Master the Laundry Game with These 3 Quick Tips
Today we're getting REAL DIRTY. And by dirty, I mean laundry.
I’ve spoken to some many women this week who are just overwhelmed by the amount of laundry and clothes they have. It is a never-ending cycle that can easily get out of control if you’re not on top of it.
And trust me, I was there too! A few years ago, before I decided to take control of my life and home, I was so overwhelmed by the amount of unfolded laundry and constant upkeep that I was on the verge of accepting this madness as my permanent situation.
Do you wanna know what my solution was?
To go buy MORE laundry baskets for the clean clothes that weren’t getting folded! I laugh at the insanity now, but the truth was, I didn’t have a system in place, I wasn’t organized, and loads of laundry ruled my life, my home, the crib, the chair in the corner, and some nights, even my bed. (Yes, I have slept in the bed next to clean laundry for several days).
If this resonates with you, I’m here to free you of the insanity.
I created a custom laundry system that allows me to be laundry FREE most weekends, saves me time and energy from having to constantly look for items, and the chair that used to be dedicated for laundry is now where I do my morning meditation. Talk about a change!
So let’s get started. Here are my 3 BEST tips that will change your laundry life forever.
Tip 1: Designate 2 or 3 days out of the week (depending on your family size) that is designated JUST for laundry. My laundry days are Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. By selecting days during the week to take care of your laundry; your weekends will be FREE and OPEN to do the fun stuff you’ve always put off.
And yes, this often means doing laundry after a long day at work or during dinner but the benefits are enormous and, if you’re clever, you can make it FUN and involve the entire family.
Depending on their age and physical capabilities, have the kids load the washing machine by themselves. Kids love feeling independent.
I set up the step-stool, put the pile of laundry on the floor next to them, and then I WALK AWAY! This makes them feel empowered and important. They KNOW I trust them to get this task done.
If you have a partner or spouse who can contribute, even better. Have them prepare dinner while you sneak in a folding session. It is also a great time to catch up on the events of the day, play a game of “i-spy”, recite the days of week. Whatever! Laundry is no longer an inconvenience when you have designated days to get it done.
Tip 2: Everyone get’s their OWN laundry basket. Yes, including the kids. So, if you have 6 kids, you’ll need 6 laundry baskets—one for each of them. Linens and towels ALSO have a separate laundry basket.
This is a game changer, why? Because it COMPLETELY eliminates the sort and separate process. This is especially true if you have kids close in age and the same gender.
Constantly checking tags and labels to see if something is a 3T or 5T is a major time waster! And, what is my number one rule about time? It should be spent doing what you LOVE with whom you LOVE. Not, checking tags.
And laundry baskets can help elevate the look of your room. Here are a few of my faves that will help you maintain Style & Order (see what I did there?)
Extra Large Woven Basket
Round Laundry Hamper
Cotton Rope Storage Basket
Tip 3: Complete THE PROCESS: This step should be no surprise but it is the reason for our agony and laundry insanity. The process is wash, dry, fold, put away IMMEDIATELY! Do not hesitate. Do not sit down.
Let’s get real about what we do. We wash a load of clothes (just enough to get by for the next couple of days), we dry them, leave that shit in the dryer or worst, we have washed multiple loads, and the clean clothes get stuck in a basket for days. And what does our morning or night time routine look like? An endless search of going through the “clean clothes” basket looking for shirts, pants, and fresh underwear.
This is a MASSIVE time waster. On average Americans spend 56 minutes a day looking for things. That’s nearly 7 hours a week of just looking for things! And I’m sure most of that time is spent looking for something specific that we want to wear.
But once you implement my laundry system, putting away clothes is no longer a dread. It seriously becomes soooo easy!
Lastly, don’t forget to check out my IG stories this week. I’ll be showing you the folding techniques that will double your drawer space. Follow along: @jamilahlang
In love and light,
Jamilah