Whether you live to do laundry or it’s your least favorite chore, we’ve all got to do it. These practical tips and decorating tricks will make the laundry one of the simplest chores on your checklist. Now laundry day doesn’t look so bad after all.
1. Take advantage of your alone time
Whether your child is taking a nap or they’re out on the soccer field, take the opportunity to get a few loads done when the house is quiet! On average, a single wash and dry cycle will take between 1-1.5 hours from start to finish, so plan ahead for a time when the kids will be out of the house that long so you can focus on your laundry and your me time!
2. Make it family-friendly — and safe
Once your kids are old enough, have them help sort and fold their clothes. An important safety reminder, though: Little ones act fast and accidents can happen in an instant, so make sure to store liquid laundry packets and other cleaning supplies out of sight and out of the reach of children. Check out these activity sheets from PacketsUp.com.
3. Save a load, save your fabrics
The sniff test may tell you if you wore enough deodorant, but does not always work when deciding if you need to wash your clothes. What you do, the fabric type, the wear and the weather can play a deciding factor. The American Cleaning Institute offers tips here to help determine if it’s time to wash those bed sheets, jeans, shirts, socks and underwear.
4. Iron be gone
It seems that the only action some ironing boards get is as a catch-all for cast-off clothes. Let’s be honest, who has time to iron? As a time-saver, wrinkle-releasing sprays relax and smooth fabrics to help remove wrinkles — without an iron. For today’s casual looks, the end result is ideal!
5. Shorten the loads
Sometimes you need clean clothes in a hurry or you don’t have close to a full wash worth of dirty garments. Sometimes you just can’t wait for the normal cycle to finish. Luckily there is another option on most modern washing machines that saves time and is more energy efficient: the quick wash.
6. Refresh your laundry room
Laundry rooms (or sometimes, laundry closets) are notorious for being cramped and difficult to keep tidy. Maintaining an organized space will keep your mind at ease and your children safe. Utilize any cabinet space by storing liquid laundry packets up and out of reach and in their original packaging. Unused corners in your laundry room are a great spot to add extra shelving to store towels, sheets and dryer sheets. The extra effort will make a load of difference when you are running out the door!