Where do you find the time for all this laundry?

[Maryann1975]

After reading the thread about how often these things get washed, I was wondering if those of you who launder these items daily work full time or if you are SAHP with children at school? I am feeling in the minority as I don't wash them daily, but I can not possibly see how I would find the time. I know an automatic washing machine kind of does it for me, but I would still have to collect the washing, put it on, empty it, hang it all out to dry, collect it all back in, fold it, put it all away. That seems like a lot of extra work when I have three dc all vying for my attention in the precious few hours I get after work before I crash into bed. I also can not bear to do any more housework at the weekend in what I deam to be family time. So how do you All find the time?

Some of us are slobs . Perhaps some are stretching the truth as well.

I bought the washing machine with the biggest capacity drum I could. It takes 10kg at once, so I can literally do 4 loads a week. One for coloureds, one for darks, one for towels and bedding, plus a whites wash if necessary. You just have to be ruthless about it - I do coloureds on Friday evening, dry that overnight and wash towels overnight, then darks on Saturday afternoon etc. I have laundry bags similar to these

m.johnlewis.com/mt/www.johnlewis.com/rotari-laundry-bag-black-white/p260333?un_jtt_v_pdp=yes&un_jtt_v_from_product=un_product_4

we all have our own bags and I fold as I go from Saturday onwards and pop in the bags, then everything is put away on Sunday evening.

I do 2 quick washes (30 mins) every day. I put the first wash on as soon as I get up (v early) and get the second one in before we leave for school/work. If necessary I do a wash in the evening.

I do 1-2 loads a day during the week, more at the weekends (when we change beds etc).

Washing goes on in the evening. In the morning it is either pegged out or tumbled/hung inside before we go to work. Then I do the ironing and putting away in the evening.

As long as I keep on top of it it isn't a big job.

Dunno, 4 kids, 3 wash bins, full most of the time.

Good question, op.

I aim for one load a day and feel on top of things if I manage that (family of 4, no nappies).

I just can't imagine washing towels after every use. I see people on here saying they do 2 or 3 loads a day. Just how?

I do about 10 loads a week and spend no more than 10 minutes a day sorting and folding. It's one of those "do while" jobs. I'll put the kettle on and go and sort a load to put in. Our laundry basket is in the lobby between the bathroom and kitchen, so I don't have to carry it very far. More usually kick it across the kitchen floor (picking up a load of dust, while I'm at it :o )

I do two loads a day (sicky baby, potty training toddler, sporty DH) including sheets, towels etc. I only wash sheets and towels once a week though. I do one load as soon as I get up, that goes out to tumbler / clothes horse when we get in at 3pm and next load in to be hung out at 5. Gets put away either st bedtime, or in a big batch on Saturday and Sunday mornings. It really doesn't take that long!

My wash machine has a timer so can be ready when I get home from work or when I get up in the morning. Don't mind doing washing and hate having a full basket so as soon as I have enough to wash it gets put on.

I don't , I pay my 15 dd

Family of 6 here.

I do a load a day plus extra at weekends for towels/bedding.
I am a self-confessed slattern though but also think that washing towels daily is unnecessary and really bad for the planet

I use a 40 degree 30 min wash for almost everything. Only towels and sheets go in separately and hotter. So most things just get shoved in for a quick wash and then out on the line or in the dryer. Towels etc get done overnight.

Wash towels once a week and atm sheets once a fortnight unless musty.

Other than that I do a long wash (eczema issues) every day but alternate darks and whites. Works well for family of four whioe I'm on maternity leave but not really sure what I'll do when back at work in January.

Use the timer on the machine so it's ready when I get up, straight on the line, dries while I'm at work then in when the dc get home - works for us!

Our bathroom is downstairs and I put any clothes or towels we take off in a pile on front of the washing machine and when it is full I pop it on, add a capsule and press on. I don't separate colours and everything goes on same cycle at 40 degrees. This is usually once a day (family of four, two young kids). Then in the morning I put it in the dryer ;or over the banisters for non dryer things. Can't do it in evening as dryer is in the baby's room. This is temp measure as it's also my office - we are hoping to move somewhere bigger next year. So the washing and drying is fine. Putting stuff away, that's what I don't have time for.

3 dc's and full time work doesn't mix very well with keeping on top of washing...some weeks I have to do 5 loads on the weekend but other week's if I'm not as tired I do a few during the week.
I'll either put the machine on first thing in the morning and sort it out when I get home, or I'll put the machine on when I get home and depending on what time I put it on, sort it that evening or the next morning.

Putting the washing machine on and getting it dry isn't too much of a problem, but putting it away seems to be a huge problem...some weeks the utility room is full of clothes-as in nothing in the drawers or wardrobes it's all downstairs waiting to be put away!!
But I'm working on being more organised and that's top of the list....

I don't understand all if this washing of pyjamas, jeans, towels etc after one wear or use. It's not so much the washing as the drying, especially during the months we're heading in to now. Then there's the environmental issue, the cost...

I use the timer on my machine.
I put a load in before I go to work, set it to wash at 3pm.
Come home, take it out, put it to dry.
Put another load on. Quick wash, 30 minutes, put that to dry, get DCs to fold and put away first lot

Put another wash in, set it to come on at 5am.
Get up, get that wash out etc etc etc

Family of 5, 3 DCs that do sports 4 times a week means a lot of washing.

Get a tumble dryer! We don't have a dryer and so when weather is damp and cooler is takes a day or 2 for stuff to dry on the dryer rack. I miss the hot summer when stuff dried on the line in a couple of hours and my washing basket was empty! Now I can only do a load every 2 days and I hate it! We used to have a dryer and it made life so easy and washing never built up in the basket. A full washing basket is my pet hate but is unavoidable with 2 dc and a dh who does lots of sport.

The dcs don't wear underwear with their pyjamas so I wash after every use or it's a bit manky. And if I have a shower in the evening I like to put clean pyjamas on...but towels I hang over something to dry and use again, though dds drive me mad and leave their towels screwed up on the floor until I find them, but I would stick them on a quicker wash in that case. Things like school uniforms, if they are clean enough they get used again and dcs change out of them when they get home and put 'home clothes' on which they wear for a few days.

It doesn't take long to put a wash on, nor to hang it up or fold it. It doesn't take long to put stuff away so long as your wardrobes and drawers aren't 'over full'.

Re the putting away I agree thats what takes the time. I have a four sided rotary line outside and four airers indoors so I hang out grouped by person. When dry each pile goes in the airing cupboard - anything in there which is dry is put in the right room and thus put away. This is usually done as part of the bedtime routine or naptime as I can potter about while the DC settle.

I don't wash anything which isn't dirty, only exception being clothes which have got too small - I've learnt the hard way about clothes being spoilt in storage if they aren't clean and fully aired.