Consider this: The average female consumer in the U.S. stuffs her closet with about 103 pieces of clothing. That many clothes mean she has more than three months’ worth of outfits!
Surprising, right? But there’s more. In 2017, U.S. households spent an average of $1,833 on apparel!
All those statistics give us an insight into how many pieces of clothing we go through each year. Without a family laundry system, it’s possible your household goes through more. After all, you could be “misplacing” socks, or someone else’s clothes could end up in another’s closet.
That’s why it’s time you learn the best hacks on how to manage laundry. That’s exactly what we’ll share with you in this post, so keep reading!
1. Plan a “Laundry Day” Per Week for Each Family Member
Make a cleaning schedule for each family member’s laundry. Make sure to consider your kid’s activities when plotting out your list.
This is important as children who do sports go through more clothes. Within three weekdays, an active kid’s hamper could already be full. So, it may be a good idea to do your sporty little one’s laundry on Wednesdays and Sundays.
You and your spouse could have Saturdays as your laundry day. What’s important is that each member should have at least one specific day a week for washing clothes.
2. Do the Laundry Per Room Instead of Per Color
The best way to sort laundry for families, especially super-sized ones, is to do it per room rather than per color. Plus, this eliminates potential mix-ups and confusion as to whose socks belong to whom.
3. Still Sort by Color for More “Sensitive” Fabrics
If you opt for a “per room” family laundry system, be sure to still separate clothes that may bleed. Pay careful attention to sensitive fabrics too, like satin, silk, and those with fur. Don’t throw these in the washing machine with harsher or stiffer fabrics.
In fact, it’s best to handwash these or you risk ruining them for good!
4. Have Two Clothes Hampers for Each Family Member
Take a page out of Marie Kondo’s book and use a separate basket for clean clothes and another hamper for dirty ones. Label your kids’ laundry baskets too and have them do you a favor by keeping their used and fresh clothes sorted. This way, you won’t end up having to do a “sniff test” on their garments.
5. Put Hampers in Every Other Room
Place one hamper in the kitchen for dirty hand towels and pot holders, and another in the bathroom for used towels. Specialized hampers keep your laundry organized.
6. Hang Towels Up So You Can Reuse Them for a Few Days
Speaking of bath towels, have each family member hang them up to dry so they can still reuse it a for a few more days. In fact, you can do towel laundry weekly if everyone does what you ask! This applies to face towels too, except maybe for the ones you use to remove makeup.
7. Don’t Wash Shorts, Pants, or Jeans after One Use
You can also ask your kids to wear these (and even pajamas) more than once before they go in the washing machine.
8. Keep Stain Removal Products Handy
Attacks stains right away with green cleaning products made specifically for stain removal. The longer you let that stain seep into the fabric, the harder it will be to get rid of it.
9. Get Your Kids to Pitch in By Having Them Fold their Clean Clothes
All household laundry management systems should include the kids pitching in. That said, have your little ones help out by at least getting them to fold their clean clothes.
Make Family Laundry a Breeze with these Strategies
Family laundry doesn’t have to be a pain so long as you follow these tips we’ve shared. Plus, organizing your laundry can help you cut your water consumption. Keep in mind that washers use between 25 to 40 gallons a load, so any reduction can mean savings!
If you need help with speedy yet quality housework, consider professional cleaning services. Call us now if you want to free up some of your time by delegating your house chores to us!
