Do you do a lot of washing?

[MUM2BLESS]

I am at present cutting down on the amount of washing I do for the week. Sometimes I can be washing almost everyday.

I have four children.

Do you wash on certain days or whenever you need to?

Would love to hear from you.

What about ironing. I just fold up the clothes somtimes, iron now and then

[jeee]

Four children - I do one wash every day, quite often two, sometimes three. I don't iron.

[MUM2BLESS]

Very interesting thank you!

[throckenholt]

I have 3 - but they seem to get through a hell of a lot of clothes !

I was as an when. I work away from home 3 days per week and don't usually was on those days because I can't rely on DH to hang it out properly (doesn't shake out the creases ). On the other 4 days I can do anything between 0 and 3 washes.

I don't iron either.

[MUM2BLESS]

Thanks lovely to hear from you.

[MUM2BLESS]

Something its easy to think I am on my own with that I am experiencing.

[bigcar]

in a word . . . . errrr yes

I have 5 dcs and do 2 a day.

[JLo2]

The topic made me laugh! I feel like I own a laundrette at times!!

My health visitor suggested I might want to wash my 1 year old's clothes separateley as he's got very sensitive skin. At which point I nearly fell off my chair laughing and told her not be so ridiculous! Think she was a bit shocked at my reaction

In answer to your question, I wash clothes whenever the washing basket looks like it might overflow, which is most days!! I iron as little as I can get away with

[stressedHEmum]

I have 5 (2 adult/studenty types, 1 young teen and 2 big kids.) I wash every day, usually 2 or 3 loads (8kg machine) sometimes 4 if doing bedding. There is usually a bit less in summer than winter because clothes are lighter/fewer.

I only iron for church and occasions. DH irons his own work clothes.

[Rosie29]

I have 3dc's and do a load near enough everyday, sometimes more if I've changed sheets/towels etc. I only iron in the summer when it's very hot so clothes dry too fast and are all creased (live abroad), do hardly any ironing in the winter. I quite liking doing the washing, beats any other household chore that's for sure!!

[MUM2BLESS]

JLo2 I have felt as though I was running a laundrette at times.

If I was to share my experience with some people they may not understand. It interesting to know that you guys know what I am talking about.

On Saturdays we try to engage our four kids in helping out the some chores. This make them independant and also helps mum and dad.

Do you get your kids to help out?

What about your teenager?

[judytzuke]

Only 3 DCs in my house plus DH and me. Kids def have to help out all the time as we both work too. Our teenager cooks tea on Mondays (sausage beans and chips type tea - is fave tea of the week for the little ones and teenager loves it that they like his food). All DCs to do own rooms and help do sitting room and hallway. Middle DC pegs out washing at weekend. All help to clear table and occasionally help do dishwasher unloading. Middle DC also can bath youngest DC as long as both in sensible mood.

In terms of washing I do about 2 loads a day all week - one before work and one after. Hung in garden or on a rack inside. Best thing i ever did was get a washing machine with a very quick programme - 30 mins start to finish. I put most things in on this then can get it out to dry and put away before next day. Only do towels and bedding on a longer/hotter wash and save those for the weekend.

[tots2ten]

I have 6 dcs, 12yr old, 10yr old, 6yr old, 3yr old, 2 yr old, and 8mths.

My washing machine is on 2 or 3 times a day, sometimes 4 loads a day. I dont iron.

I get my dcs to help. my 10yr old likes help with the washing. And loves sorting socks into pairs

12 yr old will only help when it suits her at the moment.

[MUM2BLESS]

Thanks for that. Wow !!

[accessorizequeen]

I worked out I do 17-20 loads a week. I have 4 dcs, they're 6.7, 3.7 and dts are 21 mo. Summer seems worse somehow as they get all sweaty and hot, not to mention grubby little people anyway (esp the dts!). I accepted washing every day some time ago, if I don't it gets out of control.

I iron my clothes for work, dp does his own. Worked out if I stuck clothes in the dryer for 15 mins they didn't need ironing so don't do any of the dcs stuff.
I do think I've got to relax about the baskets being full, if we all have clothes to wear should be ok and get down to 15 loads a week!

[MUM2BLESS]

Wow its really amazing that some families do so much washing. I am not on my own.

