By: Yolanda Vasquez, Empath, Pet Lover, Intuitive Guide, Life Coach, & President of Zenful Cleaning Solutions of South Florida
Do you dislike Laundry Duty? You are not alone.
Here are 10 Life-Changing Tips When You Are Overwhelmed With Laundry
If doing laundry is one of your least favorite chores, today’s life-changing laundry tips are for YOU!
Or if you just want us to take the lead you know where to reach us.
My 10 Life-Changing Laundry Tips
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1. Buy & Wash Less Clothing!
The more clothing you have, the more clothing you will need to wash, dry, fold, hang, put away, and store.
If you have less clothing, you will have less chance of the laundry piling up because you’ll need to wash in order to have enough clean clothes. This is one of the reasons I truly only have 10 pairs of socks and underwear's! ;)
This might seem like an overly simple or maybe even impractical solution to your laundry woes, but I know from experience that it works!
2. Purge High-Maintenance Clothing
The more clothing you have, the more clothing you will need to wash, dry, fold, hang, put away, and store.
If you have less clothing, you will have less chance of the laundry piling up because you’ll need to wash in order to have enough clean clothes. This is one of the reasons I truly only have 10 pairs of socks and underwear's! ;)
This might seem like an overly simple or maybe even impractical solution to your laundry woes, but I know from experience that it works!
2. Purge High-Maintenance Clothing
I realize some jobs require more high-maintenance clothing… but, if at all possible, stick to low-maintenance clothing that doesn’t require special washing cycles, lots of ironing, or (worse) dry cleaning!
Obviously, with no special instructions, you can more quickly and easily plow through your piles of laundry. With more forgiving fabrics, your clothing will stay looking nicer with less work.
I realize some jobs require more high-maintenance clothing… but, if at all possible, stick to low-maintenance clothing that doesn’t require special washing cycles, lots of ironing, or (worse) dry cleaning!
Obviously, with no special instructions, you can more quickly and easily plow through your piles of laundry. With more forgiving fabrics, your clothing will stay looking nicer with less work.
3. Establish a Laundry Routine
Laundry is one of those things that quite literally is NEVER completely finished. Because of this, it’s easy to get sucked into “continual laundry mode” as I call it —always and forever starting another load of laundry (even if it’s not a full load). My advice would be to pick 2 or 3 times each week when you will do laundry, and then forbid yourself from thinking about laundry any other times throughout the week (outside of an emergency).
It’s there, it’s dirty, you’ll get to it on your laundry day!
For me, it works well to do laundry on Tuesday mornings and Friday evenings.
Laundry is one of those things that quite literally is NEVER completely finished. Because of this, it’s easy to get sucked into “continual laundry mode” as I call it —always and forever starting another load of laundry (even if it’s not a full load). My advice would be to pick 2 or 3 times each week when you will do laundry, and then forbid yourself from thinking about laundry any other times throughout the week (outside of an emergency).
It’s there, it’s dirty, you’ll get to it on your laundry day!
For me, it works well to do laundry on Tuesday mornings and Friday evenings.
4. Sort Smarter
For example:
- Wash all the “upstairs laundry” at one time — and then bring it all upstairs to fold and put away
- Wash all the “main floor laundry” at one time — and fold and put it away
- I wash all the kitchen and bathroom linens at one time — using a little bleach since they are all white
This smarter method of sorting our laundry greatly expedites the time it takes for me to fold and put the laundry away. For some reason, this seems to be the most stressful and time-consuming part for so many people I talk to.
For example:
- Wash all the “upstairs laundry” at one time — and then bring it all upstairs to fold and put away
- Wash all the “main floor laundry” at one time — and fold and put it away
- I wash all the kitchen and bathroom linens at one time — using a little bleach since they are all white
This smarter method of sorting our laundry greatly expedites the time it takes for me to fold and put the laundry away. For some reason, this seems to be the most stressful and time-consuming part for so many people I talk to.
5. Create Designated Areas for Dirty Clothing
If you’re the parent who bemoans the fact that dirty laundry is scattered throughout the bathrooms and bedrooms, stop and first consider if there is actually a designated spot for the dirty laundry in your home.
This does NOT need to be a fancy hamper; you do NOT need space in every room of your house. You DO need a space that is convenient for the other people in your home — otherwise, they won’t use it!
Have 3 areas for dirty items in our house:
For example:
- a wicker hamper in our bedroom.
- a cloth hamper with a removable bag in the kid’s bathroom upstairs (they change out of their clothing right before baths, so this works well)
- a small plastic clothes basket in the laundry room (for kitchen and bath hand towels and washcloths)
I understand that having a place for the dirty items does NOT guarantee dirty items will magically end up in that space — but it’s a start!
If you’re the parent who bemoans the fact that dirty laundry is scattered throughout the bathrooms and bedrooms, stop and first consider if there is actually a designated spot for the dirty laundry in your home.
This does NOT need to be a fancy hamper; you do NOT need space in every room of your house. You DO need a space that is convenient for the other people in your home — otherwise, they won’t use it!
Have 3 areas for dirty items in our house:
For example:
- a wicker hamper in our bedroom.
