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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Drowning in laundry

162 replies

tuliplily · 07/04/2021 12:23

How do people keep on top of their laundry? 2 adults, toddler and baby and I feel like I'm drowning in washing and putting away. Don't even iron! Anyone got any tips?

OP posts:

britnay · 07/04/2021 12:35

I put on a load first thing in the morning and do a second load straight afterwards if there is room to hand it up. I can get 2 loads done and hung up before 9am. Gets it all done at the beginning of the day so its not hanging over you.

OhSayWhat · 07/04/2021 12:42

Have a drier for wet days or good undercover or indoor hanging with air circulating.

Have one big catch up day to get on top of it all (including folding and putting away).

Then do one load a day and extra on the weekend for sheets and towels. I put the machine on as soon as I get up then hang it before work. At the end of the day I fold and put away (or delegate it). It’s only one load so quick to fold and put away. No ironing unless essential and even then I hang and iron later when I need to wear it.

Throughout the day any dirty clothes, tea towels, etc goes straight into the machine and I do a quick round up before turning the machine on (my kids are primary aged so old enough to put their clothes into the machine without me having to chase them too much).

We don’t separate colours etc and wash in cold water.

Works for us and it’s never out of control.

DappledThings · 07/04/2021 12:51

Don't separate stuff. I do one wash every 2-3 days of whatever is in the the basket. Then random extra ones for towels or bedding when needed.

I do iron nearly everything so there's usually a pile of that waiting to be done about twice a week but it's never more than one basketful.

Wearywithteens · 07/04/2021 13:01

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn at the poster's request.

BammBamm · 07/04/2021 13:03

I feel your pain! It becomes unmanageable for me if I have a day off so I try and make sure I do at least one load a day but then some days I have to play catch up and do 3/4.
For me, it works better if I just deal with it straight away. I'm naturally lazy but if I leave it clean in the basket it seems to hold everything up and then it feels unmanageable when I have a few loads to fold and put away.
I do separate everything out (darks, light and white clothes, white and coloured bedding/towels etc. then extras like bath and door mats, sanpro etc.) but we easily have enough washing to fill loads doing this. I'd put more in together if not, but I do think it's important to wash some things on higher temperatures which I know others don't.
I only iron school uniform and occasional outfits for me/DP.

suzzze · 07/04/2021 13:04

I do two loads a day (dark and light) and our washing baskets are always overflowing so I feel your pain

I've found the best way to deal with it is not to look at the overflowing baskets

riromay · 07/04/2021 13:07

I second the don't separate post (except whites). I used to do it and then I realized DH never does and it's honestly fine..

You can do it! Just throw a load each morning

StephenBelafonte · 07/04/2021 13:10

Nooooooo!

No, daily wash loads!!!!!!!!!

Do the whole lot in one day. Start the night before by sorting everything into piles then before you go to bed put the longest wash on first. Then in the morning put that in the tumble dryer and then make a start on the rest of the loads, starting with the quickest load first, to get it out and drying and do the other loads in order of how long they take to wash, with the shortest wash first.

Dry, fold, and put straight away everytime you get a dry pile.

Having washing hanging round all day every day is the pits.

Thomasina79 · 07/04/2021 13:10

Only two of us now and there is still loads! I would recommend a heated drying frame rather than a tumble drier, much cheaper. I also rarely Iron, I buy clothes that don’t need it!

Owesye · 07/04/2021 13:13

We have a separate washing machine and tumble dryer (conduction it doesn’t need to be plumbed in)
Washing is never separated into colours: everything washed at 30 degrees and straight into dryer then put away straight from the dryer. Not in a basket for later, or piles on the stairs, straight away into drawers/wardrobes. We don’t do ironing as a task, just individual items ironed if they need it as and when.
As soon as something is too small for my sons it’s put in a bag and taken straight to a clothes recycling bin which i pass every day so not hanging around.
We both work from home so a bit easier for us as we can put loads in anytime but most days the laundry baskets are completely emptied.

