Laundry is not hard

[Viohh]

Why do people make such a meal out of laundry? The machine literally does it for you. All you need to do is put the clothes in the machine - a 15 second job? I do 2/3 loads a day no problem with a large dog and twins.

We have separate machines but even when we don’t use the dryer it’s not difficult. Just maintain momentum. And folding is what a 2 min job? I put everyone’s clothes on the stairs for them to take up.

It’s not hard in the way that econometrics is hard no. But it’s boring and relentless. And I reserve the right to complain about it if I want to thanks v much!!

Obviously this post is not really directed at people with health conditions such as ADHD

For everyone to take up

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

The individual sub tasks are not hard. No. But that’s missing the point.

Many of the steps are largely incredibly manual - collecting washing, sorting it, getting it in and out of a machine, hanging it up to dry, folding it, putting it away, which can involve putting stuff on hangers.

And there is so much wait time that cannot be eliminated. Waiting for the machine to finish can take hours. Waiting for it to dry.

Then there is the rework aspect. Hang it out on the line. But it might not fully dry. So you wait and then you need to take it in, and hang it up again in your house. Then you get to wait for it to dry before you take it off your rack or radiators and fold it.

laundry simply is not a 2 minute job. It’s an extremely inefficient ongoing process - and you do need continual delivery of clean laundry for the household. But you can’t really do much to improve the crap processes.

I think it depends how busy you are. When I was on maternity leave, laundry was no problem as I was always there to deal with each stage. Now I’m working full-time, as is my husband, it’s a massive ball-ache. Sure, it only takes a few minutes to do each stage (though certainly more than ‘2 minutes’ to put it away 🙄) but those minutes are already taken up with the millions of things we have to do when we step through the door at 6pm. We have two school-age children who do a lot of sport and need a lot of kit too, so keeping track of everything (is it in your bag? Well, when did you last wear it? Where did you get changed?) also adds to the swirling vortex of laundry-chaos. Quite often people are trying to do domestic jobs in zero time so your couple of minutes here and there is still inconvenient.

No, laundry isn’t intellectually demanding or physically hard, but it’s a relentless pain in the arse.

Oh, and washing really doesn’t dry outside in the UK in winter! If I’m going to go to the trouble of hanging out my washing, I want it to actually dry! I don’t want to have to process the same lot of washing again because it’s half-dry!

For me it’s drying! Our tumble dryer is in the garage, that means I have to get the washing out of the machine, walk through the house and put it in the condenser, empty the water tray at the bottom and clean the lint trap, then go back inside and wash some more.
When that’s washed, I hang it on the airer, but it can take anywhere from a day (for a couple aprons and tea towels) to a whole week to dry the stuff (my husbands jeans, hoodies/jumpers etc) in my house it’s the lack of drying space and the very long dry time that causes laundry to build up, I can only do two or three loads a day, and I have washing hanging everywhere, all around the living room, on the stairs; on doors etc to try and dry it and maximise space

though certainly more than ‘2 minutes’ to put it away 🙄)

@GreenAppleCrumble I didn’t say it takes 2 mins to put away.

Oh sorry, you actually said

And folding is what a 2 min job?

which is vastly different, it is?! In fact, you more or less implied that the washing puts itself away as you just leave it on the stairs or something?

No you missed out how long putting it away is.

leaving it on the stairs for others doesn't count.
If 5 people each take 2 mins putting their own laundry away that is still 10 minutes worth of time, just done by different people.

Laundry isn't a pain for me until it comes to put6it away, hence I have a clothes mountain that needs constant attention

Very unusual post, our machines are not in the kitchen so couldn't fold and cook pasta lol.

Well folding takes me a maximum of 5
mins. Did it on the sofa last night whilst waiting for my dinner.

Before my boys could help I would leave laundry on the stairs then DH or I would take things up when we needed to go upstairs.

As pointed out by a poster, yes, some will have unusually narrow stairs for whom this is not an option.

So many excuses it’s comical. It’s
laundry not the building of the Taj Manal.

@Moonshine5 the pasta was just an example of multitasking. Not a prescriptive instruction. I’ll be clearer in future posts…

Ah, now I see why you posted. It’s clear as day now.

@Viohh
You've made many assumptions on this post, so yes do so

The dinner aka the pasta you boil whilst doing your laundry?

What are you hoping to achieve with this weird bragging thread exactly?

ie. everyone has their laundry equipment in the kitchen

Personally I don’t consider being able to keep on top of laundry bragging

I am shocked with how much washing some people claim to be doing. 2-3 loads a day?

We are two adults, two kids. Generally one whites and one or two colour washes a week. Don't use the drier unless absolutely have to. Additional bedding wash once a fortnight. We will rewear tops and trousers unless actually dirty. Obviously underwear is only worn once. Everyone has their own towel which gets washed after 3 uses - just hung up in between to dry.

If it is a dry day we may do two loads in one day to get ahead and get stuff on the line. If weather crap will stagger it to give other stuff chance to dry on airers.

I started being more conscious with usage with energy in April 2022 with the energy cost spike. Took my usage from near 8000 units to 3500 a year saving about £1500 a year In electric costs. The laundry was a large part of that particularly the tumble drier

But you are faster and efficient than everyone else here it seems 🤔 I mean if that's all you've got to brag about, your life must be pretty boring. I've never personally timed my laundry nor felt the need to make an entire post dedicated to how good I am at it.

I love that you added the I didn't mean people with disabilities only when pulled up on it by more than one poster.

What sort of 'buckets' do you have that everyone has three buckets?

Where do you have space to hang up enough washing to dry for everyone, unless you use a dryer or a heated airer? Those both cost, and with the cost of living crisis many people can't afford to do that.

You do sound really smug, sorry.

I wfh. I have a basket of dry clothes to take upstairs and put away. I don't have time during the day to do that. How do you manage it?

I have adhd and asd and physical disabilities. Even taking the basket upstairs is a challenge for me, then getting it into my bedroom and putting the stuff away from it is physically difficult. Then add in adhd and it becomes overwhelming.

It’s not excuses @Viohh. You just seem to be determined to crow about how everyone else isn’t as good as you.

Seriously. If you need to boast about laundry like this to make yourself feel worthwhile, you need to get a hobby.

I am shocked with how much washing some people claim to be doing. 2-3 loads a day?

Me too. Even when it was 3 teen/adult children 1 adult and a dog we never had to do that much (or when they were small children). Not even when 2 of the teens were playing rugby several times a week. I get it if you're using reusable nappies etc but otherwise it seems excessive (no doubt posters will be along shortly to call everyone who does less laundry dirty and smelly)

That doesn't mean that it isn't.

your posts are more "smug as fuck" and "superior" rather than bragging though.