So tuesdays I call my TACKLE IT TUESDAYS. Even tho I keep my house pretty clean... my laundry has still been an issue. It's an unstoppable force. The boys go thru 2 sets of clothes a day plus pj's and joe can get pretty dirty too between working in the yard, softball, work and the man showers 2-3 times a day... needless to say... I have a mound almost at all times. Washing it isn't the problem... IT'S FOLDING AND PUTTING AWAY!! YIKES!
In order to cut down my mounds and time I have made a new system that has worked pretty well for me. I first make sure I do 1-2 loads EVERYDAY but the weekends. I wait until both loads are done and throw them on my bed.
(This is a picture of my laundry for two days... JUST DARKS.-- To my momma friends that have more children than I do I'm sure the pile looks pueny)
I can get this sucker folded and put away in 10-12 minutes flat.... HOW?!?
I set aside two laundry baskets. One for each room that i need to visit to put the clothes away. I then begin folding and immediately placing the clothes in the basket of the room they need to go. No sorting shirts, pants, underwear, pj's...etc. I am very particular about how my clothes are folded to ensure they will fit into the space I have allowed. So i have mastered the art of folding quickly. I can do this while taking care of things that need to be done on the phone (talk to banks, schedule appts, work on church things, etc)... I usually keep a notebook with notes on the bed too so I can make notes of my phone calls.
(This is a picture of everything folded.)
Items that need to be hung up or ironed I place over to the side and then on top of the baskets once I am finished. I then take the baskets directly to the room where the clothes belong. In order to make my laundry folding quick and efficient, I have my closets set up to do be the same.
(This picture is of my boys closet.)
While I do have room to spread my children out into different rooms and to have different dressers, I have found this way works really really well. I keep all their clothes (ALL THREE BOYS) in one closet. I hang up all their church clothes and fold and put away the rest. All socks go into one black tub, underwear goes into another, swimsuits another and a small Tupperware for church ties.... this is regardless of size. When they go to get dressed they just pick out the size that they need. The system has changed my life (as far as laundry goes) I keep two Tupperware dressers (with three drawers each) in the closet. Lucas has his own drawer since his clothes are bigger and the two little boys share one.
While I do have room to spread my children out into different rooms and to have different dressers, I have found this way works really really well. I keep all their clothes (ALL THREE BOYS) in one closet. I hang up all their church clothes and fold and put away the rest. All socks go into one black tub, underwear goes into another, swimsuits another and a small Tupperware for church ties.... this is regardless of size. When they go to get dressed they just pick out the size that they need. The system has changed my life (as far as laundry goes) I keep two Tupperware dressers (with three drawers each) in the closet. Lucas has his own drawer since his clothes are bigger and the two little boys share one.
I put their clothes in drawers according to how they dress themselves. For example. You dress with your shirt on top of your shorts and pj's go on at the end of the day.
TOP DRAWER: SHIRTS
MIDDLE DRAWER: PANTS/SHORTS
BOTTOM DRAWER: PJ'S
The two little boys almost always match or coordinate.. While this sounds strange. It's much easier to keep track. When I fold the clothes both shirts or shorts lay next to each other and I only then have to pick out or decide what one is going to wear because the other will wear the same. Besides, I have done this for so long with all three (yes, I match all three often) that it's hard for my eyes to look at them when they don't match... it throws me off. Yes, I know ... I'M CRAZY!
The two little boys almost always match or coordinate.. While this sounds strange. It's much easier to keep track. When I fold the clothes both shirts or shorts lay next to each other and I only then have to pick out or decide what one is going to wear because the other will wear the same. Besides, I have done this for so long with all three (yes, I match all three often) that it's hard for my eyes to look at them when they don't match... it throws me off. Yes, I know ... I'M CRAZY!
I change their clothes out every six months (spring/ summer and fall/winter). When they grow out of something I keep a bag on the side of the closet for clothes they grow out of to later consigned or taken to goodwill.
Even though my clothes are folded in a basket out of order it doesn't take me anytime to put the clothes away. I sit down in front of the closet with all the drawers open and place them where they belong and toss the socks, underwear, ties, and swimsuits into their bucket. It's a great system and I LOVE IT!!
Don't go getting any ideas that I'm amazingly organized. I've just found one more thing that makes my life a little less crazy. =) BECAUSE CRAZY... IT IS!
Don't go getting any ideas that I'm amazingly organized. I've just found one more thing that makes my life a little less crazy. =) BECAUSE CRAZY... IT IS!
8 comments:
I like that system!!! I still struggle with laundry with just one teenager at home!
You are a laundry ANGEL! I am HORRIBLE at laundry! I leave them in the basket forever until I don't know what is clean or dirty anymore. I am getting better... I now put away every load as it finishes. No procrastinating because then it becomes a daunting overwhelming task! Kudos to you Miss Amanda and your awesome system!!!!
wow, you are more organized that me! Now, when you come over here you can teach me the same! Good job!
Ahhh, you are inspirational. I like your system. You have it down girl! I liked your post on babies too. Since the day Roxy was born I have questioned if there will be a number 4 for us too. Your post puts everything into perspective and makes me think maybe we should have another one. Shhh don't tell Scott. He thinks we're done.
Post some of the salads you have on your menu for the summer!!! I LOVE new salad ideas!!!
also, my laundry for one looks like your laundry for 5. how is that possible?
Are you my clone? We must be soul sisters! This is EXACTLY what I do! I even organize my drawers like that too! teehee! I LOVE it. My motto is, "A load a day keeps the chaos away!" I do at least one load a day but find that two keeps is more efficient time wise! I roll my pants to utilize more room and I also fold my shirts and lay them one their creases so that the boys can see what the shirts say or what it has on it. I have to do this to keep my sanity as well. :)
that sounds very similar to my system. though, i keep all of ammon's clothes in size order - short sleeve shirts by size, collared shirts by size, shorts by size, etc.. that way - i know exactly where to find a particular thing. i also hang-dry most of our clothes. i dry some things (like socks, towels, sheets, blankets, etc.), but mostly hang everything else. this literally cuts our power bill in half and adds life to our clothing. i hang things up in the same order that they are folded and put away, or hung up in a closet. that way, i'm not sorting later on. i also, typically, do ammon's laundry separate from mine and brian's - so i don't have to divide his out later. i also have a system for all my other cleaning, so i'm not doing it all at the same time. i straighten up everyday and we do dishes everyday (and sweep at least every other day), but i have a set day that i dust, vacuum rugs, clean kitchen, etc.. that way, i'm only doing one 'big' cleaning project a day. works for me.
Let me tell you how we do laundry at the Mroczko house my dear cuz....Wash, Dry, put back on top of the washing machine to wear later. This is why when you come to my house you NEVER open the door to the laundry room.
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