Wash Day Blues

Spendless · 6 December 2006 at 12:12PM

I always seem to have a mountain of washing to do, can people give me some tips for being more organised or reducing it.

To give you some idea of who is in the family and what we are wearing to make it mount up cos I don't know

DH works full-time, suit or shirt, tie, trousers ever day. Sometimes he is away late o/n there is no pattern to this.

I'm at home with the exception of once a week when I go to college for a couple of hours. 6yo son full-time school, goes swimming once a week, Beavers once a week. 3yo at AM nursery, attend a toddler group one PM a week.

My g-gran had 11 kids, how did she cope, when I can't

earthmother · 6 December 2006 at 12:17PM

I can't offer much advise - in the same situation myself - but I can sympathise. There are 5 of us here (including baby), and I never seem to get to the bottom of the washing pile, especially in the winter when drying takes that much longer.

As to how your gran coped - probably the same way mine did - they didn't have so many clothes in the first place. I was always told it was one outfit being worn, one in the wash and Sunday best - I suppose it's the reason why they could get away with Monday wash days rather than a load every day.

overlykeensaver · 6 December 2006 at 12:20PM

Hello, I am a big fan of the Flylady - she recommends that you do one load a day but also,and I think this is the key to it, she suggests that you don't start another wash until the first wash is drieds, sorted, folded and put away. I try to do this (not perfectly!) and it seems to help keep things a bit more under control.

dannahaz · 6 December 2006 at 12:32PM

Again with the Flylady theme, she recommends bringing a basket of washing with you when you come down first thing in the morning, and putting it on then.

I was surprised at how effective it is, and it quickly becomes a routine I don't have to think about. The washing is on before I've fed the cats and made a pot of tea.

Jet · 6 December 2006 at 12:40PM

Could it be that you are making uneccessary washing? Do you wash your son's beaver uniform every week for example? He only wears it for 2 hours, so I don't think it needs washing every week. Do you wash school trousers every day? My son can make them last for 3 or 4 days. What about your own clothes? Do you only wear something once and then put it in the wash?

I think we wash our clothes much more frequently than the generations before us. I would say, stop and think about if something really needs washing before it goes in the washing bin.

newlywed · 6 December 2006 at 1:01PM

OH puts the washing on at night before we go to bed.

In the morning, while waiting for the kettle to boil or toaster, we unload it and hang it out on the dryer. Then when it's dried (a couple of days at the moment as no heating on really) one of us folds it and puts it away and then OH puts another load in the washing machine.

Everything that will survive at 40 degrees goes in the main laundry basket so it's just a case of sorting colours. Anything more delicate gets put in another basket (that only contains my stuff - delicate jumpers, lace that needs 30 degrees or hand wash etc) and I do it when i can be bothered !!

All the bedding gets changed and old stuff immediately put in the washing machine on a sunday afternoon. Having a set day for it makes it much easier to remember and cope with. Plus Sunday is a fairly quiet day for us so that one can usually be done.

3KIDSNOMONEY · 6 December 2006 at 1:15PM

know just what you mean. As a family of 5 i have always got washing in the basket, in the machine, on the clothes horse, in the dryer, in the ironing basket and on the landing waiting to be put away! I must admit i am fussy about washing towels but only wash bedding once ever two and a half weeks approx. i know you are supposed to wash it every week but i really couldn't manage it. I am a real fan of not washing kids clothes when they have only worn them once.

domestic_goddess · 6 December 2006 at 1:47PM

There are four of us here and I only wash once a week, I do it this way to cut down on electricity usage more than being organised as at one point I was putting on less than half filled loads nearly every day.
On a saturday I bring the wash basket down and sort it into loads (usually three). I wash them on a 30 degree quickwash unless anything is really dirty and then put it straight onto the clothes airer. On a saturday night when I go to bed I put a load in the tumble drier (uniforms etc) to use the cheaper night rate of elec.
On a Monday/Tuesday whenever its dru I put it all away and dont think about it again until Saturday.

domestic_goddess · 6 December 2006 at 1:49PM

Also I must admit I dont iron very much. I find that if I take things out as soon as they are washed and fold them carefully when they are dried that a lot of things dont need ironing. I iron as and when something needs to be ironed to be worn.

Spendless · 6 December 2006 at 1:51PM

Jet wrote:

Could it be that you are making uneccessary washing? Do you wash your son's beaver uniform every week for example? He only wears it for 2 hours, so I don't think it needs washing every week. Do you wash school trousers every day? My son can make them last for 3 or 4 days. What about your own clothes? Do you only wear something once and then put it in the wash?

I say this is def part of it, not having a fixed routine is another. Trousers are usually worn more than once, same as pinafore dresses, but they are both having clean polo shirts every day. I am also hit and miss about them changing their clothes when they come in from school.:o I start with good intentions that usually fly out the window and I think this possibly contributes as well.

Husband also has clean shirt every day. Depending on what it is, I might wear same top and bottom for a couple of days.
Beavers uniform yes I was, cos it's a once weekly thing I was washing so it was clean for next week. I'll make that my first change.:j

What do other people do regarding change of clothes

Littlebean_2 · 6 December 2006 at 2:11PM

I find my OH is the worst with this. He will get home from work and change into comfy clothes, then after only a couple of hours wear, he will put them in the laundry bin. I just fish them out and out them back in the cupboard, If he's noticed, he hasn't said! I have two boys under 18 months so they generate a fair bit of washing though. I do a wash every day and do bedding/towels once a week. I never iron, just fold stuff as it's dry and put it away. I never quite see the bottom of the laundry basket but at least this way I can stay on top of it.

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Wash Day Blues

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