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Housekeeping

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Original poster

Why are my washing baskets never empty?!

35 replies

KnickersOnOnesHead · 28/10/2013 13:13

It's worse now that I cannot stick things out on the line, but just as I think I've put the last load in, a whole load more turns up!!

Has anyone any tips on keeping the pile down please?

I do

Darks
Lights
Whites
Bedding
Towels.

There's two adults and two children (5) and (6) plus bits of baby things ready for when dd2 arrives.

OP posts:
cantthinkofagoodone · 28/10/2013 13:16

Apparently you can put it all in together (another thread) so just do a load at the end of every day!

I'm skeptical though.

I do the same as you pretty much but do it all at the weekend usually.

Original poster
KnickersOnOnesHead · 28/10/2013 13:22

Before children I used to do that!

I now had eldest in white school shirts and youngest in bright red jumpers!

OP posts:
Jan49 · 28/10/2013 18:44

I'm not sure why people feel the need to separate whites and colours, unless they're not colour fast items. I would have thought a school jumper would be colour fast. If I have an item which bleeds colour, I hand wash it.

When I had a child in school uniform, he wore it all day and only changed to get ready for bed (except on hot summer days when he'd come home and change). Some people seem to get their kids to change into different clothing after school, which doubles the load if you then put those things in the wash after a few hours. You can also wipe marks off school uniform rather than constantly changing trousers and jumpers during the week. My ds had 2 pairs of trousers per week and 2 jumpers but a clean shirt daily.

Cut down on how often you change sheets and towels unless someone has wet the bed. I think people change them far too often.

MortifiedAnyFuckerAdams · 28/10/2013 18:47

I never separate. Once a basket is full, in it goes. Dh and I share a basket, and dd has one.

When she starts school , I plan on buying enough to cover the week so I only need to wash it on a friday night ready for the week ahead.

Rattitude · 28/10/2013 18:47

I think people are set in their ways and not prepared to adapt their approach for whatever reason. Unless you do that, the results won't be different.

If you only do full loads, then maybe you need to check whether you are washing stuff before it truly needs it.

If you are not doing full loads, then you should start merging some of the stuff. In my case, bedding and towels go with the most appropriate category, which is either darks or lights.

I occasionally have a bulging laundry basket but I only do full loads. On average, I do 1.5 wash per week. I do not change all my clothes every day though.

If you cannot change your laundry method, you may want to invest in the Lakeland heated airer to speed up the drying process...?

bundaberg · 28/10/2013 18:53

because you don't do enough washing?

sorry, that was my gut response on reading the title Grin but I SOOOO know where you're coming from. It seems never-ending in this house right now, can't get on top of it

lifesgreatquestions · 28/10/2013 18:58

Each week we do

towels

bedding

clothes (2 loads a week)

DoItTooJulia · 28/10/2013 19:06

Mine is never empty either and I do so much washing it's unbelievable.

Crocodilehunter · 28/10/2013 19:13

But how do you keep your whites from going grey and grubby looking?
I used to mix mine and my everything bar the dark colours went manky, i separate darks, colours and whites but have resigned myself to an ever flowing wash basket!

Mum2Fergus · 28/10/2013 19:15

I just got our basket empty around lunchtime today, then DP came home and started on it again lol I've had huge amounts this past week (usual washing, post holiday washing, and crap weather) but usually find a load a day keeps me on top of it, especially now drying outdoors is unlikely. I do separate darks and lights but will mix in the towels/bedding rather than do separately.

Rattitude · 28/10/2013 19:28

Crocodile, I don't have many white clothes, apart from some cotton knickers. They seem ok. They have not gone grey. If you are worried about it, you could always throw a colour catcher in with the load.

bigwellyfucker · 28/10/2013 20:35

We alternate, dark wash one day, white wash next day.

We have me, DH, DD1 who is at nursery and oozes stickiness, and refluxy DD2 who is a baby.

