Laundry 101: Sharing Life and Laundry

When Kid #2 arrived, laundry became like the plague at our house.   It seemed long ago, but I knew I had to get  grip on it all.  I tried putting a basket in each kid's room, but then I had to re-sort that into the color groups every time I needed a load, and I had a mess on the floor.   With younger kids, there is no advantage to this system, since you do it all anyway!  Fortunately, they grow up and eventually, become useful.  Helping can start as early as age three (don’t be picky) and complete autonomy can be achieved by age 9 (plus or minus a year for some).

To some, our laundry management system may seem a dull topic, but for those drowning in laundry despair, perhaps a new idea will offer you a glimmer of light.  I remember a time, not to many years ago, when I felt overwhelmed and laundry just seemed to put me over the edge (or it could even have been at the root of it all).   

When we added the third child, we also upgraded the washer that came with our home to a large front loader.  A big washer makes a big difference!  In these tough economic times, it may not be so easy to upgrade, but it also could be a time when you could get a deal you can’t pass up!   

These days, laundry goes pretty smoothly.   Our boys are 10, 8 and 3 so they are active helpers.  Here’s how we manage it:

• We have sacrificed a corner of our room, but you can choose any place that three tall sorting bins fit.   
• We have these three bins together with a sign over what goes in each, dark, warm for lighter colors, and whites.  
• Everybody puts their own things in to the proper bin.  
• Each morning, one child takes the first load down.  He just has to fill a basket from the fullest bin.  
• Between our class subjects, I pick a child to “rotate” the laundry,  meaning move from washer to dryer or dryer to basket.  
• Once its in the basket,  a child who is strong enough to carry it up, takes it.  
• During the afternoon, we have a laundry “party”.  We all fold, stack and put away that day’s loads until it’s done.  

If you have room, your kids can be turned out with their own with their own three bins and they then become completely responsible for their own laundry.  No matter what method you choose, a routine and involving your kids is essential to success.  They wear the clothes and they must help the family.  I have one son whose big on rewards, but when it comes to laundry, I simply reply, “You get to wear them, you get to wash them. You may choose not to, but you will either be cold or will eventually smell pretty bad.”  

Training is essential.  Give them each a job according to their skill level and insist that no one is excused until the job is done.  Your goal should be for them to be completely self-sufficient (eventually).  I don’t believe that allowing piles and a lack of order should be allowed in their room either.  They need to have standards for themselves and to know basic hygiene principles. Your sanity and their independence are important!  

Make it fun!  Laundry can be a fun time to put on some music and enjoy each other’s company.  Set a timer and see how many baskets you can get done in 20 minutes.  

If you have great laundry tips, PLEASE take a moment to comment below.   I’m not an expert, only a survivor.  

Blessings to you! Anne