Doesn't it pile up terribly? Catching up isn't easy, but can be done. First, grab yourself a cup of tea or coffee and a notebook. You also need to get over the guilt. You may have had many distractions (illness, other work, fatigue) that has allowed your laundry to pile up into Mt. Washmore. Whatever it was, you will be doing something about it today. :)
Decide on your menus during this time of catching up. Make dinner simple, satisfying, nutritious and delicious for your family. Start it early when you have energy in the crock pot if at all possible, but you will need to focus on this laundry monster most of your day. Your family will appreciate it.
Keep your basic routines in place. Dishes done. Beds made. Floors swept. Stuff picked up. Have kids help if you need or can. Don't worry about organizing your office or decluttering right now. You will be reducing the amount of clothing in your home as you go.
Make sure you have things you need on hand to do a lot of laundry. You don't want to run out of something while you are on a roll!
You will need to decide how bad it actually is and what options you might take. If your family is constantly searching through the dirty clothes for something to wear. If your husband is getting grouchy. If your kids are constantly saying they have nothing to wear and you can't find anything either. You might want to use one of these options. You might want to take the backed up part of your laundry to the laundromat. I know, this is not fun or inexpensive, but your are behind and need to catch up. You can do several loads at once and have them dried and put away in one morning. You might want to hire help with this chore. If money is an issue, you might want to trade babysitting with a busy mom if she will help you get the laundry done or at least caught up. A date night can be a very motivating thing! Perhaps a friend could let you use her big Neptune-type washer and dryer in exchange for some other work you could do for her. Be creative and figure out a way.
I divide my laundry up into 3 basic categories: colors/darks, lighter colors, and odd loads-meaning whatever it is (nighties, rugs, curtains) it needs a special type of care to get cleaned. I do have a hand wash cycle on my washer, so I do use that. I used to let odd loads pile up until I had a full load, but it was just taking too long to actually get done. I like to do a light load, then a dark load and then an odd load. This might be a load of jeans, then towels, then my nighties. You know best what you have need to get clean first and foremost.
If you can hang some odd loads up to dry, this will help keep from getting backed up waiting for the dryer to finish. I do have a clothesline I use, but some things can be hung in the bathroom or laundry room. My husband loves the fresh smell of sheets hung out on the line and so do I. :)
Keep a sack with you wherever you are doing laundry. This is to put anything you may wish to donate or give to a friend. You may want to schedule a "fashion show" with kids to see what still fits or can be passed down. You may wish to have another for mending. You will need to set aside a time for mending and get on this as quickly as possible. You don't want it to pile up, plus it is a sit-down job. :) It might be when you are winding down before bed.
You may want to get some dry cleaning done which can be pricey. I haven't tried the new-dry-cleaning-at-home products, but you may want to. If money is an issue, you might want to just take one or two items every pay period until you are caught up. I love fabrics that need dry cleaned, but often just don't purchase them simply because of cost and upkeep. You may want to consider donating these items if they are not worn often.
Anyway, hopefully you will be caught up within reason soon and able to keep a better handle on your laundry at least until the next big thing comes up!
Decide on your menus during this time of catching up. Make dinner simple, satisfying, nutritious and delicious for your family. Start it early when you have energy in the crock pot if at all possible, but you will need to focus on this laundry monster most of your day. Your family will appreciate it.
Keep your basic routines in place. Dishes done. Beds made. Floors swept. Stuff picked up. Have kids help if you need or can. Don't worry about organizing your office or decluttering right now. You will be reducing the amount of clothing in your home as you go.
Make sure you have things you need on hand to do a lot of laundry. You don't want to run out of something while you are on a roll!
You will need to decide how bad it actually is and what options you might take. If your family is constantly searching through the dirty clothes for something to wear. If your husband is getting grouchy. If your kids are constantly saying they have nothing to wear and you can't find anything either. You might want to use one of these options. You might want to take the backed up part of your laundry to the laundromat. I know, this is not fun or inexpensive, but your are behind and need to catch up. You can do several loads at once and have them dried and put away in one morning. You might want to hire help with this chore. If money is an issue, you might want to trade babysitting with a busy mom if she will help you get the laundry done or at least caught up. A date night can be a very motivating thing! Perhaps a friend could let you use her big Neptune-type washer and dryer in exchange for some other work you could do for her. Be creative and figure out a way.
I divide my laundry up into 3 basic categories: colors/darks, lighter colors, and odd loads-meaning whatever it is (nighties, rugs, curtains) it needs a special type of care to get cleaned. I do have a hand wash cycle on my washer, so I do use that. I used to let odd loads pile up until I had a full load, but it was just taking too long to actually get done. I like to do a light load, then a dark load and then an odd load. This might be a load of jeans, then towels, then my nighties. You know best what you have need to get clean first and foremost.
If you can hang some odd loads up to dry, this will help keep from getting backed up waiting for the dryer to finish. I do have a clothesline I use, but some things can be hung in the bathroom or laundry room. My husband loves the fresh smell of sheets hung out on the line and so do I. :)
Keep a sack with you wherever you are doing laundry. This is to put anything you may wish to donate or give to a friend. You may want to schedule a "fashion show" with kids to see what still fits or can be passed down. You may wish to have another for mending. You will need to set aside a time for mending and get on this as quickly as possible. You don't want it to pile up, plus it is a sit-down job. :) It might be when you are winding down before bed.
You may want to get some dry cleaning done which can be pricey. I haven't tried the new-dry-cleaning-at-home products, but you may want to. If money is an issue, you might want to just take one or two items every pay period until you are caught up. I love fabrics that need dry cleaned, but often just don't purchase them simply because of cost and upkeep. You may want to consider donating these items if they are not worn often.
Anyway, hopefully you will be caught up within reason soon and able to keep a better handle on your laundry at least until the next big thing comes up!
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