AIBU so tired of washing

[Tircongal]

How do other people manage washing?? Have 4 clothes horses full of wet washing this evening and another 2 washes waiting to go . There are 2 adults and 3 kids in this house. Was ok during summer but weather awful for last few days so no outside drying. I work full time and this may sound odd but it's really getting to me tonight. Can't move for wet washing 😡 any tips how to make it easier.

Dehumidifier - a good one. Helps speed up drying a lot. We are 2 adults, 2 kids + nappies to wash. I couldn't be without the dehumidifier when the washing can't be hung outside.

Don’t wash as much. So many people think they need to wash everything all the bloody time.
We also have 2 adults and 3 kids. Clothes don’t get washed unless visibly dirty or smelly (except underwear)
Towels once a week and bedding once a fortnight.
We have around 4-5 loads a week in a fairly standard size drum.

Buy a dryer! Or take it all to a launderette and use theirs.

We spread out washing over the week so it isn't an all day job. Chuck a load in the night before and set it to finish as we get up in the morning.

Also we split washing and dishes so washing is mainly DH's job and dishes is mainly my job. So what big job does the other adult in your house do, presuming washing is yours?

I think that is part of the problem silverswirl. Think we are putting stuff in wash too often. Dreading the winter months

@Silverswirl

Don’t wash as much. So many people think they need to wash everything all the bloody time. We also have 2 adults and 3 kids. Clothes don’t get washed unless visibly dirty or smelly (except underwear) Towels once a week and bedding once a fortnight. We have around 4-5 loads a week in a fairly standard size drum.

Also this. DD rewears trousers and tops at least once if not visibly dirty because she isn't old enough to make them smell after one wear.

I wear jeans at least 3 or 4 times. Same for DH.

I know the feeling.
Sometimes that is all my life seems to consist of; just trudging to and fro with wet washing, almost dry washing, stuff that needs washing.
I sometimes leave stuff on the line because I won't have anywhere to put it if I fetch it in.

Following! With myself and 4 kids I always have mountains of washing. My kids are messy so no chance of re wearing things.

wash a load or two every day rather than everrything iin one or two days.

once on the airer for a few hours, turn the washing over and move things about to bring the wet inside layer to the outside. ie flip individual items over on the rail and alsdo bring the itemms in the middle to the outside.

things that are nearly dry, on hangers and hung elsewhere (or wet stuff on one airer and damp stuff on another.

live in a dry house. (tried to dry wwashing in one holiday cottage and it did not work without heat)

dry stuff in the window in the sun

dry stuff outside and finish off inside

have an airing cupboard.

hang the thick stuff overr two rails on the airer instead of one so that air gets between each layer.

the stuff you need asap, on their own on an airer and at the top..

oh ffs. forgot to edit for all the extra letters i type on ds's gaming key board.

Aim to do a load per day.

Put it in the machine in the morning and set on delayed start, so it finishes when you're getting in.

Put on clothes horse when machine is done.

Spread clothes out over at least 2 bars on the clothes horse so air gets around them.

Turn the next morning before you leave so they're dry by the time the next load is done.

If they're damp, hang on hangers etc.

Make sure you leave windows open / on the latch thing so air can move around.

Could you delegate any of these to partner or kids?

I seem to be wearing more clothes since working from home because I have mostly switched from showering in the morning to after work. So I put clean clothes on when I get up and again after I shower

agree with washing stuff less often and spreading the loads out.

One of my best purchases ever was an old fashioned spin dryer - I live in a block with a communal laundry, so can't faff about with separate spin cycles, so initially for anything I hand washed - although that's decreased a lot with more casual workwear.
I also use it to spin washloads from the machine - often get almost a litre of water from a single load, so things dry tons faster.
Added plus is that you fold stuff flat to spin it, so no creases.

It wasnlt easy to track down, I think I got mine on ebay, a brand called Thomas, doesn't take up a lot of space - about the size of a kitchen bin.

Have you got space high up where you can have a drying rack on a pulley? I used to have one at the top of the stairs and it was brilliant for drying washing but keeping it out of the way. Dry tops / shirts on hangers if you’ve got anywhere to hang them (curtain rail maybe?).

I’ve got a combined washer dryer at the moment as we don’t have space for two separate machines. It takes a long time to dry stuff but it’s better than having stuff all over there house.

Reducing wardrobes can make a significant difference. You might still wash every day, but it will be less. Most people have far far more clothing than they need.

You have to make your peace with the fact that the washing will never be ‘finished’. Ever. It’s fucking relentless. Same with washing up. I do a wash, at least, everyday. It helps to keep it down. The times where I have a laundry mountain, I end up sending it to the mobile laundry just so I can catch up. Life gets busy especially when your dh is a bastarding man child older children can be taught to do their own (2/3 of mine are great with it) which lightens the load.

I actually don’t mind the sorting, washing and hanging of clothes but sorting them out after that is a nightmare

I seem to be wearing more clothes since working from home because I have mostly switched from showering in the morning to after work. So I put clean clothes on when I get up and again after I shower

That is nuts!

I agree with silverswirl. Maybe with the energy crisis happening now we will all just have to wash everything less anyway

I can hope so as I also hate washing

@ThinWomansBrain

wow - what a great idea! I've never heard of that for a home but have seen similar spinners for swimming costumes at a pool (wondering if your one is the same as them?)

Bury a tumble drier, look on fb market place for a second hand one, even if you have to put it in the corner of a bedroom/living room. It's a game changer.

Don't buy a tumble dryer if you can avoid it as they are bad for the environment.

Do you do one wash per day? Or multiple when you have time?

We did one per day and also the kids do a lot of the hanging up and organising. We have a traditional washing hanger so it goes up to the ceiling and out of the way.

When my kids were in primary they got changed into 'indoor clothes' - this meant they needed to put things in the wash less because I didn't care if they had a bit of soup on them for sitting at home but I wouldn't have wanted to go out in that. This really cut down the washing.

tbh, I wear clothes until they are marked or smell.
Adult DD puts items (jumpers especially) in to wash after wearing them (at home) about 2 hours.
I hang them up outside to air & hand back (don't tell her)
You have choices how often to wash.

@lljkk. My DCs also put clothes in the wash basket that they have worn once and are not dirty. I just fold back up and put them back in their wardrobes.

I also second getting a tumble dryer. I couldn't be doing with wet washing hung up around the house during the winter.

An extra spin in the washing machine saves quite a lot of drying time. Also, you could consider one of those Lakeland heated dryers (or similar). Know we have to be more careful with energy consumption but they are pretty energy efficient, i think.

Wear things more times. Clothes will last longer too! I generally wash tops and pants after one wear but anything else is worn until something spills on it or it fails the sniff test. Towels and bedding used for at least a week, maybe two.

Depending on the age of your kids, dress them in more synthetic stuff - my toddler wears these handknit acrylic jumpers that I get in charity shops, looks cute and they are dry in half an hour!

Heated dryer thing. Look at weather forecast for the week and pick good drying days then do multiple washes on those days so you can dry outside.

Get DH or kids to be responsible too, even little kids can put their own socks away or carry clothes pegs for you!

One thing I found that helped, which i haven't stuck to, is actually sorting through the washing and prioritising it.
For example, I have enough towels that I can leave washing those for a day when I have enough to make up a washload with them.
So instead of just grabbing armfuls of darkness or lights, I have a good old rummage and wash what is needed imminently.