To want to cry at my sister's washing?

[summeroccupation]

She has three girls and is currently on holiday with them. I'm house sitting until next weekend and there's washing everywhere. I've filled four ikea bags and still have a pile that's filled the bath. I'm planning to get it washed and dried for her but I'm honestly looking at the pile and don't know where to start. She has a washer dryer and it's taking ages per load (no laundries around here, just forecourt washers that are like £10 a wash!)

No she hasn't asked me specifically to do it but she was complaining about the state of her house last week so I know she won't mind. She's been struggling with her MH lately and having it looming over her can't be helping! And she's starting a new full time job next week so if I leave it it'll never get done!

Gosh, I'd appreciate this so much. Just pile through it a couple of a loads a day and then begins what is (for me) the hardest bit - the folding and putting away! I wonder if you might find anything that is obviously far too small that you could make a special pile for your sister to go through when she gets back and that could then go to the charity shop?

how old are the kids? I’d just do it all in lots of washes if it’s all little kids clothes. Don’t bother sorting! or would she be funny about that?

They're all under 7 and the rooms were a tip so I've give them a tidy, put all the toys away and ran the hoover around.

Washer is a hisense if anyone knows some tips to use it best! (mine is a bosch and they're quite different!)

Using the mix atm with a smaller load.

Another one who wants to adopt you as a new sister op. My washing isn't too bad, because DH and I get through it but I can imagine if I was a single parent like your sis with a washer/dryer I'd be drowning in washing (three boys!!). My fantasy is coming home from holiday and someone deep cleaning and sorting my house

If she’s been struggling with MH lately and you have spare time while staying maybe try to wash and fold 2 loads of laundry a day and do as much deep cleaning as you can w/o getting overwhelmed yourself.

I bet she’ll cry happy tears when she sees what you’ve done! Sometimes people can get really bogged down and let housekeeping get away then are overwhelmed by it, I know I had a few years that I didn’t clean house well at all.

I think this is lovely of you OP. If you’re sure it won’t feel like an invasion and you are able I would definitely give it a clean as well. How kind of you and what a nice surprise for your sister to come back to. It will make her first week in a new job so much easier. She is lucky to have a caring sister like you.

can she afford a cleaner going forward? Some will help with laundry too.

Tbh having washer drier is a really bad decision unless you live alone/in a couple.
They take ages to do the job.
If you skip a day or two with to appliences you can just make use of both and do a lot of washing in a day
With comby you are stuck.

Fast 15 wash, then set the temperature to either 30c or 40c, will go to either 20 or 30 minutes, then when wash is finished - select spin - I think about 10 minutes.

What are the options if you press the "Options" button on the machine, while the dial is set to Mixed Load?

Thank you, will try that when this load finishes!

Re the length of time for a wash - check how many rinses it’s doing. More than one stacks up the time and dome cycles do as many as four. Second giving loads a second spin - I used to have to do it with my old machine to speed up the drying time .

You are being very kind - she must have been very overwhelmed.

With a big busy, a washer dryer is a piece of shit. I’m not surprised it has snowballed like this.

Sounds like she’s overwhelmed. I’m pretty sure she will appreciate your help but please don’t worry if she doesn’t seem to be grateful - she may have mixed emotions of shame, anger, gratitude etc all mixed in.

If she gets back and is open to a conversation about it then I’d highly recommend that she tried to minimise the clothes she has for each child. A quick way to do this is to put all the clothes together and pull out a capsule wardrobe per child (eg their favourite 5 shirts, 2 trousers, 2 jumpers, 2 dresses, 3 jammies and 5 sets of underwear). Put everything else in large bags or vaccum pack and put in the attic or under the beds. A smaller inventory will be so much easier to manage and keep on top of. Once she feels more in control of everything she can, if she wants, gradually re-introduce more clothes. But she may find that she doesn’t want to, once she’s used to the ‘less is more’ approach!

By the way, I’m making a big assumptiom here that your DS is the one who is responsible for washing. If it’s actually your BIL or both of them instead, then the same advice applies but just read ‘him’ or ‘them’ instead!

I do an extra spin as standard even though my machine is a 1600! Things come out practically dry. Love it!

I put my
King size duvet in one, yes it was expensive, but it was very convenient.

Fast 15 is for 1kg of washing though not for larger loads

Mines a Samsung but reading up on the Hisense it’s similar for drying

it has a cupboard dry and a timed setting. I’d personally recommend the timed setting, it takes me around 3.5 hours to dry a full load of toddler clothes as a guide (and by full load, the drum is only half full as the dryer won’t dry a packed drum)

smaller loads of completely tumble dry safe stuff is a way to clear it overnight or if you’re at work through the day, and the times you’re there just do a wash and stick on the line.

hope that helps!

She's a single mum so it all falls on her (well the girls do to their dad's every other weekend but he's a shit and sends any dirty washing back with them!)

Will suggest a clothing cull because I think it'll help her a lot. Some bit look like they haven't been worn but are mixed in with clearly dirty stuff!

No advice to add just wanted to say what a lovely thing to do and what a kind person you are. Brought a tear to my eye reading your post ❤️

I'm stunned that your sister has that many clothes.
It's not the washing, but the drying that is a pain.

Not heard of ''forecourt dryers'' but from memory of using laundrettes they can be really hard on clothes compared to 'Domestic' ones.

Even if you just take the 'big' items and towels {Duvets, sheets and towels} these are generally tough enough to withstand commercial washing machines, and your sister should be glad.

Could get expensive though.

Well done, a really kind thing for you to contemplate doing.

I don’t think it’s the worst thing in the world to have it on a 2 hour wash (apart from the electricity cost).

It means it gets a proper wash and then she’ll be more likely to only need to give it a quick wash the next time they’re worn.

Especially if they’ve been sat there for a while or she’s not had time to give them a proper wash for a while.
Whilst it’s not piling up and the sun is shining, then a longer wash may be better anyway.

Once she's back you could enquire if she'd like you to help sort out the DC clothes.

We had 4 DDs, we went through and pared back how much of what they had. 10 pairs of white school socks each, each child has their own design. Minimal amounts of leggings, jeans, tops, dresses. Was ruthless and let them wear their nice clothing all the time. It meant that with one wash daily most stuff was dried overnight on the airers and there were empty drawers to put them away in.

Most we put the large clothing on hangers to try as made putting it away quick and no ironing. Pants and socks dried in the tumble drier and the kids sorted them out into pairs and piles and put them away 👌

But it seems no good deed goes unpublished these days.

🤣 You're right. I presume OP just wanted to be told what a great sibling they are.

All I can think is that I'd hate someone coming in and doing this, One if my kids would not have been happy if someone moved their stuff either. Hopefully OPs sister isn't like us. 😬😅

If they've bought new for holiday sounds like they need to get rid of some clothes. I bet they wont all fit in the drawers and wardrobes once all clean.

My mum has done loads of washing for me when I'm struggling (as a lone parent), mainly bedding, by taking it away and returning it all dry and clean- you could do the bedding in your house and all clothes in their house, OP, that way you have two systems going and it won't all get muddled up. I help my (older) kids occasionally now, you just need a hand sometimes in life.