There's no question about it-laundry is one of the most annoying and time-consuming tasks in the home. However, what many people don't realize is that it doesn't have to be that way. Laundry can be fun, satisfying, and simple. Once you establish a sound system for completing household laundry, it can be extremely rewarding.
If you are ready to unburden yourself from the challenges of laundry, then read along.
In this post, we talk about precisely what an effective laundry system looks like and why systems are needed. We also walk you through the creation of a laundry system that will help you and your family manage your laundry effectively.
All About Tidy may earn a commission through these independently curated links, at no expense to you.
What Is A Laundry System?
A laundry system is any pre-planned method for completing your laundry effectively and efficiently. This can include anything from setting up a specific day of the week for doing laundry to designating certain family members to handle specific tasks related to laundry.
The goal of a laundry system is to make sure that your laundry gets done in a way that is both effective and efficient. This means that laundry shouldn't take hours to sort, wash, dry, and fold.
Benefits of a Laundry System for Your Household
Many benefits come with establishing an effective laundry system. Perhaps the most obvious benefit is that it can save you valuable time.
If you have a family, then you know that laundry can be a daunting and never-ending task. However, if you establish a system for doing laundry, then you can relieve the burden from your shoulders. This will free up your time so that you can focus on other tasks, such as spending time with your family or working on your career.
Another benefit of having a laundry system is that it can help you save money. With a system in place, you will avoid making common mistakes that can waste detergent and cause your clothes to wear out faster. For example, if you always wash your clothes in hot water, then you will likely see your clothes start to fade and shrink over time.
However, if you establish a system where you wash your clothes in cold water, then you can avoid this problem. This is just one example of how a laundry system can help you save money in the long run.
Finally, another benefit of having a laundry system is that your home will be more organized. Having a specific place for all of your laundry-related items, such as your laundry detergent, fabric softener, and clothespins, maintains order and ensures that you know where everything is when it is time to do laundry.
Considerations for Developing Your Laundry System
If you are planning to create a laundry system for your home, here are a few considerations that you should keep in mind.
Number of Household Members
The first consideration is the number of people who live in your house. This is important because it will govern the volume of laundry you will do on a regular basis.
For example, if you have a family of four, then you can expect to do at least four times more laundry than if you live by yourself.
Types of Laundry
Another consideration is the types of laundry that your household has. This is important because it will impact the way that you set up your system.
For example, if you wear delicate clothing, then you will need to take special care when washing and drying them. If you wear rugged uniforms, you want to use a heavy setting.
Your Schedule
Finally, when creating your laundry system, consider your schedule and capacity to execute your laundry system. This is important because you need to make sure that your system fits into your lifestyle.
If you work long hours and have a family, you will need to find a system that can accommodate your busy schedule. If you work from home, incorporate laundry into your work day.
If you live alone and have significant free time, you will have more flexibility when it comes to your laundry system.
Creating Your Laundry System
Now that you are thinking about some of the key considerations for creating a laundry system, it’s time to start putting your system together so you can have clean clothes when you need them.
If you are lucky enough to have a laundry room, think about organizing it in a way that is inviting and convenient. If you have a small laundry area, use your space wisely and make sure you have a sorting and folding area. If you have clothes that require ironing, a fold-down ironing board is a great space saver.
Establish Hamper & Laundry Basket Placement
The first step is to establish where your hampers and laundry basket will be placed throughout your home.
Ideally, you will have a hamper in each bedroom and one in your laundry area. This will make it easy for everyone in your household to place their dirty clothes into the hampers- not on the floor or scattered about the room. All laundry- both dirty and clean- should have a place to go under your new laundry system.
If your home is small, you may consider using space-saving hampers that can be tucked away into a closet or corner to accommodate your simple laundry system.
Create a Laundry Schedule
The next step is to create a weekly laundry schedule for your laundry system. This schedule will ensure that your dirty laundry is completed in a timely manner and that you are not overwhelmed with laundry on a daily basis.
To create your schedule, start by mapping out the days of the week. Then, decide which day or days of the week will be dedicated to doing laundry.
Once you have established your laundry days, decide what time of day you will do your laundry.
Make Adjustments As Needed
Finally, don't be afraid to make adjustments as you go. As you start to use your laundry system, you may find that certain aspects of it need to be tweaked in order to work better for you.
For example, you may find that doing a load of your kid's clothes every other day is too much for you. Alternatively, you might find that you don't have enough clean laundry or your own laundry isn't readily accessible. If this is the case, then adjust your schedule and laundry process accordingly.
I make sure that when it is time to sort and fold laundry, I can put on a good show or watch a movie on Netflix while I work. Netflix makes folding laundry so much more enjoyable!
Now that you know the basics of creating a laundry system implement one in your home. Ideally, you will be able to complete more laundry efficiently and keep your favorite outfits on hand for you to wear whenever you want.
