Reduce Laundry by Reducing ClothesMy family of four just recently picked up and moved across the globe with most of our possessions in only seven suitcases. As we are settling into our new home, I am trying to be conscientious of what new things we bring into our house. Having less stuff can make for much easier organizing.
Never Lose a Sock AgainI think it's safe to bet that we've all lost a sock or two before in our lifetime. We come home from a hard day, rip off those socks, and toss them in the hamper, where they get mixed with all the other dirty clothes. And somewhere between the wash cycle and the dryer, socks magically disappear! Well, I have found the easiest way to keep up with my socks. In fact, I haven't lost a single one in over three years! Here's my easy method:
Storing Hangers in the Laundry RoomMy laundry room doesn't have any standard doors that would support a hanger hook. The breaker box door was the perfect location as it was out of the way so I came up with this.
Hang Over the Door Hooks Upside DownI love the over the door hooks you get at the dollar stores. But sometimes, they can be used in the laundry room for catching the clothes before they wrinkle.
Trash Can for Laundry Detergent StorageI have just added a plastic flip top trash can, to my laundry area. It holds two big boxes of dry laundry powder. Makes it very easy to open the lid and fill the cup with soap for the washer.
Organizing Dirty Laundry?I read all the tips for organizing dirty laundry and have to shake my head in amazement. Why do you let your dirty laundry pile up so much? Keep ahead of your dirty laundry by washing, drying, and putting away at least one load per day.
Shelving For The Laundry RoomI had a white, metal cabinet that I used in my kitchen years ago. I've moved it to the laundry room. I was able to add two shelves to it by disassembling the white, metal unit I had that stood over the commode in the bathroom.
Rubbermaid Containers as Laundry BasketsI use the rubbermaid type storage containers for laundry baskets. I hang my laundry on a clothesline, so they hold a lot and do a great job. They don't break like laundry baskets do. I have been using the same one for years now.
Color Code Your Towels For CleaningI use a color coded system for my washcloths and towels to keep them purposed for their task. No labeling required, except for the containers I put them in.
Laundry Baskets for the FamilyMy kids are old enough take care of their own laundry. To make my job easier, I went out and bought dollar store laundry baskets and some colored electrical tape. Each of our kids has their own colors (green, blue, red, pink/yellow).
Taking Laundry Detergent To The LaundromatIf you use a commercial laundry and don't want to add to your burden by carrying a box of detergent, measure the amount required for one load into plastic bags. When you are ready to go, so are they.
Sorting Children's SocksWith three kids in elementary school at the same time, keeping up with socks was not working, I got three packs (6 pair each) of white socks on sale that fit everyone.
Keep Socks Together in LaundryCut a piece of 3/4 inch PVC pipe to make a ring approximately 1/8 inch thick. Sand the rough edges and you're good to go. Slip a pair of adult socks through the hole and throw in the dirty clothes basket.
Organizing Quarters for the LaundromatTo organize your quarters for the laundromat, try putting them in empty "Airborne" plastic containers. Many quarters fit perfectly in the containers without moving around.
Make Matching Socks Into a GameMy three year old loves to play matching games. So when I am sorting and folding the laundry, I plop a large pile of socks in front of her to match up. She thinks it is a game and I get my laundry chore done faster!
Keep a Sock Bag for Mismatched SocksWe're constantly losing one sock in a pair. I started keeping unmatched socks in a bag as I put laundry away. Every time I'm putting a load of laundry away, I check the unmatched sock bag in case I can find a sock to match the "new" unmatched socks.
Have a Laundry Basket for Each PersonWhen taking dry clothes off the washing line, have a basket for each person. When you take the baskets in, each person is responsible for putting their clothes away.
Storing Dry Laundry DetergentI store my dry laundry detergent in a plastic bin that has a tight fitting lid. This keeps the powder grainy and loose, so there is never any clumping.
Homemade Laundry TabletopMy husband and I just purchased and had delivered a new front load washer and dryer. We have 4 children with us in the house and all of us use the washer and dryer. We got to thinking how much money we spent on these, only to have things put on the top of them and getting scratched.
Using Magnet for Laundry RemindersI have a favorite magnet, that's really eye catching, that I use it in my laundry room. I usually use liquid fabric softener, so if I need to put dryer sheets in a specific load of laundry, I put the magnet on the washer as a "reminder".