I am however trying to reduce the amount that I do at present.

[DandyDan]

I don't do as much as anything mentioned here. Four kids, mostly teens. I do one big washing day per week - about four or five washes, and occasional mid-week washes if needed. I iron every two weeks once a big pile builds up, or as and when uniform/shirts are needed. I don't just iron essentials.

[Margeaux]

I have 4 (2 teens) and do a wash every day, sometimes 2 or 3. If I do leave the washing a day or two then I have to spend a day catching up. I try not to iron much - most school shirts and work uniforms and things which can't get away with just being folded.

[buttonmoon78]

I have 3 (12,10,3). I guess I wash every weekday on average but if it's been rainy then w/es too. I don't have a dryer so my washing line and a stiff breeze are essentials. I iron v little. If you shake before you hang and fold carefully straight off the line (nb oh is totally unaware of the 'straight off the line thing') you can get away with v little ironing. My friend who irons everything (seriously - pants, flannels...) can't believe that I don't iron much, just work shirts for OH & some dresses / blouses. But then she just pulls stuff off the line a shoves it into ironing basket!

They ALL help. DDs take it in turns to unload / load d/w, DS (3) helps with cutlery. They always lay the table. They help with laundry sorting. They (in particular dd1) help with ds - mealtimes, bathtimes, occasional bedtimes.

In fact, rereading this sounds like they're perfect. They're not. Currently can't actually walk across dd2's bedroom and dd1 has turned into Kevin & Perry combined. But they're a helluva lot more helpful / considerate / polite etc than a lot of others I know because I've always made them aware of their own responsibilities.

[buttonmoon78]

Plus dds do their own lunchboxes. And if they fail to tell me they're running out of stuff (whether bathroom stuff or food stuff) they have to do without until I next go shopping. I want to make them aware early on that life is all about teamwork - I am not an unpaid domestic slave.

Next step... offload the ironing I do onto dd1! Might offer her pocket money for that tho...

[MUM2BLESS]

Thanks everyone for your input.

I tend to do folding up rather than always ironing.

Any more tips about making house work easier?

[Cathycat]

I have a habit of putting on a wash when I wake up and when I go to bed, so two washes a day. I have 4 children. I wash all of the bed clothes on a rota that is in my head ha ha! I fold up all my washing and try to avoid ironing hut have two chest height cupboards in my dining room filled with ironing ready to do lol! I try not to stress about it! sometimes I think my children may need new clothes but then I remember that if I ironed a bit more I wouldn't need to buy! In my mind I am supposed to iron 12 pieces a day but normally end up getting my dh to do it!

[tw1nkley]

I've 4 dc's, my mother in law once asked me where the clothes live I said the wardrobes she said, thats right. they don't live in washing baskets. That was the point that I got control of my washing. every day I wash, dry, iron and put away the clothes worn the previous day. yes sometimes I get behind. then I stop washing, get everything put away and start putting stuff in the machine once the backlog is clear... The worst thing for me is to allow a backlog....

The more that I try to wash the less I have to do in the long run...

[jasmeeen]

I have 3 DCs and one of those is unfortunately a bed wetter. Do a regular two loads a day (one in morning and one in evening) and quite often an extra load.

Agree that not letting a backlog gather is the key. Also I always put stuff away as soon as it is dry. Well, I dump it on our bed so we have to put it away before we go to bed. Chucking away the laundry baskets was actually liberating. Means you have to deal with the clean stuff and put it away rather than leaving it all piled up. Laundry baskets of dried stuff used to pile up for quite a while before I got around to putting the clothes away.

Don't do any ironing at all tho. Gave that up ages ago!

[Monty100]

I have two teen dc's and work full time.

I minimise ironing by taking washing out of machine as soon as it is finished, so I'll only do it when I'm at home until there's none left to do. I cannot stand dirty washing lying in the basket.
When it's dry, it gets taken in, folded and the majority put away and the minimum ironed.

I do spend quite a lot of time getting washing out of my face. lol

[MUM2BLESS]

Thanks again to everyone.

Does anyone give clothes to charity regularly or do you tend to save them for the younger child?

I put them in the charity bags whenever I can. I also save clothes for my youngest son!!