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Housekeeping

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Original poster

Help me deal with the hell that is my laundry pile

13 replies

VictoriasSecret · 22/05/2011 22:10

It's huge, 2 full baskets and still piles on the floor!

How do I get on top of it and then keep on top of it?

How do I get my kids to put their dirty things in the basket rather than on their bedroom floor?

Then how do I avoid all the piles of clean clothes that seem to build up on the kitchen table?

Help! I'm drowning!!!!

OP posts:
Thingumy · 22/05/2011 22:30

I think the bast way forward is to do little and often.

Separate the towels,teatowels and things that can go on a hot wash

I wash everyones clothes separately so no mix up in baskets of clean-everyone has a basket.

The key is to pack iron away clean clothes asap.

How old are your children?

(dh has just ironed 2 baskets of clean bits that have been in the front room for a week so I cannot say I follow my own advice Blush)

Catilla · 22/05/2011 22:35

I run a wash pretty much every day, sometimes more than one.

I throw clean/dry clothes in a heap on the spare bed, then have a massive sorting/folding session every few days with the laptop playing iPlayer or a podcast in the background (or in front of the TV, but that involves moving the heap and DH being out!). Often I use the time to watch something the rest of the family wouldn't be interested in.

How old are your kids? I've started explaining to mine about keeping clothes the right way out and adding "clothes in the wash" to their incentives (eg. start chart / pocket money, whatever appropriate to age). I also nag them at bedtime, and tease them when I find clothes strewn...

Atwaroverscrabble · 22/05/2011 22:35

I do a load a day.... So before bed I load up the machine and as soon as I wake I put it on, then when it's done, depending whether I am at work or not I either hang it out or put it in the tumble dryer, I don't put the dryer on unless I am there to fold as soon as it's done as I REFUSE to iron anything anymore! (there are 4 of us in the house...)

I also refuse to wash anything unless it's in the basket, if it's on the floor or bed or chair it stays there as I am not the house elf! Ds is 11 and dh has finally realised that he will run out of sock etc if he doesn't put them in the basket and so it only took a few weeks to get the habit sorted!

Bohica · 22/05/2011 22:48

I'm going back to work in 2 weeks, going from sahm to working full time 5 days a week.

I am tackling the washing by tackling the wardrobes first, there is 5 of us.
All 3 children are in school so need uniforms plus weekend clothes & special clothes & we need work clothes, slobby clothes & weekend clothes.

We DO NOT need double wardrobes full of clothes that we wear for a couple of hours & then expect me to wash, dry, iron & put away & no-one really needs 15 t-shirts & 9 pairs of jeans - to many opportunities for the wash basket imo.

I load the machine the night before & put it on as soon as I get up & then put it out before I leave & then sort & put away in the evening.

One wash every day & then beds & towels on a sunday.

moondog · 22/05/2011 22:50

People wash clothes too often which wears them out for a start.
If you showre frequently, they reall don't need to be cxhanged after every wash.
For uniforms, rediscover the arto f sponging.

justforthisonepost · 22/05/2011 22:53

Babywipes on uniforms.

And shake and fold ladies, shake and fold. Grin

said · 22/05/2011 22:56

Uniforms - just buy as much as you can afford = only wash at weekends or once in week

Give up ironing - usually totally unnecessary

Thingumy · 22/05/2011 23:02

tip-don't put on kids jumpers before they brush their teeth in the mornings (saves you the angry sponging of a am)

moondog · 22/05/2011 23:03

at angry morning toothpaste sponging.Not just me then!

Thingumy · 22/05/2011 23:19

No, it's not just you moondog Grin.

justforthisonepost · 22/05/2011 23:21

I fucking hate when they're getting out of the car to walk into school and you notice the toothpaste slabber down the front of their jumper Angry

Bohica · 22/05/2011 23:28

Our summer dresses are £18.99 each & I have 3 girls in school.

They do not put a summer dress on unless the clock reads 8.43 am & we are walking out of the door, walk home from school starts with "when you get home take your dress off" I then inspect it for baby wipe marks v quick wash with vanish marks.

betterwhenthesunshines · 24/05/2011 11:15

how old are your kids? Can't they help? Maybe not putting the washing in (even DH is banned from doing that....) but they can help hang up to dry and fold / put away once they're 6+

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