To think laundry isn’t the easiest chore

[outofofficeagain]

I do all the washing. DH says ‘it’s not that big a deal’

I do.

It’s a lot to do multiple loads a week, and dry it, and sort it into piles.

There are times when I find it overwhelming.

AIBU to say that if he thinks it’s so easy, then he should do it.

I do the washing for me, dh and ds. He in turn does all the cooking. He spends hours every evening happily creating us a delicious family dinner.
I spend 30 seconds taking an armful of clothes from the basket to the machine, chucking a scoop of powder in and pressing go. an hour and a half later, it gets thrown into the dryer (some odd exceptions which need to go on the airer but this would never take longer than 2 minutes).
Then I take it upstairs and give ds his washing, put mine away. In terms of actual labour the whole thing must take me less than 8 minutes. I do a load every day, sometimes 2.
We are both very happy with the division of labour. It’s not a hard job imo.
Towels/bedding etc, it all gets put in a machine and then another machine. I do our bed on a Sunday, again, less than a 10 minute job.

My DH hates doing laundry but Dan if he has to. It's always been my Sunday job - when DC were small too. The machine just gets loaded, then stuff transferred to drier and folded and put away as soon as dry (uniform was ironed). Now there are only 2 of us that's only 5 loads including bedding and towels each week and I do other stuff (gardening, reading, sewing) whilst it's doing its thing in the machines....

I find it exhausting, no matter how many nice smelling fabric conditioners I buy myself

I bought this one from comfort, botanical something

Ive got two loads of washed laundry just sat waiting to be hung up

Gonna have to wash them again, as they've been waiting since Friday 😭

I think this might be one of my ‘do I have ADHD’ questions.

I struggle with the multiple stages. Often I forget I’ve put it in the machine, or it stays in the drier for days. If I put things on the line I almost always forget to bring it in and it gets rained on. Also we have a huge number of socks that are all distinct pairs (no generic sets).

It’s easier if I do it all on one day because I don’t drift off, but then I find it a much bigger chore.

I’d take laundry over cooking.

It’s my favourite chore. I would hate it if my DH did it. Cleaning the floors, bathroom, hoovering the stairs is far worse than washing laundry.

It’s relentless but it certainly isn’t hard or taxing

yanbu.
I do most of the laundry and it is relentless, I’m either doing it nonstop or else I fall behind then have to do more.
It’s not difficult as far as chores go but it is relentless.

The actual putting in the washing machine isn't taxing...but it's the sorting, getting it dry, hanging it up, folding it, ironing it, and putting it away. It's a lot of steps and it's really endless.

It find its one of them nobody notices or appreciates until you don’t do it anymore x

I find it awful, also overwhelming at times.

No, it's not hard at all in one sense, but in the other.

Do you a tumble drier? I have a tip and I've only just realised it after 8 years of parenting and the additional laundry it generates...

Right, there are 3 discrete stages to laundry and I think that's where part of the problem lies - thinking of it as one continuous process.

Washing
Drying
Putting away

Washing and drying are easy, short jobs.

Every evening I put on a load.

In the morning, during breakfast, I will put a load on to dry/hang it out.

By lunchtime at the latest it's ready for stage 3.

If it's one load, it's psychologically manageable to find the 20 minutes needed to put it away during the rest of the working day. If I am at home with the toddler, we do it together. If I'm working, I do it once the kids are in bed. As long as it it one load it simply can't take too long, so I'm confident I can get it away.

By building steps 1 and 2 into my daily routine I don't have to think about it. Has helped me loads.

For example I let things slide this week and now I have 2 big loads to put away and I'm already thinking oh bloody hell, I just can't be arsed.

???

Cross Post, yes you're right, I do have ADHD and I relate hard as you can tell from my response.

AIBU to say that if he thinks it’s so easy, then he should do it.

Yep!

It's the easiest and least frustrating of all chores for me. Anything involving food, whether that's planning, shopping, cooking or clearing up afterwards is all 100% more tedious and frustrating.

Sorry, I got that back to front.

No, you are not being unreasonable.
Yes, you should say that to him!

We recently moved house and created an upstairs laundry space out of what was previously a separate wc.

Absolute game changer!!!

I used to hate lugging basket upon basket of washing up and down the stairs, and constantly felt like I was drowning in piles of laundry. What a difference it's made.

ETA - As a family we get through A LOT of washing and it's rarely nice enough to hang outside.

Wait, you manage to put two weeks worth of clothes, bedding, towels, tea towels and dish cloths into ONE load?

I quite like doing laundry. Most nights I put on a load on the timer so I can hang it out first thing in the morning. It goes straight from the clothes horse into the drawers unless it need ironing. I do the ironing a couple of times a week whilst watching tv. DH does the food shop and most cooking in return. Probably also depends on how many in your household, were 2 adults and 2DC and I do around 10 loads per week

Also we live in a flat. Having previously lived in houses, I find most chores easier when you live on one level. No lugging anything up and downstairs.

My sister cannot handle the laundry load exactly like you describe. She cannot find a pair of socks at all. Ive bought her packs upon packs. When packing a bag she will empty the dryer into it. No outfits, just clothes. No trousers? She wouldnt have even considered needing them. Ive frequently picked her child up for sleepovers and had to go and buy him outfits for the time ive got him as she provides nothing he could wear. One time she sent a bra. He was 5. And a boy. What she didnt send him with for a whole week away was a pair of shoes.

”It's not like we're walking miles to the river and beating the washing against rocks”

This, really. I suspect some people are seriously over complicating the process.

Sheets ?
how many people in your household ?
How is it possible to do one load every two weeks ?

@outofofficeagain How many people are you washing for?
Are you the kind of family that washes everything after only one wear/use. Oviously I would expect that for underwear, but jeans, jumpers, towels etc?

I don't find washing onerous at all, but there are only two of us (three when DD is home).

It's absolutely 100% the worst chore in the house! There are so many steps to it, gathering, sorting, washing, hanging out to dry, folding, putting away in the right place. And then you turn around and somebody has changed their clothes and the laundry basket you emptied 5 minutes ago is suddenly half full again! I hate it! 🤯