Creating a Laundry ScheduleWe have 6 people living in our house. This makes it hard to keep everything clean and our laundry done. I have asked each person to do their own laundry on a specific day. We are never waiting for someone to get done and are not stressed about it.
Tie A Knot In "Bad" SocksWhen doing laundry, often we get socks that have gone bad and need to be tossed. Yet, it seems like they always wind up back in laundry.
Laundry Sorter for Each Family MemberI bought laundry baskets for each member of the family. These baskets have three compartments and is on a frame that rolls. Every time an item of clothing is put into the basket, it is put into it's correct spot, so when it is filled the laundry is already sorted.
Use Extra Hooks in the Laundry RoomOn the wall in my laundry room, I put some of the removable 3M Command hooks, the large size. I keep hangers on them so when I pull laundry out of the dryer, I can hang it up right away.
Tips for a Small Laundry RoomWith 5 in our family and a small laundry room, this can be a challenge for us. The kids each have a basket in their rooms. Then there's a 'general' basket in the bathroom.
Product Review: Ikea's Foldable Drying Rack (ANTONIUS)I'd purchased a nifty large powder coated steel drying rack with foldable sides at Container Store right before it was discontinued several years ago. I was happy to see it now stocked by IKEA for $39.99
Organizing Your LinensTo keep my sheets and pillow cases organized together as sets, I fold pillow cases of the same set, separate, then put all into last folded pillow case. When you need the set of sheets, all are together as one, and the pillow cases can be taken out by the amount needed for the pillows.
Different Colored Socks For Each PersonEach family member has a different color sock; 4 boys, my husband, and myself. Makes it easy to sort. Black, gray, white, gray with a stripe, and gray with a colored heel.
Department Store Bags for Laundry OrganizingDon't throw away those department store handle bags. Store them in your linen closet and use them to carry the various loads of wash to the laundry room and then put the clean clothes back in them to carry them to the areas in the house where the items are stored.
Family Closet for Organizing LaundryI have just experienced the best thing in my life; the family closet. I turned my laundry room into a laundry room/family closet. Now, I can wash, dry, fold and put away all in one room.
Different Colored Clothes BasketI found a great time-saving tip for laundry day. I use different colored baskets for different loads of laundry, ie: white basket-white clothes, red basket-bright clothes, blue for dark clothes, and green for hubby's work clothes...
Organizing Stray SocksI keep a cork board hung up in the laundry room. Each time I fold socks I take the strays and pin them up to the board. Next time I have strays, I check the board which usually has the match.
Give Each Kid Their Own Colored TowelAs a Mom to six I was tired of towels on the bathroom floor and everyone claiming that it was not them so I bought each child their own color towels. Now I know who is not hanging them up and they are not sharing towels when feeling ill as well.
By Kriss M
Storing Freshly Ironed TableclothsTo store freshly ironed tablecloths, attach a long, sturdy towel bar to the inside of a closet door. place tissue between folds of tablecloth and hang carefully over the rod.
By Marian
Keep A Laundry Stain Stick Near Where You EatKeep a stain stick in the kitchen or near your eating area, so when someone spills food on their clothes, they can immediately rub stain stick on the spots.
Label Laundry: Hot, Warm or Cold?Take a permanent ink Sharpie and write the temperature in bold letters on the tags.
The Dream Linen ClosetRecently my son decided he wanted fresh new white sheets and he did need a new comforter. Our sheets are old or hand-me-downs, so I thought it would be nice to give him some new items.
Plastic Dish Pans for LaundryI use a small plastic 3-tier shelf lined with plastic dishpans to separate clean laundry. Each dishpan is labeled with each person's name and one labeled "upstairs." 2 of my kids are old enough to put up their laundry.
New Use for a Baby Changing TableHere is a way to recycle and reuse your old baby dressing table. They make perfect storage for your laundry room. On the shelves you can put your laundry supplies and a plastic bin for mis-matched socks.
Separate Bins for Each Family MemberOverhead, above our washer and dryer, I had my husband install a shelf that runs the entire length of the washer and dryer. On this shelf I placed five mini laundry baskets the ones that are usually 10" x 12". I labeled each basket with a name each person in our family.
Trash Cans for Sorting ClothingTo make laundry sorting easier and faster I have a blue 10 gallon trash can for blue jeans, a white one for whites, and a green one for everything else.
Individual Sock BasketsThis is a great tip that I have found works very well. Place a small basket on the top of the dryer, one for each family member. When the clothes are dry, you can throw each member's socks in the basket.