Burnt0utMum · 07/04/2021 13:14

Washer dryer used about twice a day. It's the only way I cope. Don't iron much anymore, just separate into each person's pile for them to put away.

cardibach · 07/04/2021 13:19

@suzzze

I do two loads a day (dark and light) and our washing baskets are always overflowing so I feel your pain

I've found the best way to deal with it is not to look at the overflowing baskets

How? Seriously, I don’t get how people have so many loads of washing to do. Are you washing towels every use? Don’t. Changing the beds more than they need changing? Don’t. Washing every item of clothing after each wear regardless of need? Don’t.

nameisnotimportant · 07/04/2021 13:20

I do two wash days a week of clothes. Set a load to start washing at 5-6am and then hang it up when the toddler is eating breakfast and put the baby in a carrier or chair. Then stick second wash on and then hang that up when toddler is contained eating snack.
Hang it up in bundles. So all your clothes together, all the kids clothes together, pin sock pairs together. Once dry they can all just be folded straight into piles and put straight away, usually when the toddlers eating dinner to is in bed.
Then once a week I wash the bed linen and then another day all the towels. This usually keeps on top of it, you just can't ever get behind.

Nightmanagerfan · 07/04/2021 13:21

Can you get a machine with a bigger drum capacity? We have 11.5kg capacity so it’s cut our washing down by half now and made my life a lot easier

Derrymum123 · 07/04/2021 13:21

Get a dryer and a dehumidifyer. Dry important things in dryer those that can wait on a maiden near dehumidifyer. When it is windy outdoors peg it out.
I put mine on a wash early before work. Husband pegs it out or puts in dryer/maiden. Only iron what you absolutely need to.

musmusdodo · 07/04/2021 13:22

Two adults and one toddler.
I don't iron anything or put DH's ironing away.
I only do a white wash and then the rest goes in together.

Sansaplans · 07/04/2021 13:24

I know some will be horrified by this, but I just have a big laundry basket and everything goes in there. It's the same size as one load in the washer, so when it's full I just put it on so not left with multiple loads to do at once. I then make sure I fold it as soon as it's finished drying otherwise I won't be arsed. DH does a lot of his own washing though as his uniform has to be washed a certain way, I just bung mine and DS' in together.

sherrystrull · 07/04/2021 13:25

I do a wash every day. Put on after work, bung in dryer then empty and put away before bed. I hate it but it's the only way to keep up with it.

soditall56 · 07/04/2021 13:25

I often put what's to be washed in the machine the night before on a timer so it's just finishing by the time I'm getting up and the next load ready to go in as soon as I'm up. That means you can get it hung out before 9/10am and leave it out until about 4/5pm and out it away while baby is having a bit of play time before her bath.

Hope this helps

DiptyqueandDiamonds · 07/04/2021 13:26

Is it a too many clothes issues rather than a laundry issue? We are a family of four and I found myself doing endless ‘daily’ loads and ending up with half sorted/ironed/put away piles all over the house.

I had a big clear out (pre COVID when charity shops were open) and was quite ruthless. Fewer clothes = fewer clothes to wash
I stopped washing everything after just one wear (clearly dirty clothes excepted)
Only start a new wash when you have finished the previous one by drying, folding and putting away.

UhtredRagnarson · 07/04/2021 13:28

What’s your current routine OP?

What’s taking up the most of your washing? Towels/bed linen/work clothes? See if there is a way to reduce that by doubling the use/wear before washing.

Can you send some of it out to be done to help you catch up on the back log?

BreakfastOfWaffles · 07/04/2021 13:29

My tips would be :

Get a large capacity washing machine
Separate tumble dryer if you can
Use the delay function set the night before so washing finishes just as you get up in the morning, ready to hang
Use the shorter cycles where possible
Reduce your laundry by not putting things in after every wear if they're not dirty
Fold and put away as soon as a load is dry

DappledThings · 07/04/2021 13:30

How? Seriously, I don’t get how people have so many loads of washing to do.
Are you washing towels every use? Don’t.
Changing the beds more than they need changing? Don’t.
Washing every item of clothing after each wear regardless of need? Don’t.

All of this. We are a family of two adults and two small children. I think I last did a wash on Monday and our smallish basket is about 2/3 full now. Not a full load certainly.

Gottalovesummer · 07/04/2021 13:40

Oh I love these threads and the tips.

2 adults and 2 teens here and haven't seen the bottom of our washing basket since we bought it.

I wash every day clothes twice a week.I usually a mixed coloured load on 40°

Weekends is school uniform/white wash/towels and bedding.

It's never ending!

Northernsoullover · 07/04/2021 13:40

Don't do laundry overnight! A fire safety officer said its a small risk but a risk all the same. A fridge is a risk too before anyone says it but don't add to it.

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