Because it’s the last household type task that isn’t outsourced in many UMC households. Many people outsource gardening, home repairs, and cleaning the house. Cooking can be done using healthy convenience solutions or outsourced, plus some people find it fun.

Anonymous wrote:I don’t mind the actual washing. Or the folding for that matter. But I can’t ever bring myself to get things put away… even though it only takes a few minutes. It’s like a mental block…

folding is fine, but pairing socks is torture.

i have 3 daughters and putting away is splitting the atom, no idea who has what.

We have 5 people in our house. I do laundry either every day or very other day. It seems manageable that way. Maybe that doesn’t work for other people but it is low stress for me to do that.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I can’t imagine doing laundry for my kids over the age of 10. They are completely capable and should be doing their own. If you’re doing it for them consistently then you are babying them.

Honestly, I have to fight my teen and tween boys on hygiene (including showering daily, brushing teeth before school, combing hair, etc.). I’m pretty sure that if I just left it to them, they would wear dirty clothes to school.

Sometimes I make them do their laundry, and I have them help me fold it and hang it up if they are home. But I don’t put them in charge of it.

My daughter does her own laundry. Which feels sexist and I hate it, but she’s a different kid, and I know she will keep her clothes, body, and room clean without intervention from me.

And the cycle continues...

Anonymous wrote:This is 100% a woman-caused problem. For 15 years I (man) did all of the laundry in the household (wife and kid). Eventually it became a pain to keep track of all of the special instructions for her clothes and we agreed that I'd do my own and she would take over hers and our daughters.

Once a week, I take <5 minutes to sort my clothes into two loads: bold colors and gray/white/pale colors. It takes maybe another 5 minutes to load/switch. Then at the end I hang shirts and pants, and sort the rest into drawers. That part might take 10 minutes. Which means I've done an entire week's worth of laundry in less than 20 minutes of person-time.

If it takes you longer than 20 minutes/person to do laundry, then it is your fault for choosing to purchase clothes that need more TLC. Also, if you are putting away clothes for anyone other than yourself or a kid under ~6, you are doing it wrong.

Thank you for mansplaining laundry to us poor womenfolk. We are so grateful for your input!

Anonymous wrote:I can’t imagine doing laundry for my kids over the age of 10. They are completely capable and should be doing their own. If you’re doing it for them consistently then you are babying them.

Honestly, I have to fight my teen and tween boys on hygiene (including showering daily, brushing teeth before school, combing hair, etc.). I’m pretty sure that if I just left it to them, they would wear dirty clothes to school.

Sometimes I make them do their laundry, and I have them help me fold it and hang it up if they are home. But I don’t put them in charge of it.

My daughter does her own laundry. Which feels sexist and I hate it, but she’s a different kid, and I know she will keep her clothes, body, and room clean without intervention from me.

This is 100% a woman-caused problem. For 15 years I (man) did all of the laundry in the household (wife and kid). Eventually it became a pain to keep track of all of the special instructions for her clothes and we agreed that I'd do my own and she would take over hers and our daughters.

Once a week, I take <5 minutes to sort my clothes into two loads: bold colors and gray/white/pale colors. It takes maybe another 5 minutes to load/switch. Then at the end I hang shirts and pants, and sort the rest into drawers. That part might take 10 minutes. Which means I've done an entire week's worth of laundry in less than 20 minutes of person-time.

If it takes you longer than 20 minutes/person to do laundry, then it is your fault for choosing to purchase clothes that need more TLC. Also, if you are putting away clothes for anyone other than yourself or a kid under ~6, you are doing it wrong.

Anonymous wrote:Figure out what camp you are in when comes to laundry. One day do all the laundry in the house or do one load everyday.

I like to mix it up.

I wash all sheets and towels on the same day (Tuesday, a WFH day for me so it's easy to keep it moving -- kids and DH help by stripping beds before they leave the house so I don't have to do it). When the are dry they get thrown on beds and we make them when everyone is home. Folding towels takes less then 5 minutes. This is an easy way to get the bulky laundry done with very little fuss.

