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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To never be on top of Washing

94 replies

Aquarius1234 · 29/04/2023 00:01

I can't remember when I didn't have a pile of washing in the basket/ floor.

I have a plan in my mind that I will do a couple of loads and Try and get it down.
But then I avoid for ages..
I don't know why I find it so hard to physically pick up dirty washing and put it in the washing machine.
Definitely the worst is shaking it out and putting on clothes horses. Esp knickers and socks.
I don't own a tumble dryer. So all I do is occasionally go to my parents and use theirs for bedding and towels.
Anyone else feel life is horrible when washing and well general cleaning is thrown into the mix??

OP posts:
CC4712 · 29/04/2023 00:06

Do you really cart your towels and bedding to your parents to use their tumble dryer??? Do you pay them for using their dryer?

Do you have a washing line outside or an airer thing inside the house you could use? Do you have any issues with other household things- or just the laundry? Do you have any SEN that make this difficult? Can anyone else at home help with this?

junebirthdaygirl · 29/04/2023 00:07

I found accepting it never ends helped me. I always made a big effort and felt then l should have a long break. But as soon as l turned my back up it piled again. I just decided never to expect it to end. I just keep plagging away a wash a day. But l do have a dryer but just to finish off stuff and air it. I would get one if l were you. And never, ever iron then.

UsingChangeofName · 29/04/2023 00:09

Strange response.

If I didn't have a tumble dryer, and had family close by, I'd definitely take advantage of any offers to have them tumble towels and bedding for me Hmm

and, if any of my (adult) dc asked if I'd mind doing this for them, I certainly wouldn't take money from them. How odd.

That said OP there are quite often threads on here when people say how much laundry they have and how they never finish it etc.
As household tasks go, I don't mind laundry - it sort of does itself, unlike vacuuming or washing up or cooking.
But, are you one of the people that potentially is washing things too often ?

Original poster
Aquarius1234 · 29/04/2023 00:21

Yes I take advantage of parents washing machine and tumble dryer esp in winter months.
It's still a pain lugging washing in and out.
But better than having too much wet washing in the lounge..
I have two clothes horses. Which is better than one..
I have a line outside but have time during the week to hang washing outside. Bad habit of doing washing in the evening.

OP posts:
FuppinNora · 29/04/2023 00:21

I don't mind the washing and hanging out part, it's the folding and putting them away for me!
I have just come to the realisation that the basket won't be empty for long.
A wash a day or every 2nd day is more than enough here, we have enough clothes to keep us going and that'll do for me! Extra spin on washing machine to dry quicker and outside as much as possible.

Original poster
Aquarius1234 · 29/04/2023 00:21

Don't have time*

OP posts:
Original poster
Aquarius1234 · 29/04/2023 00:22

And and I prefer to use parents washing facilities when they are out or away on holiday..

OP posts:
FuppinNora · 29/04/2023 00:23

I put a wash on before going to bed and hang out in morning before work and pray the rain stays away. Or hang them our the night before on clothes horse and stick the horse outside in the morning.

Original poster
Aquarius1234 · 29/04/2023 00:24

Anyone else just take the clean clothes off the clothes horses? To wear that day..

OP posts:
Piony · 29/04/2023 00:27

We clear the washing basket every weekend, but I can imagine it would be much harder to do if I was having to drag all the towels round to my parents' house.

We all have our bugbears. Mopping floors is one of mine - an easy daily job for some people, but somehow feels a huge burden to me.

RightOnTheEdge · 29/04/2023 00:28

I am never on top of the washing and it has actually completely got out of control at the moment. I've got so much to put away 😭

I really hope I would never be so mean as to charge my kids for using my tumble dryer when they grow up. What a weird attitude!

Enko · 29/04/2023 00:28

I found once I stopped trying to be on regular "top" of it and assigned 2 days to laundry 1 foe washing some drying and a 2nd for.rest od drying and putting away. I got a calmer attitude towards the washing for 1 day a week I am on top of it. That =a I am on top od the washing as I only aim for 1 day a week empty basket.

Ps also helped kids went to uni...

Original poster
Aquarius1234 · 29/04/2023 00:29

junebirthdaygirl · 29/04/2023 00:07

I found accepting it never ends helped me. I always made a big effort and felt then l should have a long break. But as soon as l turned my back up it piled again. I just decided never to expect it to end. I just keep plagging away a wash a day. But l do have a dryer but just to finish off stuff and air it. I would get one if l were you. And never, ever iron then.

