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Original poster

How do you keep on top of laundry?

52 replies

freshlander · 06/01/2014 15:42

Here's a question for parents of young kids. I am trying to mend my slovenly ways - no scratch that- it ain't for want of trying - but I can never seem to keep on top of our huge laundry pile. Please, please take me through your routine and give me your tips. We have no tumble drier and everything takes forever to dry in winter. How do some people manage to keep their homes completely clear of washing? We seem to always have sheets hanging on the backs of doors etc, a huge pile waiting to be put away and no room on the racks cos everything is damp. Help!

OP posts:
NoComet · 06/01/2014 15:43

I don't

FlossieTreadlight · 06/01/2014 15:44

Constant battle. Got a Lakeland heated drier in Nov which has helped

barnet · 06/01/2014 15:49

We just stick it in the washer when theres loads to do, as and when, and always have drying hanging about,

MinesAPintOfTea · 06/01/2014 15:52

Do a wash every day (unless there's none to be done) and use the drier function on our washer-drier to dry half of it (drying capacity is half the washing capacity). We have a couple of flat ikea clothes airers that can easily be put outside as well.

TwoJackRussellsandababy · 06/01/2014 15:56

Do a load every day, sometimes twice. I do have a tumble dryer and with a two year old have accepted I have to use it at this time of year. I also have a bunch of airers and hang up outside as and when the weather allows.

If I don't do a wash every day it turns into a right muddle!

NumNumChristmasPudInMyTum · 06/01/2014 15:58

I don't really. I try to do a wash a day, dry it and put away same day so it doesn't build up. This never happens. What actually happens is that I wait until the baskets are overflowing and then do 6 washes in one day and then have washing in various stages of dampness decorating the house for days. Domestic goddess. Yep. I'm sure that's what Anthea Turner really does you know. Wink

whereisshe · 06/01/2014 15:59

When we didn't have a dryer I didn't keep on top of it... Opening the windows of the room with the washing in it helps a bit though, it lets some condensation out (unless it's bucketing rain).

gildedcage · 06/01/2014 16:00

it might seem very wasteful but I wash everything as soon as it comes off. No hamper to let it build up but it is a continuous cycle. I also don't have a dryer but have two maidens. I do lights when kids have gone to bed and darks over night (time my washer to come on). I put these on the airer while the children are eating breakfast. I never have piles of clothes about...but it is labour intensive. ..I have 3dcs between 3-7 Smile

sugar4eva · 07/01/2014 07:20

If you don't have a drier and hate to see washing about I'd say the most attractive way to dry washing wd be a wooden maiden which you can pull up high A friend of mine had one upstairs but a traditionally they were above fireplace .

sugar4eva · 07/01/2014 07:20

If you don't have a drier and hate to see washing about I'd say the most attractive way to dry washing wd be a wooden maiden which you can pull up high A friend of mine had one upstairs but a traditionally they were above fireplace .

AnythingNotEverything · 07/01/2014 07:34

I feel like I wrestle with it every day. We are a household of two adults a teenager and a newborn.

We always reuse towels, probably for about a week, most likely a bit longer. I don't change the beds as often as I'd like to (see existence of newborn above).

I do a full load every day. I have a big putting away session at least twice a week. Teenager clothes are folded and left outside his room. I put spare socks in a bag and match up about once a fortnight.

Baby's bedroom is our laundry room. Not sure what we'll do when she moves into it. I imagine next winter I'll use the dryer more.

I only iron duvets and pillow cases.

LucyLasticBand · 07/01/2014 07:42

the only day my house doesn't look like a Chinese laundry is when I make a real effort, ie. Christmas day!

accessorizequeen · 07/01/2014 07:55

There are six of us (4 dc 10, 7, 5, 5) and I keep on top of it but do have a drier. However if you have a baby I think you have to accept its going to be a losing battle for a while! I do about 14 loads a week, so usually 1-2 weekdays and more on weekends. The maiden is a godsend, dries overnight sometimes. I do about 3-4 drier loads a week. Think a heated aired would be a good idea. In order to keep on top of it, I put it away nearly every night before the kids go to bed. So there is never a build up. I think you need to tackle the big pile then start afresh. But also the laundry hampers don't have to be empty all the time! If everyone has enough clothes, it doesn't matter. I got into a cycle of having to have all empty baskets and its pointless. I make sure they have lots of cheap uniform which make it much easier but that won't work for all.

