Laundry Tips from Professional Organizers, Part 3

                    

Here are some more laundry tips from professional organizers. I've included some pics of laundry organizing products, too.

"First each child should have one of those rectangular or round pop open laundry baskets in their own room.  Each child should be responsible for bringing the basket down or at least to the top of the stairs to go down if they are in need of clean clothes.  

I do one load per child and I don’t bother to sort colors because I am not that picky and their clothes are outgrown or put threw the ringer quickly enough it’s not worth the effort on my part- that’s just me though!  Anyhow, these laundry baskets can be found at target and they are great because once the load is in the washer you can fold it up and slide it between the washer and dryer or wall.  LOVE that!  

When the laundry is ready to come out of the dryer, the owner of those clothes or the person whose chore it should be (not MOM’s) should remove the clothes from the dryer and set by the stairs to go up when that person goes back up.  I do fold the younger children’s clothes and put away but the 10 year old puts his own away- his way.

Hope that helps." Maria White

Some laundry basket ideas: 

"I do laundry all in one day. It gets it done and then I don't have to think about it for a week or so (except for emergencies).
 

So when I sort, it is all over the floor in the adjoining family room, but only for a day. The clean laundry gets brought up to my bed, where I fold it into a basket designated for each kid and just put my laundry and my husband's away as I fold. It makes for a long day, but usually it is one where I am puttering around with projects/computer work anyway.

Shout Color Catchers ... really do work! They do a great job of a mixed colors load.  One of my ADD clients told me about them." Kate Varness
 

Some laundry room space savers:

"I do one load per kid, as well. I don't bother to sort by color for the kids. It creates lots of little piles, which means I am spending way too much time doing laundry. We sort in the bedrooms. I use the floor to sort.

Here are some of my "tried and true" laundry streamlining tips:

• Stain treat as the kids take the clothes off at night (with a stain removal product like Stain stick or the like). Prevents a lot of remembering which clothes to treat and standing by the washer stain treating.
• Older kids can fold and put their own clothes away. Or even do their own laundry. The bottom line is get the whole family involved so it doesn't fall to one person to do all the laundry. Even my 2 year old can help load and unload the washer and dryer.
• Get in a laundry routine: In the morning, throw a load of laundry in. At lunch or after work, put them in the dryer. After dinner or when the kids go to bed, fold. Put away the next morning/day.
• Have a basket per person so that the baskets can go to the appropriate room. My husband and I share a laundry basket since the laundry is going to the same room - his stuff is on one side and mine is on the other side of the basket.
• Do full loads, when possible." Robin Harisis

Laundry tools:

"We all do our own laundry in my household, except that I've been paying my 14-year-old $5 a load to do my laundry for two years now--I like it fluffed in the dryer and hung up warm and damp.  On color-coded hangers, which speeds the agonizing task of putting together outfits for me. Jane Cambell

More clever laundry options:

     

More on laundry:

Organizing Laundry

Laundry Tips from Professional Organizers, Part 1

Laundry Tips from Professional Organizers, Part 2