Let's face it.
Laundry is not at the top of MOST lazy moms list of things they love to do.
I guess I kind of go through spurts with it. I'll be on top of things for a while, say, when my sister comes and does all my laundry for me. Then, one busy weekend and BAM! I'm back to scaling Mt. Washmore.
Yesterday I received the bestest email from lazy mom Jen. It was all about how to overcome your laundry pile. And I would just be absolutely positively remiss if'n I didn't share her fabulouso ideas with all of you'ns.
Here's what Jen had to say....
Laundry is the bane of my existence. Kicking laundry's butt has become a favourite hobby of mine.Isn't that fabulousness? And isn't her last statement so true? "If you are a cheerful lazy mother most people don't mind at all."
Laundry the lazy way- I have eliminated all unnecessary folding, sorting, etc. Everyone at my house loves clean sheets and towels but that is a huge time sucker. Sheets get stripped, washed and tossed in their very own laundry basket - no folding, and stowed on the top shelf of the bedroom they belong in.
If I'm extra lazy I pile them one on top of the other in the corner til sheets are changed again. Basket of towels in, basket of towels out, the basket of towels fits perfectly on the linen closet shelf. If you need one, you grab it out of the basket. Its not folded but its clean. So now I don't whine about people dropping their towels and not hanging them, or refusing to reuse - if I don't have to fold them, it bothers me much less.
I do not fold dish towels, face cloths, rags, underwear, socks....the only thing that I fold is hubbies t-shirts cuz I haven't found a hanger that works for that.
Hanging everything else on hangers is much faster than folding. If anyone wants their laundry it is hanging on the rod in the laundry room. Some family members want their stuff in their rooms so they truck it back up the stairs. Other lazier family members just dress in the laundry room. There is a basket for each person with their underwear, socks, bras in it.
So, eliminating most of the folding in favour of the faster hanging and eliminating me putting away people's laundry has made me a much happier individual. If you are a cheerful lazy mother most people don't mind at all.
Jen
That should be a sign hanging in my house somewhere.
Thanks for sharing your great laundry tips with us Jen! I always love hearing how you lazy moms out there get things done. Or not.
Cause let's face it, the first one makes great tips and the second one makes great confessions. So either way I'm good.
What ways do you make laundry more bearable in your home? I'd love to know!
Our laundry is in the basement. And Hubs has created his own little closet down there. (make shift...but whatevs)
ReplyDeleteSo I wash his clothes (sometimes) and toss them in his basket...He puts away. Since its all right there (no carrying up 3 flights of stairs) He keeps it in pretty good shape.
Still working on solutions to mine and baby girl's laundry. Living in a OLD house. Closets don't exsist. So hanging everything isnt an option. FOLDING stinks.
I live on Mt. Washmore! My laundry "closet" was added on to my house after the fact and is off my LIVING ROOM! (HAD to be a man's idea!)
ReplyDeleteI have one central location for dirty clothes. If it doesn't make it there, it doesn't get washed. I don't sort. I use "color catcher" sheets. I have no room for individual baskets but have a tub on the shelf where I throw all the socks as they come out. Every Monday I have a certain show I watch and I sort & fold socks then. Also keeps my hands busy so I don't snack! That's a HUGE bonus right there. lol
i hate folding! but i do it because i have to. so things get folded, but not always put away. The hubby & i have our separate baskets. baby girl has her own basket, and hers is the only one i weekly put away, plus towels & bedding.
ReplyDeletelove the sheets idea. that is a really great tip!
ReplyDeleteWhat a timely post! I've been jonesing for some Lazy Mom Tips (and upset that I can't use your wonderful-looking Enchilada Casserole tip, because hubby won't eat ground meat.)
ReplyDeleteMy laundry room is totally accessible, so I have no excuse. But I hate to get out of my recliner every 15 minutes or so to switch. My problem is generally one of motivation. And I can't stand not to fold clothes. But I can totally use the sheets tip! Thanks!