LucyLasticBand · 07/01/2014 08:16

i have 3 airers, and also hang in the window on hangers. when they are dry i put them in the airing cupboard which i clear out on a weekly basis. or less.

TheNightIsDark · 07/01/2014 08:17

Squash it down into the basket so it looks like less Blush

LucyLasticBand · 07/01/2014 08:20

op may be you are doing too much washign, if there is now where to dry it, dont do it, squash it down in the laundry basket.

yellowsnownoteatwillyou · 07/01/2014 08:29

I have a washing basket in front of the washing machine and put a load on as soon as its half full. I try to do at least a load a day, waiting for white stuff to build up takes 2/4 days which ends up being mostly bibs an Muslins.
We reuse towels and luckily don't have a sicky baby.
But we do have a tumble dryer, I try to sort it as soon as it comes out or it turns into a nightmare! (Eyes up over flowing clean washing basket)
Babies room is currently the laundry room but also has our chests of drawers in it as no room while his cot is in our room.
Tumble dryer is going to have to go in our bedroom when baby moves into his room, not looking forward to it

littleredsquirrel · 07/01/2014 08:30

Fewer clothes is the trick. We all have loads at the moment and its a nightmare. previously I paired everything right down and it made a massive difference. No more clothes hanging about everywhere because as soon as they were dry they were needed in the cupboards to be worn again.

ReticulatingSplines · 07/01/2014 08:34

I was coming on here to post exactly the same thing! We have a 2.8yo and a 4mo.

We have two airers. If there's space on the airers I put a load on. Towels are dried over doors and bannisters. I don't use the drier very often but will if i have to. The airers are in baby's room beside the radiator. The window vent is open in there which speeds up drying.

Twice since DD was born, washing has got out of control and my mum has taken 8 loads to hers and got them done there. Then brought them back neatly folded. I would have gone completely insane without this help!

Also, don't iron.

HoratiaDrelincourt · 07/01/2014 08:54

At least once a week, usually twice, I get the laundry basket actually empty. That helps.

But it was far harder before we had a dryer. We had a room permanently set aside for washing, with a few maidens and a hanging rail, the radiator turned up, and the window open. Frankly I think a dryer is cheaper than that setup.

DuchessFanny · 07/01/2014 08:55

There are 5 of us and I do at least 1 load a day. I tumble underwear and pjs, towels that kind of thing. I put sheets over our huge bannister - they usually dry over night.
In my airing cupboard there is room for a rail ( we popped in a shower curtain rail ) and we hang jeans, shirts, etcetera on hangers from it till they dry.
I never iron shirts, I never iron sheets.

LucyLasticBand · 07/01/2014 09:06

op are you putting everything in the wash without checking, can they not be worn again.

MrsOakenshield · 07/01/2014 09:22

by not being obsessive about everything being laundry fresh. I bet you anything you like that most people don't actually need to do the vast amounts of washing they do. Not all clothes need to be washed after one wearing. It's winter, do you need to change the bedding every week? Please say you're not someone who washed towels after one use!

There's 3 of us (me, DH and DD) and I do 1 white, 2 coloured and 1 towels (including tea towels) a week, sometimes towels every 2 weeks. Bedding as and when I remember/ there's space to hang it. Don't have a tumble drier but the airer is by the kitchen radiator so it dries fairly quickly.

The other thing is that for DD I buy her (or get hand-me-downs) a fair amount of cheap clothes precisely so I'm not washing all the time - for example, when she was potty training, I think I had about 15 pairs of pants for her. But my tops I wear at least twice, jeans for a week before I wash them, in fact the only daily stuff for me and DH is underwear.

Lower your standards! It's the only way forward Grin

Bumblequeen · 07/01/2014 09:22

We are a family of 4 and I do a load of washing every day. This is the only way I stay on top of the washing. We do not have a tumble dryer so I hang clothes on two airers.

I tend to wash sheets, duvet covers and large towels in the evening and hang them over doors overnight.

Washing is ongoing and I have accepted that there will always be something in the wash basket.

AnythingNotEverything · 07/01/2014 10:44

MrsOakenshield - you wash jeans weekly? I'm definitely more slovenly than I thought. I wash mine when they get something spilt on them ...

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