How to do Laundry

The title of this is misleading because I don’t intend to tell you how to do your laundry at all. But my friend and colleague Valerie taught me how to name blogs when she was a guest on my podcast. (Which you can find here HERE.) Recently, I have been talking with a lot of clients and friends about the stress of laundry. It’s funny how the same things come up for several clients at once. Today’s post is about how to ease this process so that you can finally climb off that laundry mountain.

We were all taught how the process of laundry by our parents or primary caregivers most likely. But they taught us the way that works for them, this doesn’t mean it will work for us. So first thing, dismantle any lesson you were taught about doing laundry. Take this as an opportunity to completely redesign the whole process. When you look at it this way, it can be exciting. You are creating something completely new!

Next, identify the break down. Laundry is a process, a machine. This machine begins with the washer, transfer to the dryer, fold laundry and then put away laundry. Everyone trips up at one of the different stages. For some people it’s the folding, or the clothes sit wet in the washer for too long, or you end up just getting dressed out of laundry baskets until it’s time to wash again.

Once you have identified the break down, manipulate it to make it easier, more convenient or more enjoyable. This could be adding special scent boosting pebbles to make wash more fun, enlisting the whole family to put away clothes at the same time orrrrrr eliminate folding. Yup! I said it! Why are you folding clothes that don’t get wrinkly? Mesh shorts, leggings, your son’s pajamas. Take ONE THING off your plate Mama! And don’t worry, there will be plenty of time to Marie Kondo your house later when the kids have grown up… or left the house. When you can make one of these steps easier imagine the difference it will make on your life.

Here are some tips that I have used myself or have brainstormed with clients in sesssion:

• Sort the laundry right out of the dryer into every family members’ respective laundry basket
• Make putting away clothes really easy for kids so that they can do it themselves. Make drawers accessible, make folding simple
• Complete one load of laundry a day. Staying on top of it will always feel more manageable than doing eleven loads on Saturday
• Set timers. It may seem silly but if you can’t remember to switch a load or want to get a load done before you leave the house or go to bed, you need to create a cue for this new routine. We are busy! Timers help us to slow down and remember our goals
• Be creative. Don’t be afraid to totally redesign what the laundry process looks for you. Maybe baskets instead of drawers, maybe everything goes on hangers. Create the process entirely around your needs.

And if you’ve never asked yourself if your laundry process is working for you, maybe now you can!