This is a great idea IF you have room for a basket in your closet. I would have to organize to make room for the basket. NOT going to happen anytime soon. But GREAT idea!
ReplyDeleteI knew someone that just rolled up the top sheet and put it behind the pillows on the bed. Then they just straightened out the comforter, and Volia! Bed made!
ReplyDelete:)
Best laundry tip ever came from one of your readers (can't remember who) About using the bag holders (the ones you use to store the bags from the grocery store) for socks.
That is genius. And since I have all boys, all in the same size, and both sharing the same room, They just get their socks from the same "sock" holder.
We're pretty similar in that my 2 year old, 4 year old, my husband and I have almost all our clothes on hangers except for undergarments/socks/pj's that are just dropped into the correct drawer. I have all the same socks for the kids so there's no sorting. Also, I give my kids a treat if they hang up their own clothes and put them away (yes, they can both do this and I have a drop down hanging bar in their closets so they can reach). Since I got them involved in the "hanging up/putting clothes away" part of laundry, its gone a TON better.
ReplyDeleteWhen it gets really out of control, my husband encourages me to take all the laundry to the laundromat. I hate spending the money, but it is a quick way to catch up. And it helps motivate me not to fall behind as much, since it's obviously better to get it done at home!
ReplyDeleteOh I wish I werent so anal about the way clothes are folded and put away nicely...or I would SO be able to do this. Also, Im super anal about towels. But socks and underwear?! I refuse to fold them. RE.FUSE. Great tips.
ReplyDeleteStacey, I do love Jen's idea about the laundry baskets, but I don't have a laundry closet! While I've been on FMLA leave due to surgery on my feet, I've tried to stay on top of the laundry, doing either several loads a day, then a load or so a day---and skipping a few days here and there. We have a basket for dirty clothes in our son's room, and two baskets in our room, 1 for jeans and the other one for everything except towels and sheets.
ReplyDeleteThis is so perfect because I recently decided to quit folding all clothes, too. I'm throwing it in drawers based on colors - darks in one drawer, whites in another. I figure that I'm usuallylooking for something by color anyway!
ReplyDeleteI have a laundry schedule (does this get me kicked out of the Lazy Moms Club?) It goes as follows - if it isn't laundry day or if it's not that day's laundry item day, then it doesn't get done:
ReplyDeleteMonday - Sheets/Towels
Tuesday - Mom & Dad Laundry
Wednesday - Kids' Laundry
Thursday & Friday - No Laundry
Saturday - Wash all clothes
Sunday - No laundry
My 13 year old son washes, dries, folds and puts away his own clothes. The only challenge here is reminding him to do it! My 9 year old daughter is learning; she folds and puts away her own laundry. This means I'm only responsible for my husband's and my clothes and ironing. (Oh, and the kiddos make their own beds and fold towels).
I'm not sure if this makes me a lazy mom or a slave driver; either way, I'm good.
I have probably the laziest way to do laundry... I put it in the washer and my 2 girls (ages 13 and 8) put it in the dryer when its done and then fold it or hang it and put it away. It is not always done perfectly but it is done. By someone other than me ;-)
ReplyDeleteI love the name of your blog! I also love this post. My friend and I both HATE laundry but in our attempts to find a way to make a little extra income we started a laundry service. We figured if we hated it so much then some people may actually hate it enough to pay someone else to do it. So became our laundry service. I love Jen's idea of not folding anything! We wouldn't be able to do that for our clients but I may just have to implement that for my family laundry.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.laundrycare.biz
My kiddos have been doing theirs since age nine or ten. It takes reminding but if they want to play a game, they will get it done. Family of seven,.so I'm not doing it all. Oddly enough, hubby was the one who told me they needed to learn bc he did his own as a kid!!! Anyway, each has a day, so no mixing and sorting between rooms. Toss, fold, put away. Folding is not super but I have four boys in the bunch !!! Super girl is creative messy too ;). Anyway, it works for us. They can leave their few whites in my white bin to bleach...cuz I don't want them bleaching. And if they need something washed quick.....like a uniform, they just do it. ;)
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