Just had DC3 and can’t keep on top of washing

[Fragolafrappe]

Currently I have a bin and a half of coloured washing and half a bin of whites to do. I can do around a third of a bin a day but it just gets replaced with a new lot every day. We have a big load washing machine but there are a few factors making it worse: DS1 has autism and wets himself a few times a day (don’t won’t to go back to nappies though). Everyone seems to use a new towel every time they bathe - it then gets dropped on the floor and I have difficulty working out whose is whose / what’s clean so it just gets put in laundry bin. Also I have a newborn who doesn’t produce much laundry herself but likes being held a lot so it’s hard to do more than wash /dry/ fold and put away cycle a day.
Any tips? I’ve thought of using a laundry service to break the back of it but I feel a bit bad giving then DS wet joggers to do plus it’s £££.

for the towels, get everyone a different colour/patterned towel, and make sure they know which colour/pattern is theirs. This makes it easy to call out those who don't hang their towel up, and also makes it easy for them to just grab their towel rather than grabbing a new one every time. asda George do some
direct.asda.com/george/home/towels/D26M07G07C09,default,sc.html?start=20&sz=20

for your eldest, could he use some of these? they look like regular pants but are absorbent, meaning he could just change the pants rather than his trousers (the pants are easier to chuck into the wash, and you can wash more at the same time) www.incontinenceshop.com/kylie-washable-incontinence-pants-for-boys-black-small?msclkid=01399890cd4b18be9df9c7b4907e0362&utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=(WR)%20New%20Shopping&utm_term=4581183919694711&utm_content=Products

and for your baby, have you tried putting her in the sling on your back? it really helped when my youngest were little as it meant my front was free to do the washing etc. if they don't tolerate this, try using a forward facing sling instead.

all the best x

A newborn shouldn't be on your back until they are well on their way to sitting, at 5-6 months, so that might be something for the future.
I'd treat this as a crisis situation, that WILL get easier. Bring on the laundry service! You could even keep doing the wet joggers, and just delegate the rest. I second the different looking towels for different people. And also fewer baths for a while!
Are you a single parent? If not, is the other parent pulling their weight?

oh, I miss read the post about your baby being a newborn. Yes to PP, don't put them on your back until 5-6 months ish. x

Can you put some things on a quick wash so you can just get through the backlog? I know underwear and towels need a good wash but sometimes if it gets too much, I put t-shirts etc that have been worn only once on a quick load (family of 5 with an average size machine).

I use towels for days weeks before I wash them.
Stop washing towels every time they are used and make sure everyone hangs up damp towels so they dry. There is no need to wash towels each time they're used!
Ask your partner to help sort this out.

Why can't your dc share towels?
Where is the other parent?
Do mixed washes once dark colors washed few times they won't leach.
Of course you can give a laundry service wet trousers. They won't care.

Definitely do mixed washes on a low temp, it will save so much time! Towels washed once a week here, and hung up between uses. I have 4 young DC so they share a couple of towels at bath time.
And as PP have said, get your partner on it too, this shouldn't be all on you.

Stop buying white clothes
Stop ironing
*many many dc and stopped ironing years ago...

Mine had toweling robe slip over head jobs when small and they'd run around til dry. Décathlon do something similar.

Otherwise everyone has their own colour from ikea.

Baby in bouncy lying down thing and he can watch you as you go. Or lying down on play mat.

yes mine all had hooded towels. Like for the beach. I got adult size for ds with asd as he got older. You can use beach hooded towels indoors. It s not banned.

Brilliant advice thank you all! DP is being brilliant by the way just but we had to use his paternity to catch up with some urgent DIY that was needed ( think urgent roof leak and unsafe electrics) and now back to work to quite a full on job.

How old are your (NT) kids? Can you teach them to hang up / take down the washing and fold? Each day it should be one of their turns to help you. Your DH can do the backlog on the weekends and give you a break.