Aaaah, were it only enough for it to be clean. Clean I can handle; sorted, washed, dryed, even on the line. Folded even, is not too bad, since it is either a quick load in front of the machine (me) or folded for me in front of the tv at night (dh). But getting it all back to where it needs to go...even the fly lady can't help us here.
It doesn't help that the children keep switching rooms. They do it when we are not looking, they do it at nap time, they do it when I am typing, folding wash, giving birth; any time my attention is occupied elsewhere. We have discouraged, forbidden, ranted, about this habit, but they will do it. I wouldn't mind if they just slept in another room and left everything, but each time it is a whole new interior decorating project. I find closets half-way refurbished, clothes in transit, clothes under beds, in the hallway. It can take days to get everything all sorted out again.
Cate is 11 now, going on 12, and very organized, very neat, has a very hard time not micro-managing the rest of us. Duncan and Valentine have my creative tendencies, things need to find their place, rather than being dictated a spot. Charles still does what he is led to do, Gael is barely walking, so he is basically an ambulatory mess machine. Between the five of them and their socks, life if crazy.
We have taken measures over the years to simplify the whole process. Beds are European-easy; everyone gets one fitted sheet and a comforter covered with a duvet cover made of soft cotton, both are washed each week. This greatly reduces bed-making time and untidiness. All they have to do is vaguely toss the comforter in the right direction and straighten out the corners a little.
They all know how to fold wash, and I plan to take this one step further when I buy baskets for each bedroom. Too bad for separating darks and whites. I am going to throw each room's basket in the machine and then back in the room to be folded (at least by everyone over 8).
How about you? What ingenious laundry solutions have you found for your household? Please do share and get me out from under this pile of wash!
You crack me up! They fold it all here and put 99% of it away. I am only responsible for myself and Erik... oh and starting the washer - just don't trust Harry to get it in the machine without some of it ending up in Kuwait.
ReplyDeleteI wish I had yarn suggestions for the above... I miss knitting - I'll be back to it this fall after our two biggest projects are on their way to people's homes! lol.
You are a blessing to me - so fun to read your blog.
Melisa
one word for you: eugenia.
ReplyDeleteOrganization 101 (JK)
ReplyDeleteI put one central laundry basket in our upstairs hallway. The kids, Roger and I dump our laundry into it. When the central basket is full--which is everyday, I dump it into the washer (no sorting). As it comes out I fold clothes into five seperate piles. One for each member of the family. If I am really lucky each kid (not the baby) takes there own pile to their room and puts their own clothes away (mostly just Norah 5, years old). Mostly though, it gets folded, divided and sent to rooms and then never into the drawers. AND, I have 3 loads of clean laundry waiting to be folded in my laundry room right now! That is the best I can do though. Have fun. I love your blog. Marta Oh, and don't listen to Roger.