August 7, 2006 8:21 PM
Suzanne's laundry question
Suzanne at Just a Bunch of Nothin' today asks the burning question:
Is it better to do laundry every day or pile it up and use ONE entire day to do it?
The reason it's an issue today is because I am doing laundry yet again.....and Micaela said today that she hates laundry. So do I, but it's part of my job as the mom and house-wife. So it begs the question: do it everyday or allow the pile-up? I feel almost guilty asking my husband for help. I do on occasion ask him, but he works hard at his job and then has an extreme commute. So I want to find a better solution.
Suzanne, you obviously have not read my book Lord, Please Meet Me in the Laundry Room in which I talk about making peace with my laundry :) I keep a radio in my laundry room and listen to Christian music any time I'm in there. I actually love the laundry room now because it's like an anchor - something about my life that never changes, but keeps rolling like a river.
Dr. Dobson says love is not a feeling but a decision. I think we can decide to love our laundry :) - and I love this Mary Engelbreit card:
So there's my advice. Now I have a question:
I don't understand - how can you do laundry in one day? And what do you do while the machines are going?
My own method is to start the day by putting a load in and then during the day I dash in and out - while doing stuff in between - to change from washer to dryer. Over the years, I have modified folding to a slapdash sort of effort - after all, years of experience have taught me that the clothes in my kids' drawers does not stay folded very well. I actually put my little kids' Tshirts and shorts on hangers on low rods in their closets becase it's easier for them to see and choose their own clothes.
But I still have six kids at home - eight in the summer when the college guys are home.
Sophia does laundry with me. I NEVER have the men in the house touch the laundry because I'm somewhat particular about sorting and water temps and stuff. And I find that fair because I never do yard work or take out the trash or deal with broken appliances or overflowing toilets - not to mention going out to earn the daily bread.
I'm perfectly happy with the division of labor in our house and I will gladly do all the cooking and laundry for men who will do the stuff I really don't want to do.
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One is able to accomplish all laundry in one day if she has a small family. I can get my loads done in about half a day now with my front loader. I do a few odd loads during the week if necessary, but Monday is Laundry Day. I know this will cease in a few years when our family has grown more. For now, my goal is to get laundry from washer to closets/dressers in a single day. I fail more than I succeed.
I don't have enough laundry to do laundry daily (everybody can hate me, but we all start off here) and for now the rhythm of knowing that Monday is Laundry Day helps me to not be overwhelmed on Friday when those baskets are getting full. I can choose to do them early if I want, but know that there is a time and place for it and that day will come and we won't go without clothes before that time. (or long after that time, truth be told)
One day I'll change my ways, Lord willing, but until our laundry doubles, I should be good with one day a week.
Posted by: mrs.s. | August 7, 2006 10:05 PM
I am spoiled for sure. I stay home, and God has provided in a way my husband does not work either. he's a full time student going to be a Physician Assistant (PA) finishing up in one year or so. When he doesn't have class between the hours of 8-5 he is at home studying. BUT he helps me with the housework right now. He helps me do dishes, and laundry on occasion. I do believe it's my job but when he wants to help me, to show me he loves me, I do not resist!!
Posted by: Kristina | August 7, 2006 10:05 PM
Laundry is like the love of God...it's never ending.
With four kids, (three of them rough-and-tumble boys) I find that the keep it going all week long is a much better fit for us. The division is more to the TYPE of laundry. The baby has a day, towels and linens have a day, the boys clothes are (usually) done in a day, and our clothes are done yet another day. That still gives me some laundry-less days, and I like that!
Posted by: Phyllis | August 7, 2006 11:53 PM
our family is small right now, only 2 preschoolers and a baby baking in the oven. for now we do as mrs.s does. i have found mondays are really great days for me as after resting over the weeken with my hubby i am "recharged" and ready to attack the house on monday lol! of course this will all change as our family grows. (Lord willing!! *grins*)
Posted by: Kristy | August 8, 2006 5:00 AM
I do laundry on Mondays and Fridays. I also change the sheets & towels on Mondays and wash those, so Mondays are a bigger laundry day than Fridays. My dryer's beeping is crucial to remembering I am doing laundry - I also sometimes set alarms on my PDA to remind myself to go check on the laundry, or else it is just so very forgettable.
Posted by: Katherine | August 8, 2006 5:57 AM
I do laundry almost every day for five kids and one husband. I have a hamper with three sacks into which all but the males manage to sort their own laundry. (For some reason I can't get the men to do this, be they 4 or 34.) When I leave my bedroom in the morning, I grab a full hamper and go. I do often get held up with moving it to the dryer and then into a basket, so I have the kids help with that. Preschoolers love putting the clean laundry into the basket and dragging it to the living room, and I have two taller kids (10 and 8) who can reach the bottom of the washer, so I let them start the dryer. I do wash more on Mondays, all the special loads like diapers, military uniforms and delicates in addition to the regular wash. It's about five loads on Monday and one or two for the rest of the week. I do most of the folding, but the children four and up all put their own things away.
Posted by: Jennie C. | August 8, 2006 6:29 AM
Oh Barbara,
you are a jewel. Thank you for the loving advice.
I try and do my laundry in the mornings from 6-8 (after hubby leaves and before kids get up) but it doesn't always work that way. If the kids wake up, I involve them with the laundry or get them started on their homeschooling lessons.
I am going to get your book at the library TODAY! The book on reading was what put us over the top for my reluctant reader, Micaela. She's not so scared of reading anymore. If that book helped her with reading, I know your other book with do wonders!
I LOVE that one line:
"Laundry is like the love of God...it's never ending."
I am going to make a sign and hang that in my house!!
God bless you (and your fab readers)
Suzanne
Posted by: Suzanne | August 8, 2006 8:05 AM
Phyllis -
That IS a great line - you should send it to a company that makes inspirational plaques!
Love,
Barbara
Posted by: barbara | August 8, 2006 8:52 AM
I used to do laundry when the divided hamper got full or overflowing, but finally realized I'm happier doing laundry every day. That helps to get the clothes put away without feeling overwhelmed with piles of laundry that a toddlers knock over before I can get them into drawers. I have a dishpan labeled for each of us, and if I do a load or two a day, I can fit each person's laundry in their dishpan and get it up to their rooms without worrying about these piles or spending a whole day folding (and refolding) and putting clothes away. :)
Posted by: Angela | August 8, 2006 11:20 AM
An urban "spin" on laundry: I live in a third-floor apartment with the laundry room in the basement - a laundry room with not one but FIVE washers. Each load costs me a $1 token. Therefore, I save up laundry to do full loads once a week. Right now, it's just me, the hubby and one toddler who makes significantly less laundry than when he was spitting up, so this works well. I do five washer loads at once so I only have to be in the laundry room (away from my family) for about 30-45 minutes at a time. There are multiple dryers as well, but only one works well and I save $$ by air-drying on racks.
Sometimes I dream about the day when I will have my own washer/dryer (not as much as I dream of my own dishwasher) and it will make sense to do laundry more frequently, but then I consider how much water and energy I'm saving by not being able to do laundry daily. There may be an advantage after all. :)
Posted by: Nancy | August 9, 2006 1:39 AM
