I’m drowning in laundry this winter

[Anonymous]

I feel like I could do two loads a day and still not keep up. DH and I split household tasks and laundry is one of mine. I prefer it over the alternatives, so I don’t want to swap tasks but, I need a better plan of attack.

DH wears business casual to work, then changes to sweatpants when he gets home, plus wears different pajama pants/tshirt. I wear dressier clothes to work and also change when I get home, plus pajamas. We have twin preschoolers and a toddler, both wear clothes to daycare that definitely need changing when they get home, plus pajamas. Now add sheets x4 beds, towels x5 people, plus various other towels, dishcloths, and “things”. And it’s all heavy, thick, winter clothing.

I don’t often have time to complete a load in the AM. I find that if I start it and move it to the dryer when I get home, the clothes are bordering musty. Doing two loads in the evenings is daunting and exhausting.

Is there a better way, or is this it?

[Anonymous]

Try being a little dirtier. Save the effort for spring cleaning.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Try being a little dirtier. Save the effort for spring cleaning.

What do you mean? Wear dirty clothes?

[Anonymous]

How many things absolutely have to be washed after a single wear?

If your kids change into fresh clothes or pajamas when they get home, presumably they aren't going to get messy in the 2-4hrs before bed and they can wear them at least 2 days in a row. Same thing for you and your DH. If you're working out or getting sweaty in those sweatpants, fine. If not, set them aside to wear the next day, too.

Things like jeans shouldn't be washed after every wear, neither should sweaters especially if you've got another shirt underneath.

Really think about whether every single item of clothing absolutely has to be washed after a single wear even if it's had only light wear for a few hours at home.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Try being a little dirtier. Save the effort for spring cleaning.

What do you mean? Wear dirty clothes?

Don't consider them dirty until they've been worn twice.

[Anonymous]

Change your linens less often. I wash sheets and bath towels once a month and the pillowcases and handtowels/washcloths once a week. Sweatpants and other pants can be worn several times before washing. DH wears t-shirt under sweaters so only the shirt needs to be washed. Any dress shirts, heavy sweaters, and slacks are sent to the cleaners.

[Anonymous]

I wear pajamas for a few days. If I change out of uniform when I get home those clothes get won again. I’m not wearing sweatpants for 2 hours then throwing them in the hamper.

Clothes should be fine going in washer in the morning and not moved til evening. Don’t know why yours are musty.
Sheets are washed every 2 weeks.

[Anonymous]

So are you washing all of these items after only one use? the kids stuff I get, but as adults presumably you are hygienically on top of things and careful to not soil your clothing in the span of just a few hours. I wear the same PJ's 3-4 days. I change sheets once a week. I definitely do not wash my nicer clothing after just one wear unless I spill something on it. You're just doing too much laundry, unnecessarily.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I feel like I could do two loads a day and still not keep up. DH and I split household tasks and laundry is one of mine. I prefer it over the alternatives, so I don’t want to swap tasks but, I need a better plan of attack.

DH wears business casual to work, then changes to sweatpants when he gets home, plus wears different pajama pants/tshirt. I wear dressier clothes to work and also change when I get home, plus pajamas. We have twin preschoolers and a toddler, both wear clothes to daycare that definitely need changing when they get home, plus pajamas. Now add sheets x4 beds, towels x5 people, plus various other towels, dishcloths, and “things”. And it’s all heavy, thick, winter clothing.

I don’t often have time to complete a load in the AM. I find that if I start it and move it to the dryer when I get home, the clothes are bordering musty. Doing two loads in the evenings is daunting and exhausting.

Is there a better way, or is this it?

You have electric washing machines and dryer so the only things you need to do is load washer, put in detergent/fabric softener, close lid, and select wash/rinse cycle. How can this be difficult even for two loads.

I'd feel sorry for you if you had to go to nearby Creek and wash in ice cold water and use an old fashioned wash board.

[Anonymous]

I would think some of the adult casual clothes could be reworn if you don't sweat in them or get stuff on them, like the PJs.

[Anonymous]

Way too much laundry unnecessarily as PP above has said. Nothing wrong with rewearing your home clothes a few times. Or as adults, wearing same pants more than once. I can’t imagine washing my jeans or khakis, etc after just one day of sitting in an office.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Way too much laundry unnecessarily as PP above has said. Nothing wrong with rewearing your home clothes a few times. Or as adults, wearing same pants more than once. I can’t imagine washing my jeans or khakis, etc after just one day of sitting in an office.

This. Unless I spilled something on them or they otherwise got dirty, they are usually going to get worn twice unless it is summer where they might only get worn once.

[Anonymous]

Rewear sweaters, I wear mine for 5-6 times before washing.
Dress pants - 2-3 times before dry cleaning.
Bed linens - change once a month.
The only thing you need to wash after one wear is undergarment, socks and gym clothes.

[Anonymous]

Get a second set of washer and dryer. We are a family of 5 have two sets in our mudroom. I can run them simultaneously.

[Anonymous]

Ugh same- all these snow days have us drowning in layers and base layers and wet socks. I have 3 kids under 6.

When I get really behind and desperate, which typically happens once every couple months, I drop our laundry at a wash and fold service. For an entire week's worth of laundry (sheets, towels, all our clothes), I get everything back the next day, beautifully folded and sorted. It usually costs me $125, which I actually find insanely cheap for the amount of time it saves me.