Washing mountain

[Niklepic]

Has anyone got any tips to keep me on top of the laundry? We have 3 adults, a teen and two other children and I can easily do two loads of washing a day, not including bedding and towels. I'm drowning under unironed clothes yet feel like I'm constantly stood at the ironing board. I know some people don't iron but unfortunately I'm not one of them.

Any ideas for a proper routine? (I'm a sahm if that helps).

I think main thing is organisation and less washing. In comparison we do about 5 loads a week including bedding and towels! So roughly 3 with clothes, 2 other.

Even 20 month old can help so start early. At this age I would show her whites and darks as you help her put things in correct baskets.

Use long arm bibs on youngest so not all clothes dirty every day. In winter I try and get ours to re wear jumpers/ cardigan and jeans so just underwear and Tshirt layer daily go in basket.
Pjs can def be worn more than once, most kids are bathed before bed at nappy age so clean when in pjs.
Towels - make sure everyone has own colour and uses. Then just wash weekly. Again most the time you should be clean when using anyway.
Bedding - once a week

Never iron here either apart from school shirts . Work shirts get ironed as needed as not worn daily anyway.

Get your dh to sort and put wash on before work. Sure he works but it takes 2 mins. Dh and I both work 60 hr weeks here yet still do chores.

Mil can also help by making sure she puts whites in white basket and dark in darks at least.

Def have more than one basket

As your a family of six, I can easily understand how you can do 14 washes a week. We're a family of three and I try to limit it to five washes a week. My daughter will wear something for a couple of hours and put it in for washing, so I'm trying to stop this. Obviously bedding and towels do need to be done on a regular basis, but if they're not looking dirty or smell (appreciate sometimes they will though), then does it hurt to do them every 8-9 days instead of every 7 days.

Towels, bedding and underwear really don't need ironing. You could dry some things on hangers, that way you could give them a quicker iron as some of the creases will have dropped out and none will have been added while they're waiting to be ironed.

Hmm, maybe some good waterproofs over the bits that get muddy and more bibbage for the little one then? I used to do a long armed bib under a wipe clean 'catchy' one, and the long armed one survived a few meals that way.

Also, I streamline stuff where possible, so each child has bedding and, where possible, pjs that all go in the same wash.

I had to do my own laundry from age 12 as Mum got sick of me not putting stuff away.

There only 3 of us, but my issue is no dryer and no outdoor space.

I find drying anything that will later be hung up, on a hanger a huge time saver. it dries on the hanger relatively crease free and then goes straight into the wardrobe - cutting down lots of handling. Can you tell I don't iron either?

We have 3 washing baskets on the landing. Whites & towels in one (given that our towels are all white), darks in another and light coloureds in another.

When we see 1 is full, it gets taken downstairs and put in the washer. Doesn't matter what day of the week or what time it is, if a basket is full, it goes in the machine. I split my washing loads into what can be tumble dried and what can't as that way, I usually get 1 drying load out of 2 or even 3 washing loads.

Cotton shirts, trousers, kids polo shirts and other stuff that's cotton, providing you get them out of the dryer straight away, don't need ironing. If they've been on the line, pop in the dryer when they're almost dry for 20 mins and they won't need it either.

Kids bedding, providing it's a single, can go in the washer 2 at a time. Just don't use quick wash on it.

Don't bother ironing bedding and towels. Waste of time.

I only ever iron the bare minimum. I sort the drying as I'm either fetching it off the line or our of the dryer. Have 2 piles on the go. Give it a shake, does it need ironing? Yes - put it in 1 pile. No? Fold it and put it in another to be put away immediately.

Hope this made sense. I'm typing on my phone lol

Just further to the above, the 3 basket into the machine rule applies to everyone. If you fill it, you put it in the wash. Washing instructions are pinned on the utility room wall for the kids and husband.

I did my own washing from being 11. As 1 of 4 to a single Mum, we had no choice. And our washer only had a tiny drum and I think an 800 spin

I find my dd's try on outfits, leave the clothes on the floor, then shove dirty and clean in for washing when I tell them to tidy their bedroom.

I am going to have a massive sort out of their clothes -they have a lot of hand me downs given to them-so everything isn't so crammed in.That way, when they decide not to wear something, it isn't such a drama to put it back.

I discovered a while ago that a good 50% of teenage clothes DO NOT NEED WASHING...agree with PP...alot of clothes are tried on, rejected, and dumped.

Also, towels. Sorry, but if only used once but dumped in basket, they get folded and put back in the airing cupboard to dry and go round again...same person (DS2) is the person who is going to use the "old" towel again anyway. He's never noticed.

wow - so you have a disabled child, a toddler, a husband who works long hours, an elderly relative who needs help AND three dogs?

I am impressed that you even consider ironing.

if you MUST, only work shirts. No childrens clothes. Never bedding, towels etc etc.

and get your teen to start helping with this massive load.