Laundry Chaos

There are a few home management items that have to be done on a regular basis. One of these is laundry. It can be all consuming. It can pile up. It can make us crazy. The one thing I hate is to want to wear something, only to have it missing. Where could it be? Under the bed? In a drawer? On the chair? In the laundry?
As our family has grown and I have gone from working mom to stay at home mom, the way to deal with laundry has changed.
When I was working and there were only 3 children, I would do a load of laundry in the morning, change it at lunch, and fold it at night. I would do this three days a week and was able to keep up.
Then when I was at home taking care of the family, I had a wash day. I would gather all the laundry and sort, wash, dry, and fold it all in one day. It would be done and not worried about until the next week.
This worked until we had Katia. Then I was doing laundry until until 9:00 one night and decided that we needed 2 wash days. While I was pregnant with Emma and Delta I only had until about 2pm until I couldn't do anymore. I switched to doing the wash every day. This has worked out great and doesn't overwhelm me any more.
What I do is every morning I sort the laundry until I have a full load. I purchased the spring laundry baskets and sort them in red, blues, towels, and lights. The little girls things go in one load along with gentle cycle items. These clothes get put in a hamper in their bedroom. I also purchased a laundry hamper to go in each bedroom and in the bathroom down stairs. Then I wash it and see if there is another load that is full enough to be washed that day.
Now laundry is one of the first things I do each day. While it is washing, I will do my other morning routine items and then it is ready to be switched. One thing I have decided is that I will not start a load after 12:00 noon. If I do then laundry takes to much of the afternoon. I like this time to read to Jayden and Katia, or watch a movie or play a game with them.
Folding the clothes is one thing that has been a trial. I like to watch movies. So I would bring the basket of clothes up stairs and fold them in front of the TV. This worked well with 4 kids and I was rewarded for my efforts by a fun movie (like Pride and Prejudice). Now that there are 3 more, the couches and floor would be covered and it would take forever to put away. I now fold the laundry in the laundry room. I have a place that I hang everyones clothes and piles for each person's items. Then they are in charge of putting their own things away. I do put away Tony's and my things, along with the little girls things and whatever Jayden can't put away him self.
If I still have laundry needing folded after the kids come home, then I have them help to fold them.
I also have the kids help keep the laundry moving along. Before Delta and Emma were born, everyone learned to do laundry so that they could help our family in this way. Pin It