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.

I agree, laundry is soooo easy. I just make the housekeeper do it, yah yah.

Good for you, really wish it was only 15 mins for me, washing, drying, hanging up, separating, folding for 7 people 🙄🙄 especially when I have 2 daughters the same size and 2 sons the same size, my Brain is worked into overtime figuring out who’s clothes are who 😂🙈 and don’t even get me started on socks, pants and boxers 🙈🙈

Issues are

• sorting the things out before and prioritising what you need clean and what others in house need clean sooner
• figuring out when you have the space and time to hang it, ie do you need space in the house at that time, so have to wait to do it. Are the washing hangers free or still got drying things on.
• figuring out how long it will take to dry, better to do washing in warm and dry weather
• timing it so when it's done you'll be in and in a state to hang it out
• hanging it out
• monitoring if its dry and ready to fold
• folding it up
• putting it away
• knowing you have enough detergent

Its all these decisions
And some of the physical energy
>> executive function requirement.

Does anyone have any tips for when you have 5 loads of washing that needs doing?
I think I wait too many days between loads..
Someone said that washing isn't a pain or when doing a man's cos the washing machine does it!! 🙄
Erm what about the picking up dirty underwear?
Hanging up and waiting a day or two for it to dry before putting more washing in.

@LaughingCat if your DH's socks are inside out, no need for you to turn them back. Just leave them as they were

Little and often is the way to go, I think. I wouldn't wait until there were 5 loads waiting to be done

Heated airers are amazing https://www.independent.co.uk/extras/indybest/house-garden/household-appliances/best-heated-clothes-airer-indoors-b1892835.html

I don't pick up dirty underwear

Washing is fine, its drying when you have no space that's the tricky bit. I hate seeing it all the time!

Saturday's forecast (23rd Dec, London) is dry and 12 degrees so I'll be throwing stuff in the washing machine on Friday night so it can be hung outside on Sat morning. While it may not dry completely, I'd rather have the moisture evaporate outside than inside.

How do people pick up their worn underwear or other people's?
Luckily I live alone.

@NeedToChangeName I do one small load a day on a eco wash and I have a heated maid like this one, they are amazing so cheap to run and clothes dry in a few hours, I wouldn’t be without it. We never have a build up of washing ever (unless we go abroad)

I actually wanna set up a business abroad for holiday laundry. Imagine somebody meeting you at your hotel, a day or two before you go home taking your case doing your laundry and dropping it back of at your hotel before you fly home. I would pay for that I!!!

Normally you live with other people who you have a good enough relationship with that some used undercrackers don't bother you (partner or kids)

Like most things, it is only easy if you have the right tools and equipment.

I don't have a tumble dryer so in the winter especially it is not a 2 minute job, it's a job that takes as long as it takes for one load to dry before I can do the next load.

Lots of people who might find pegging out washing physically draining or be juggling entertaining young children while the pasta boils or not have other people in the house who are able to put their own clothes away.

I have come to realise how lucky I was in the past 6 weeks of using a shared laundry room where I mostly managed to get a washing machine (of 3) but only twice got the only dryer that works (and neither day had time to let things get fully dry). So I have mostly dried my clothes draped all over the small apartment I was in as I didn't have a clothes horse and the extendible line over the bath didn't hold much.

Here at home, I will peg out things to dry outdoors on days the weather allows. We use the dryer a lot. But we also do a lot on the clothes horse - we tend to wash while we're out at work and then put them on the horse in the late evening as we go to bed as they are then pretty dry by morning.