.

I think back to our grandmothers era where they had to wash by hand, use a mangle etc and think how bloody lucky we are to have a machine that does it all for us

[Onceuponatimethen]

How does everyone tumble dry without shrinking as alwaysseems to happen to me?