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Housekeeping

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Original poster

How would you organise my washing?

28 replies

AnotherMonkey · 27/02/2015 14:58

When I take my washing off the dryer, here's what I have:

4 x piles of washing to go straight into drawers (me, DH, DD, DS)

1 x pile of ironing which I do

1 x pile of ironing for the ironing company (due to a long-standing men-don't-iron-yes-they-bloody-do stalemate between me and DH)

1 x pile of sheets and towels

At the moment, I have a basket for each ironing pile and one where everything else gets balanced haphazardly. But it's not ideal as things get jumbled by the second wash. I can't have 7 different baskets.

Has anyone got any better ideas? I ideally need to be able to do a couple of washes before I need to take it upstairs; with storage to keep it tidy, separate and easy to transport when I'm ready!

Ideas needed.....!!

OP posts:
KeepsTrying · 27/02/2015 16:04

I know you don't want 7 separate baskets but...I have 8 and LOVE them!

They are smaller than normal ones but still big enough, stack, are very strong, have handles so you can easily carry two at a time...

www.lakeland.co.uk/23434/Lakeland-Laundry-Tote?gclid=CJeLn6DAgsQCFeTJtAodARsAkg&src=gfeed&s_kwcid=AL!49!3!66287658149!!!g!43865363165!&ef_id=VOemuwAABQCMBbVH:20150227160356:s

mousmous · 27/02/2015 16:16

I have 2 large baskets from ikea one for darks, one for lights.
stuff gets put away right after drying, so no need for more baskets for us.

no ironing.

relatives have this trofast unit in the utility room. so 6 washing baskets.

BiddyPop · 27/02/2015 16:25

I have a large dirty laundry hamper upstairs - where we throw the dirty clothes.

Then I have a large laundry hamper downstairs - where I throw all clothes once clean and dry. We fold that roughly once a week at the weekend when we have the time, and put everything into hotpress (my pile, DH pile, sheets, towels) or straight into cupboards (DD's things) at the end of the hour or so that it takes (while watching a movie with DD usually so not a huge chore). Sometimes I put mine away straight, or DH will do his.

Ironing gets thrown back into the bottom of that clean hamper - from where DH retrieves it to do any household ironing required on Sunday evening watching Top Gear. (He took over the role in its entirety when DD was born - up to then, he did his and I did mine - we don't do sheets etc, and there is not a lot to be done in any event, and DD lives in tracksuits - a pair of jeans is a huge concession from her so dresses and things that would need ironing are almost non-existent in her wardrobe).

shovetheholly · 27/02/2015 16:59

I am not sure I understand the question... but I have one box where I put all dirty clothes and a heated airer.

A load gets put in the machine every day. It gets put out straight away, and it dries inside 24 hours. Then I put it away and put the next load out. And on and on and on.

heymammy · 27/02/2015 17:05

Same as you shove washing goes in machine, take it out, put on airer or on washing line. If dry by evening then put away.
Next morning, washing goes in, put dry washing away, take clean out, put on airer...yada yada yada.
Groundhog. Day.

PestoSnowissimos · 27/02/2015 17:06

Same here,

Do washing,

Dry it

Iron what needs ironing

Put away

ginmakesitallok · 27/02/2015 17:09

Do washing, dry it. Sewerage into stuff that needs ironing and stuff that doesn't. Take stuff that doesn't need ironing upstairs (after it's spent the requisite time on the dining table), dump it all on our bed, forget about it until either dp puts it away or until we're going to bed.

BackforGood · 27/02/2015 17:14

I'm confused why you want to store clean laundry Confused

I get it all out the drier / off the line and take basket upstairs, where I stand on the landing and distribute it into piles according to who it belongs to - I put mine straight away, dh's on our bed, dcs' outside their bedroom doors, towels / sheets in the cupboard where they live.

I don't understand why you need piles or baskets for all different groups of clean washing.

Deux · 27/02/2015 17:47

I try to get the wash, dry, put away cycle done with as little delay as possible.

So wash on, hang on clothes drier, leave overnight. In the morning I sometimes put it in the tumble dryer on low for about 15 mins then fold. Sometimes fold some stuff and air on rads. Put other stuff in ironing basket that lives in bottom of cupboard.

I use those folding crates as easy to store when not in use. Take it upstairs to put away. Then refill the crate from the laundry baskets, one in each room, then repeat.

Maybe it's your system you need to change rather than baskets? I have 2 of those folding crates and typically have one upstairs waiting for dirty laundry and one downstairs with clean laundry.

Deux · 27/02/2015 17:50

The bit I'm baffled by is why you need to do a couple of washes before you take the clean laundry upstairs.

