Time Saving Laundry Tips
Have you ever had that nightmare where you are being swallowed by a bottomless pit of dirty laundry? Nightmare or not, it often seems to be the reality! Laundry is one of those must-do household chores that seems never ending. From gathering the dirty laundry, to washing and drying, to ironing, folding, and putting away – no wonder it seems like you can never get ahead!
Instead of being scared of that bottomless pile of laundry, the Professional Organizer in NYC has some home organizing ideas that will save you time and help you tackle the laundry before it consumes you.
Involve the family. Make each family member responsible for bringing their dirty clothes to the laundry room. That way you won’t be wasting time going from room to room collecting items. Kids can sort their own clothes; have separate baskets or a divided hamper and let them sort the darks and whites. Delegate the responsibility for folding and putting away their own clothes to your kids. When they are old enough, teach them how to do the laundry themselves! Not only does it save you time, it teaches them a valuable life skill.
Have a schedule. Designate a specific time for laundry. Depending on the size of your family, this may be just one or two days a week. You can even schedule to wash different items on different days. For example, you can do whites on Mondays, sheets on Fridays, etc. This sets the expectations for the entire family.
Avoid duplicating tasks. Laundry is one of those household chores that lends itself to multi-tasking. You can throw a load of laundry into the washing machine and then get dinner started. The catch to this is it’s easy to forget about the laundry while you go about other tasks. You can set the timer on the washer and dryer so you’ll hear when they are done. Grab clothes from the dryer right away and hang them up to avoid wrinkling and save time by eliminating the need to do any ironing. Save time by getting clothes into the dryer as soon as that buzzer goes off. There’s nothing worse than forgetting a load in the washer and having to spend time rewashing the load.
Keep your laundry supplies nearby. Keep your laundry detergent and fabric softener in a place near the washer and dryer. Another one of your Professional Organizer in NYC’s home organizing ideas: don’t forget about the items you don’t use as frequently. You can designate a space or a basket for things like stain remover, mesh laundry bags, and other supplies. Keep a small bag or hamper close by for the items that need to be dry cleaned. You’ll save time by not having to make a point of looking for these items.
Clean out your closet and drawers. This tip works in two ways. First, with less items taking up space, your clothing won’t be crowded and wrinkled, saving you time ironing later. Second, less clothing means less time devoted to washing and drying! Get rid of those rarely worn items and save both space and time.
Clean your washer and dryer. This often overlooked tasks is a must. Take some time once a month to clean the tub in the washing machine. Dirt and hair can collect over time. Spend a couple of minutes periodically on this and you’ll save time needed to rewash items later. It’s also important to clean the dryer once a month. Of course, always clean the lint trap with every load, but regular cleaning is important, too. It helps the dryer work more efficiently and also prevents fire hazards.
Laundry is one of those household tasks that can seem never ending. Once you feel like you’ve gotten ahead, there’s more to be done! With these simple home organizing ideas from the Professional Organizer in NYC, you can take back control of that laundry pile today.