Washing strategies!

[Bearhugs43]

Dc4 on the way all being well...

My washing is already mountainous and I frequently spend most of the weekend putting clean clothes away.

Anyone have any tips on organising this element of being a larger family? (I have a decent size washing machine and tumble dryer thankfully). it's not so much the getting stuff clean as getting it put away!!

Thanks

Have been in same position as you a when DC's were little. You could buy 6 small(ish) plastic boxes for each family member and leave in their rooms & either put away when you have time or make them do it themselves. I only used to iron the minimum I could get away with (shirts etc.) but it does feel at times you are permanently washing/drying when you have 2/3/4 DC.

Yes! I'm currently trying out the plastic boxes method. Also I ordered this from Ebay. I hope it'll make my life a bit easier.

I tend to keep laundry separate
One for my stuff, one for dcs, one for dh, one for towels
Take up as it dries and dump it on the bed, for relevant person to put away
Do not get behind on washin you'll never catch up!
Every thing is tumbledried in my house using system above
I very rarely do any ironing, and buy easycare clothes

Three or four baskets/compartments upstairs for dirty washing: lights, dark, delicates and towels/sheets. Take down to wash when full - or at night/in morning whichever comes first.

Have similar system with dry washing. One drawer/basket/tub per person plus one for ironing and one for sheets/towels.
Take upstairs when full - for me this is a dribs and drabs affair not the hours long effort for doing a week's worth in one go.

Ikea Antonius or a similar stacking system would be your friend. And a divided laundry box upstairs.

I have one big dirty washing basket which I fill each morning from each room, then take it down to sort. I wash 1 or 2 loads per day (excluding nappies which has a separate system!), quick tumble then hang on pulley to dry- thus removing any need for ironing. As I take dry stuff off I fold into piles for each room. Clean laundry then put into clean washing basket each night when I take boys up for bath. It's all quickly put away while I run bath.
I also sort each persons clean laundry according to the drawer it goes in eg all tops together, trousers together etc so when im putting it away I only open each drawer once so it's superfast. Anal but it really works for me!!

One big bag for all the kids socks. They know where it is and can help themselves. Generally they find something that fits.

I seem to just keep buying socks as once washed their friend never materialises! I have tried plastic boxes but find it just gets tipped out all over the floor again only to be washed again! I have 5 boys at home though so probably no hope!

yes washing gets sorted adn folded downstairs, either by me or the boys, then taken to the right bedroom, the elder two put their own away, ds3 does sometimes and i put away ds4 and dds or else i have a big pile in my bedroom waiting to go away

we have two pampers boxes for socks, they all get chucked in there and the boys rummage and every now and then i go through and pair them up and throw away odd ones, i periodically throw them all out and buy new, i bloody hate socks!

Definately ordering some of those sock thingies from ebay - fed up having a major sock organisation every month for the strays

I don't think there is an easy way. Just don't get behind with it all. At the moment DD1 & 2 put there own clean clothes away with bribery or nagging an I do the two younger dcs. Although DS is soon to have clothes putting away lessons when we get new drawers for him.

Forgot to add I wash and dry everything mostly by tumbler and then fold it all straight away into a huge yellow bucket to save ironing. Then once or twice a week I carry the sodding bucket upstairs and sort it all into piles on my bed and then distribute it onto the tops of the correct chest of drawers.

Sometimes if I am being really slack I pay the older two to sort and put it away but their price is high!

I do a wash everyday and try to hang the clothes (easier or no ironing) rather than dry them (then again I was wondering what about those balls you put in the drier? Are they meant to reduce creasing?)
My cleaner finds once a week a big pile of clothes to fold (although not everything because i do some) and some to iron (incl. bed sheets).
Got two dirty laundry basquets, one for Dcs, one for us.
Then I just put away things myself - I have only 2 DCs (3rd is baking) and the oldest is only 3.5. When will they invent a washer-drier-ironer???!!!!

Gosh lockets 5 dc and no tumble drier!

< faints >

I think my heart and sanity might break if my tumbler went. Have only had one since dc 4 arrived but it is as essential as my bra these days.

All socks go in the sock box, everything else is hurled on the sofa, and no-one gets pudding until it's been put away.

my plastic thingies to keep the socks together arrived today :). I took kids and DH to the bathroom (where the laundry baskets are kept) and gave them a quick lesson on how to use them, ha. The DC were happy with the idea, DH wondered if the tight grip might damage the socks. I don't think so, but if they are damaged at least they'll be damaged together!!

DH wondered if the tight grip might damage the socks

A good excuse but not good enough.

Randommoment - superb

I'd love to try that even if only to DH

I have this problem as iv got 4 kids and its a nightmare mountain every day so i mite try that box idea and the sock idea just to make my life easier. I reckon my machine eats socks as they just disappear! I find myself buying socks nearly every week

I have to say I thought I was a failure at socks until I read this thread! I now look at them without feeling quite so guilty!

The fecking socks.

I have no drier and spend all night turning washing on radiators. Moving to NZ on Friday - so excited about outdoor drying potential - been buying lots of pegs and I may even get a laundry room

I try to wash daily. Though I have far less washing since youngest dd finished with nappies. I no longer iron towels, so fold and put those away immediately, same with most underwear (I still iron youngest dd's socks ). the girls have their own wardrobes and shelves.

I have an ironing cupboard, with all laundry folded up in baskets waiting to be ironed. Ironing is done basket by basket then put away. I do keep planning/promising myself to farm out the bedding to an ironing service, as I really dislike that.

If I fall behind it takes a week of wasted evenings to catch up.

Socks. We have different patterns for each child, for ease of sorting, and they're put into one of those wicker basket organisers in the wardrobes.