But then for clothes, sometimes I do a load a day and fold it in the evening. Sometimes I do it all on Saturday. Depends on my schedule and mood. But people always put their own laundry away, and I don't even take it to their rooms. I fold it on the couch and leave it in the way so people have to take care of it in order to watch TV or relax on the furniture.

I truly don't understand these comments about what a burden this is. Find a system that works for you. OP is ready for the machines do most of the work.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I agree with OP. Laundry is the easiest, most enjoyable household chore. It even smells nice! You can do it while watching TV. It doesn't require strength or endurance -- I can do it even if I'm sick or exhausted.

If you have your own in-unit washer and dryer, sure. If you have to hike down/up multiple flights of stairs to use basement units, and/or pay for the privilege, less so. Don't take for granted your ability to carry things. It does, in fact, require strength. Trust me, doing laundry with a bad back, bad hip, bad shoulder, bad knees... not great. Certainly not "enjoyable".

Well I live in a single level condo, so yeah, I don't have to carry the laundry up and down stairs. But also if you have a bad back, bad hip, bad shoulder, bad knees... You probably don't enjoy washing dishes or mopping floors either. The average person is capable of carrying a basket of laundry up and down the stairs with zero strain.

Anonymous wrote:I can’t imagine doing laundry for my kids over the age of 10. They are completely capable and should be doing their own. If you’re doing it for them consistently then you are babying them.

There is probably a lot of truth to this, and I should be implementing this rule. My kids in sports will have clothes to wear to school, then sports practice / gym clothes, then clothes to wear after practice, then repeat for the next day. Too many clothes...

I wonder if some of the people who find laundry overwhelming outsource a lot of their other chores? Like some of these complaints are absurd to me. "Many of our clothes must be hung dry." Uh, ok, do hang them and then when they are dry, put them away? "I hate waiting at home to move the clothes from the wash to the dryer." Then do laundry at a time when this won't be burdensome? I often start loads of laundry in the evening, switch them to the dryer at bedtime, do a quick fluff in the morning, and then fold them quick before I leave in the morning.

I just feel these are not real challenges and it makes me wonder if the people complaining don't ever do things like scrub the shower or snake drains or mop floors. Y'all just sound very soft.

Anonymous wrote:Laundromats are under utilized on DCUM. This time of year especially when I want to "turn over" the entire house I strip everything down and haul 10+ loads there that I can do in 2 hours. I'll keep up with the smaller loads going forward (probably?) But. If you truly have a mountain this is the easiest way. For a nominal fee you don't even have to manage it and you can pay to have it folded and/or ironed. Obviously not sending special wash items but 90 percent just being done works for us.

For me its the transportation. How do you get 10 loads of laundry there and back?

Anonymous wrote:I agree with OP. Laundry is the easiest, most enjoyable household chore. It even smells nice! You can do it while watching TV. It doesn't require strength or endurance -- I can do it even if I'm sick or exhausted.

If you have your own in-unit washer and dryer, sure. If you have to hike down/up multiple flights of stairs to use basement units, and/or pay for the privilege, less so. Don't take for granted your ability to carry things. It does, in fact, require strength. Trust me, doing laundry with a bad back, bad hip, bad shoulder, bad knees... not great. Certainly not "enjoyable".

I agree with OP. Laundry is the easiest, most enjoyable household chore. It even smells nice! You can do it while watching TV. It doesn't require strength or endurance -- I can do it even if I'm sick or exhausted.

Laundromats are under utilized on DCUM. This time of year especially when I want to "turn over" the entire house I strip everything down and haul 10+ loads there that I can do in 2 hours. I'll keep up with the smaller loads going forward (probably?) But. If you truly have a mountain this is the easiest way. For a nominal fee you don't even have to manage it and you can pay to have it folded and/or ironed. Obviously not sending special wash items but 90 percent just being done works for us.