- a cloth hamper with a removable bag in the kid’s bathroom upstairs (they change out of their clothing right before baths, so this works well)
- a small plastic clothes basket in the laundry room (for kitchen and bath hand towels and washcloths)
I understand that having a place for the dirty items does NOT guarantee dirty items will magically end up in that space — but it’s a start!
6. Eliminate Lone Socks with a Mesh Bag
I’ve shared this tip before — but it saves me SO much time doing laundry that I need to mention it again…
I keep a mesh bag pinned to the kid’s laundry basket (see photo above). They put their socks in here for easy sorting and it assures none of our socks get lost, or worse, “stuck” in the washing machine.
I’ve shared this tip before — but it saves me SO much time doing laundry that I need to mention it again…
I keep a mesh bag pinned to the kid’s laundry basket (see photo above). They put their socks in here for easy sorting and it assures none of our socks get lost, or worse, “stuck” in the washing machine.
7. Put Clean Laundry Away Immediately
Again, this sounds overly simple, but the majority of people I talk with admit to leaving the laundry sit in the basket
I once spoke for a women’s group on the topic of laundry — a full hour dedicated to the never-ending task. So many of the women were completely floored that I actually washed, dried, folded, hung, AND put away my laundry in the same time period.
I promise, I do not have superpowers, and I don’t have a magical washer and dryer. I just stick with it until the job is fully finished because it feels easier and less overwhelming for me that way.
I can fold one load of laundry in 5-7 minutes and have it all put away within another few minutes. However, if I wait until the end of the day and have 4-8 loads waiting to be folded, THAT feels super overwhelming… not to mention how wrinkly and smashed the clothes will be after sitting in a pile all day.
Again, this sounds overly simple, but the majority of people I talk with admit to leaving the laundry sit in the basket
I once spoke for a women’s group on the topic of laundry — a full hour dedicated to the never-ending task. So many of the women were completely floored that I actually washed, dried, folded, hung, AND put away my laundry in the same time period.
I promise, I do not have superpowers, and I don’t have a magical washer and dryer. I just stick with it until the job is fully finished because it feels easier and less overwhelming for me that way.
I can fold one load of laundry in 5-7 minutes and have it all put away within another few minutes. However, if I wait until the end of the day and have 4-8 loads waiting to be folded, THAT feels super overwhelming… not to mention how wrinkly and smashed the clothes will be after sitting in a pile all day.
8. Don’t Fold 🙂
This seems to save time AND keep our closets looking nicer. Plus, it’s easier for the kids to hang than to fold — so they can do some of it themselves!
Also, don’t fold things like PJ’s, underwear, leggings, tights, etc. etc. Just dump them in bins or drawers and move on.
This seems to save time AND keep our closets looking nicer. Plus, it’s easier for the kids to hang than to fold — so they can do some of it themselves!
Also, don’t fold things like PJ’s, underwear, leggings, tights, etc. etc. Just dump them in bins or drawers and move on.
9. Use Laundry Balls In Place of Detergent and Fabric Softener
I’ve been using wool dryer balls for YEARS and YEARS in lieu of traditional fabric softener (I’ve used the same exact balls the entire time).
I also started using these laundry balls in place of laundry detergent almost 2 years ago.
I’m certain I have saved hundreds of dollars, reduced our chemical use, and never have to worry about running out of fabric softeners on laundry day!
Plus, Fabric Softener at times stains our clothes, and what really helps the clothing smell nice are the dryer sheets. *Just my two cents*
I’ve been using wool dryer balls for YEARS and YEARS in lieu of traditional fabric softener (I’ve used the same exact balls the entire time).
I also started using these laundry balls in place of laundry detergent almost 2 years ago.
I’m certain I have saved hundreds of dollars, reduced our chemical use, and never have to worry about running out of fabric softeners on laundry day!
Plus, Fabric Softener at times stains our clothes, and what really helps the clothing smell nice are the dryer sheets. *Just my two cents*
10. Ask for help and make it fun.
Laundry is definitely a job children (and spouses) can easily help with — or even take over completely!
When my boys were young I would have them match up socks, and who the one who matched the most would win a prize. :)
It honestly is a huge help for me to have the others in our house pitching in with the laundry efforts. If you play your cards right, you might be able to completely hand off the laundry responsibilities in no time. :)
Like I mentioned above, I know my use of the words “life-changing” are slightly dramatic. However, I know so many people who are completely stressed out by their laundry situation that I believe their lives would be completely changed if they adopted many of my tips above
It won’t happen overnight, but I’m confident this never-ending chore will feel significantly less overwhelming by implementing these
10 life-changing laundry tips!
Laundry is definitely a job children (and spouses) can easily help with — or even take over completely!
When my boys were young I would have them match up socks, and who the one who matched the most would win a prize. :)
It honestly is a huge help for me to have the others in our house pitching in with the laundry efforts. If you play your cards right, you might be able to completely hand off the laundry responsibilities in no time. :)
It won’t happen overnight, but I’m confident this never-ending chore will feel significantly less overwhelming by implementing these
10 life-changing laundry tips!