I'm up and down the stairs like a yoyo so just leave the crate at the bottom of the stairs.

I think you maybe just need to make more frequent trips?

Original poster
AnotherMonkey · 27/02/2015 18:13

Thanks everyone. Including those who answered despite wondering what on earth I'm on about!! Grin

I don't always have time to put away at the same time as unloading/folding/sorting. Usually happens at the weekend.

Now if IKEA made baskets to fit the trofast unit, that would be perfect. Thanks keepstrying and mousmous - I like the idea of a unit which stores those baskets. I'll probably end up using a mix of your ideas.

What's a hotpress, biddypop?

OP posts:
Deux · 27/02/2015 19:25

Ikea do another system called Algot I think. Do you have a utility area at all or a hall cupboard that you can allocate to laundry?

Good luck. Smile

Rascalls3 · 27/02/2015 21:41

I have the Ikea Algot units which I love. I have 4 large sliding baskets. 1 for ironing, I for spare hangers, 1 for laundry odds and sods and one for doggie towels. Above are two hanging rails which I hang to dry 1 or 2 loads of washing. Above the rails are 2 shelves where I keep 4 empty laundry baskets. I use these to empty wet laundry into, ironed clothes that need to be taken upstairs etc. You can mix and match the units to get a system that works for you.

BackforGood · 27/02/2015 23:15

But it doesn't take any longer.
You stand by the drier / airer /line and fold and sort - therefore creating another job which is to collect it and take it to the places it needs to go away.

I tip it out of the tumble drier / take it off the airer or line straight into a basket which I then walk upstairs with and shake and fold stuff upstairs, as I put it on to the individual people's piles which are then outside their doors and therefore their responsibility.

It doesn't take any longer to do this shaking and folding when you are on the landing, than it does to do it by your drier / airer, but it stops there then being another job to do afterwards.

Original poster
AnotherMonkey · 27/02/2015 23:45

Ohhh I like the algot too, that would work. I need an ikea trip.

Yes, we have a utility area. Thanks, deux Smile

backforgood I can't find a way of writing this without it sounding sarcastic but it's not: I love your earnest underlining Grin I think my two might be younger than yours, the stuff need putting away, although I do take your point about getting it straight upstairs.

My system works for me, I guess - it's the storage solutions I was after.

OP posts:
Original poster
AnotherMonkey · 27/02/2015 23:50

ps it does sound sarcastic and it's really not meant to be - nobody in my RL would properly engage in a conversation about my washing or tell me I was getting it all wrong but it's really bugging me! Grin

OP posts:
BackforGood · 28/02/2015 13:41
Grin I'm just keen on saving anybody from laundry angst Grin

Mine are teens now, but, tbh, they've been responsible for putting own clothes away since they were about 4 - at that stage I might put some things on a hanger for them, but they've always had to put away things that go into drawers.

Davros · 28/02/2015 15:13

I think my arrangement is brilliant which is that I have the washing machine, drier, airer, ironing stuff etc etc in a room UPSTAIRS!! People tend to think its odd but its so much better than lugging everything downstairs and then taking it all back up again. I know everyone doesn't have a room where they can put their machines upstairs but I highly recommend it if you can. This happened when we converted our basement where the machines had been.
Other than that, I seem to do the same as most people, use Lakeland baskets for dirty stuff, wash it, dry, pile it into another basket, sort out any for ironing and allocate to various people/areas. And on and on ........

DrownedGirl · 28/02/2015 18:49

We have an expedition 2 x 4 near the dryer. Fold, place into the baskets (there are 6 of us) with one basket for ironing and one for odd socks.
Take the baskets up at the weekend.

DrownedGirl · 28/02/2015 18:49

Expedit

BiddyPop · 28/02/2015 19:38

Hot press is a cupboard wth the hot tank. It's usually got slatted shelves around it so gets used as airing cupboard/ storage for clean sheets and towels.

Maybe it's an Irish thing.

Notcontent · 28/02/2015 21:29

I am confused. It only takes a few minutes to put away clean laundry...

Davros · 28/02/2015 23:46

Press is the word used in Ireland for cupboard

EmGee · 02/03/2015 13:25

Now I want a hot press AND an upstairs utility room. What a great idea.

Artandco · 02/03/2015 13:35

Def get kids putting laundry away! Mine are 3 and 5. Both put own laundry away apart from bits need hanging up.

Here wash/ dry. Into x4 piles. Each pile put on correct persons drawers. Then we all just put own away once in room longer. Usually kids put theirs away at bedtime whilst myself or dh hang up what of theirs needs hanging and helping them get clothes out and ready for next morning

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