Here are simple laundry solutions that help you stay on top of laundry and not feel overwhelmed. No fancy laundry room or schedule needed.
A Routine for Laundry Solutions
A simple laundry solution to keep up is to have a routine instead of a rigid schedule. The thing about schedules is they can easily get thrown off, especially when you have a lot of kids. So many laundry schedules that I see have specific days laid out for specific types of laundry. The problem with this is when a day is missed due to sickness, a full day of errands, or just not having the time that day. If you miss your “scheduled” load of clothes, then the rest of the week’s schedule is messed up as well.
It is much simpler to have a laundry routine. A habit. One that can be followed, and then if it is missed one day, it doesn’t throw the whole week off and totally stress you out. When a day gets missed, the next day you just continue as normal.
A great way to start a routine is to get in the habit of starting a load first thing every morning. I like to start a load before breakfast. Then the kids and I do our breakfast and Bible reading time, clean up breakfast, and I move the load over to the dryer. I can immediately start another load if I have one or wait until the next morning to do another.
Whatever your routine is, make it a habit. Once the habit is in place in your daily rhythm, it is easy to keep up.
A Load a Day Keeps the Overwhelm Away
Laundry can build up fast and very quickly become overwhelming. My top laundry solution is to do a load a day. Most of the time, I end up washing the kid/baby clothes and adult clothes together. Keep up with the clothes throughout the week so that on the weekends you don’t have piles of laundry to do. Weekends can be spent having family time and enjoying life together.
Tip: If you are a working mom, you might consider starting a load of laundry at night, moving it over in the morning, and then folding it in the evening. Following this routine is another great way to get your load a day done.
Although I don’t follow a laundry schedule, I do like to clean the towels and sheets once a week. Keeping up with the clothes throughout the week allows me to knock out the towels and sheets first thing Saturday morning. Then the rest of the weekend I am free to do whatever and not worry about laundry. The first weekend of the month I also wash the comforters.
Laundry Solutions to Involve Your Kids
As a mom of four kids, there is a never-ending pile of laundry. It is important that my kids learn how to do laundry for themselves. It is a life skill that they need to know because I don’t intend to do their laundry for them for forever. The sooner they learn the better. This is why I love homeschooling. Part of their education is learning real life skills that they will need throughout their whole life that they wouldn’t learn in public school.
Simple ways to involve your kids:
- Teach them how to take their clothes off right side out. This saves so much time when it is time to fold a load.
- Do not fold the kid’s clothes. I quickly realized I was wasting a lot of time folding because they took their piles and threw them in the drawers. So now, I just shake out the wrinkles, make sure they are right side out, and lay them flat in piles to put up.
- My four kids, ages 2-8 all sort their own clothes. I put the load of laundry on the couch and they all sort through it for their items then take them to put away. Even my 2-year-old finds her own clothes. Then I help the youngest two to shake out their clothes and match their socks.
- Turn on some music or an audiobook to make it fun!
Non-toxic Laundry Solutions
If you use a non-toxic laundry detergent, it is totally fine to combine everything into one load. There is no need to separate out baby clothes and wash them in a different detergent. Many detergents contain artificial fragrances and other ingredients that harm your body, even the ones advertised specifically for babies. If you are unsure what detergent to choose, the number one thing to avoid is artificial fragrances. You can also use the EWG Verified list to find products that are safe for use.
Personally, I love to use Thieves Laundry Soap for my family. It is a plant-based soap that is clean and non-toxic, so I don’t have to worry about what is going on our skin. The bottle is very small, but it lasts us for at least four months as a family of six, plus one kid who needs sheets cleaned 3-4 times a week…that’s a topic for another day.
Next, ditch the dryer sheets! They contain loads of toxic chemicals. These chemicals get on your clothes, which then rub on your skin all day. Your skin absorbs everything, and those toxins harm your body. You may not see the results now, but with continued exposure over a long period of time, your health will suffer.
Laundry Solutions to Add the Scent Back
If you are missing a fresh, clean scent on your clothes from dryer sheets and laundry soap, there are two simple ways to add that back in without all of the toxins.
First, use wool dryer balls in place of dryer sheets. They actually end up saving you a ton of money! And, you can use essential oils on them to make your clothes smell amazing without all of the toxic chemicals. Second, make a DIY laundry scent booster using just a few easy ingredients. Baking soda, Epsom salts, and essential oils for scent. This goes in the washer with each load and infuses them with your favorite scents, plus acts as a natural deodorizer, softener, and brightener.
Check Out More Posts Like This:
- DIY Laundry Stain Remover
- Meal Planning Ideas for Families
- Daily Rhythm
- Toy Storage Solutions to Reduce Clutter
- 5 Essentials for a Nontoxic Home
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