10 Easy Ways For Busy Families To Keep Up With The Laundry • love beauty thrive

It is possible for busy families to keep up with the laundry!

But if you want to conquer those piles of dirty clothes (and know exactly how often you really need to wash sheets, blankets, pillows, and other things around your house), you’ll need a few important tips.

Laundry can be surprisingly easy to manage once you have a system, and this way you can finally stay on top of the laundry for good.

We’ve gathered 10 of the easiest ways for busy families to keep up with the laundry that we could find.

Have never ending piles of laundry been getting you down? Here’s exactly how to tackle it …

Keeping Up With Daily Laundry

Create a daily laundry schedule for clothes (and stick to it). Depending on the size of your family, this may be one load per day or more, or only one load per week.

Put Away Clean Clothes (Right Away)

One of the quickest ways the laundry can pile up is by starting the job but not finishing it. Dry your clothes when the washer is done (set a timer to remind you) and put away clean clothes right away.

Wash Outerwear, Sports and Activity Gear (As Needed)

Sports and activities can create extra laundry (e.g., bathing suits, towels, uniforms, etc.). Take care of this right away – incorporate it into your daily laundry or run an extra load as needed. Everything you need will then always be clean and ready for your family’s next scheduled lessons or activities.

This may apply to your outerwear as well (especially if you have kids). Children’s jackets, snowsuits, splash pants, and socks can get wet, muddy, and dirty on a daily basis. Hats and mitts can quickly get sweaty and smelly. Wash as needed.

Donate Clothes

Sorting and folding laundry is the perfect opportunity to scan the condition and size/fit of your clothes. Start a donation bag for anything that no longer fits, is out of style, or that your children have outgrown. Discard any clothes in poor condition (don’t forget to check shoes too). Manage laundry by keeping the number of unnecessary items in your closet to a minimum.

Hang Dry

Hang clothes to dry (right away) after 15-20 minutes in the dryer. Clothing will then be soft, easy to fold, and wrinkle-free. Hanging clothes to dry is also environmentally friendly and will save money on your energy bill. This is a great task for kids to help with too!

Laundry Room

Create a nice space to make doing the laundry more pleasant and enjoyable. Keep your laundry room bright, clean, uncluttered, and organized for your specific needs. Also consider keeping a designated cloth (or two) in the laundry room to wipe down the washer or dryer when needed, then wash the cloth in your next load.

Weekly Schedule

Sheets, pillowcases, and frequently used blankets/throws should be washed weekly. Bath towels and washcloths, bathroom floor mats, and kitchen towels should also be laundered once or twice a week as necessary.

Monthly Schedule

Bedding should be washed monthly (e.g., comforters, duvet covers, mattress protectors and pads, shams, etc.). Consider machine washing tub/shower mats once per month (to clean the mildew and soap grime that can be difficult to scrub away). These can stick to the inside of the drum, but is an option if you are comfortable putting them in your machine.

Seasonal Schedule

Pillows and any other machine washable linens/textiles around your home should be laundered seasonally (e.g., curtains, rugs, mats). To keep your items in their best condition, abide by all washing instructions. Dry clean or hand wash what is not suitable for machine washing.

Environmental Consideration and Energy Use

Choose environmentally friendly options. Combine loads (where appropriate), use the least amount of water needed, and consider cold water washes.

Be conscious of your energy use. Electricity costs in many areas are now dictated by time-of-use rates designed to promote energy conservation. Do your laundry during off-peak periods to reduce electricity demands, save money on your energy bill, and help the environment.