“Behind every working woman is an enormous pile of unwashed laundry.”- Barbara Dale
Laundry- something we all have, but most of us dread doing. Whether we work outside the home, or inside (and YES, if you stay home, you DO work!)- we all have at least one pile that needs to be done. One of the reasons why is either we do it on the run- throw a load in, only to leave it until the next day and then we have to start all over again- or we wait until it so piled up, that the sheer sight of it makes us tremble! If we take the time, once, to set up a simple laundry routine in our space; we can save time and stress.
First, take stock of your space. What does it look like? Do you have a laundry closet? Do you take your laundry to the laundry mat? Or are you lucky enough to have an entire room devoted to the task? Whichever is your set up; you need a few important elements. Using vertical space and compartmentalizing that space is key. If you organize your items, and always have at least one back-up where you won’t run out, things will run smoothly.
Good lighting, water-resistant flooring, and hanging space are important as well. Organize your space so that you are able to have either shelving or cabinets on the wall. For most of us our space is small, so you must take advantage of every inch you have. If you don’t have space for a hanging rod, buy a retractable clothes line, or collapsible drying rack. Baskets or bins are a great way to corral everything together; and by getting decorative ones, can add a little pizzazz to the décor! Consider a pretty decanter for your detergent if you use powder.
Laundry spaces can also become a drop off place for our things that doesn’t have a home. Take some time to set up a few different bins to put on your shelf. Then you will always have a home for those odds and ends that usually end up in a junk drawer or stuffed in the laundry room cabinet. A few ideas of bins to create if you have the space are: Lost and Found, Tool Kit, Batteries, Sewing Kit, etc. Below is a picture to give you an idea of how to get started.
Create a schedule to do your laundry. If you have a large family, one load a day should keep your current. If your family is smaller, try a couple hours- two days a week. Sort your laundry as you take it into your laundry room so it is ready when you are.
Lastly, surround yourself with happy things. Photographs on a corkboard, quotes or anything you would enjoy looking at while doing laundry. Anything that makes you happy – so you won’t have to dread doing laundry—when coming home.
Laundry Tip: Remove soap scum and clean the hoses of your washing machine with white distilled vinegar. Periodically run the machine with only a cup of white distilled vinegar in it—nothing else added to the wash cycle.