Anything like bedding or towels is washed in with the general load. Only exception being if someone has a tummy bug in which case ALL their washing is kept separate and washed immediately.

Every day I put on a load, put away a dry load into airing cupboard and put anything in the airing cupboard away into drawers then hang out the wet load. Even DH and DD1 know the routine now and help out. With a baby that can go through 3-6 vests and sleepsuits a day I am careful never to wash things unless they need it lest I down in washing!

Mintyy · 28/10/2013 20:39

What is the point of having empty laundry baskets?

If you have a laundry basket taking up space it may as well have dirty clothes in it huh?

I can't bear the thought of mixed up laundry.

precious2 · 29/10/2013 11:46

I do mine In a morning. I wash clothes we had on the day before (2 adults 2 babies) then pjs also.. then I wash partners work clothes every afternoon ( stinking of horse poo) so its a must. Son goes thru like 3 sets a day so I end up doing about 3 loads of washing a day plus a iron load everyday.. bedding gets done fortnightly unless babys have been sick ect.. my washing machine never stops I hate washing in my basket so ill even put the odd bit in on its own on a quick wash so it dont pile up

Littleredsquirrel · 30/10/2013 18:14

We have a ridiculous amount of washing. The DCs and DH insist of everything they have worn going into the wash basket, even if it has only been worn for an hour.

I get it waned, its the putting away that never happens in our house

Mum2Fergus · 30/10/2013 18:42

Squirrel, Id be taking their stuff back out and back in their drawers if that was the case ...

Littleredsquirrel · 30/10/2013 18:57

Agh sorry for typos. Yes mum2fergus I think I will start doing that.

Original poster
KnickersOnOnesHead · 30/10/2013 19:31

Guess what?!

I have one load in the washer and the fecking basket is empty!

OP posts:
sturdyoak · 30/10/2013 19:36

I never get to the bottom of my wash basket. I believe it is a modern mystery, probably has it's own dimensional field. I've emptied it out before and found baby toys (DC 9years). I've even a second basket - that is actually a black hole....

Nothing to do with the fact those old sofa throws will never be boiled washed.

BoffinMum · 01/11/2013 09:07

Go all 1950s.

Only change pants and socks daily, try to wear everything else for 2-3 days. If you wash morning and evening very throughly this helps keep the clothes OK. Sponge things clean (eg school uniform) rather than automatically washing them each time a bit of mashed potato drops on them.

Change sheets once a fortnight.

Dry towels thoroughly between uses and allocate each individual his or her own set to look after (some people use different coloured towels for this purpose).

sublimelime · 01/11/2013 15:48

Boffin help I must living in a time warp!

Do people really do much more than this? Tops, I suppose get cleaned more if they are sweaty / whole dinner down them and trousers of the child - usually grass / mud stained. But that is about it.

MiconiumHappens · 01/11/2013 15:54

Ha because you have DC Smile

My washing machine died a spectacular death a few weeks back, I felt like giving it a funeral it had been on 2-3 times a day since 2006 and served us well. RIP trusty Hoover washing machine.

5madthings · 01/11/2013 15:57

My basket is never empty as there's a cardigan in the bottom that is hand wash only...

However I just chuck everything in apart from towels and beddding and the boys white shorts, they have enough shirts that I can do one hot white wash once a week, I do towels/bedding every three days? And a load of regular laundry once a day. Occasionally my basket is empty apart from'the soddim cardigan that doesn't count

Bumblequeen · 01/11/2013 17:39

Our wash basket is never empty or at least not for long.

I separate clothes into darks, whites, bedding and colours.

For school dd has two skirts, two dresses, three cardigans and six shirts. Some days I can wipe clean her school clothes and they are all washed over the weekend.

Dd changes into 'house clothes' after school and wears two lots of underwear per day- morning and night.

Dh and I change tops after one wear and air bottoms for another wear.

AhCmonSeriouslyNow · 01/11/2013 17:40

The trick is to have a naked day once or twice a week. Usually works best at weekends if people have work or school.