I definitely agree having a weekend off or just avoiding for too long makes things worse.
It's like why should I do washing at the weekend, but if you don't it's just worse and harder to manage.

OP posts:
Original poster
Aquarius1234 · 29/04/2023 00:32

At a last attempt I'm going to have to just bag up stuff and throw away.
Then just have less clothes to wash..
It's stuff like cardigans or fleece jumpers that don't need washing much, but still end up in a pile. Or light colour t shirts .

OP posts:
Original poster
Aquarius1234 · 29/04/2023 00:36

Piony · 29/04/2023 00:27

We clear the washing basket every weekend, but I can imagine it would be much harder to do if I was having to drag all the towels round to my parents' house.

We all have our bugbears. Mopping floors is one of mine - an easy daily job for some people, but somehow feels a huge burden to me.

I also dislike mopping floors. Dusting and hoovering I'm ok with.

OP posts:
Theoldwoman · 29/04/2023 00:43

A little and often. Keep the loads going until you are all caught up. Then a load every day.

Runnerduck34 · 29/04/2023 00:44

Washing never ends,as soon as i clear the wash basket, my teens bring down the dirty clothes that have been living on their floor for a
week and its overflowing again.
I dont mind the washing / drying and even the ironing part. Its the carrying it upstairs and putting it away that pushes me over the edge.

UWhatNow · 29/04/2023 00:49

When I posted this same question on MN around 15 years ago with 3 part time jobs and 3 small children I was called ‘lazy’ for not being organised enough. That still burns I can tell you! 😂

The real answer is no. Washing never goes away. Don’t stress - find a big cupboard to hide it and just do your best. Good luck!

Shinyandnew1 · 29/04/2023 01:03

It’s never ending-I think I just accept that now. I do a load every day-that mostly keeps on top of it. It goes on the airers in winter. I’ll do more loads if it’s a good outdoor drying day.

CallieQ · 29/04/2023 01:06

Aquarius1234 · 29/04/2023 00:01

I can't remember when I didn't have a pile of washing in the basket/ floor.

I have a plan in my mind that I will do a couple of loads and Try and get it down.
But then I avoid for ages..
I don't know why I find it so hard to physically pick up dirty washing and put it in the washing machine.
Definitely the worst is shaking it out and putting on clothes horses. Esp knickers and socks.
I don't own a tumble dryer. So all I do is occasionally go to my parents and use theirs for bedding and towels.
Anyone else feel life is horrible when washing and well general cleaning is thrown into the mix??

Get a tumble dryer!

AngeloMysterioso · 29/04/2023 01:14

YANBU exactly the same here. We don’t have a dryer and our home is tiny- we have to have the airer up in our sitting room as it is and we can only fit one load on there at a time. We often end up taking several loads up to the launderette and paying £1 per 10 mins in the dryers. In summer it’s much easier as I can hang things outside and it dries in no time- sometimes I can get 3 or 4 loads done in a day!

NotMeSecretFormular · 29/04/2023 02:08

Surely just get into a routine with it? Otherwise you're just constantly inconveniencing yourself. Even two days a week, two big washes. Now the weather's better, put it out to dry. I only iron DD's clothes, never bother with my own but at least they're clean and smell nice.

JMSA · 29/04/2023 03:16

CC4712 · 29/04/2023 00:06

Do you really cart your towels and bedding to your parents to use their tumble dryer??? Do you pay them for using their dryer?

Do you have a washing line outside or an airer thing inside the house you could use? Do you have any issues with other household things- or just the laundry? Do you have any SEN that make this difficult? Can anyone else at home help with this?

How is it relevant - or even your business at all - if the OP pays her parents for use of their tumble dryer? Hmm

OP, I hear you. It's never ending and absolutely SUCKS.

Ellie450 · 29/04/2023 04:38

Honestly I’d probably be the same if I didn’t have a dryer. I don’t like having laundry “out” on any kind of rack or line. I dislike line dried towels too. Having a proper vented dryer has been fantastic. Toss the stuff in and 50 minutes later it’s dry and ready to go.

Stripycatz · 29/04/2023 05:21

Whose is the washing? Can anyone else in the house help with this chore?