Laundry Day

Well, yesterday was Monday and that means one thing....Laundry Day! Most of the home and organization books & articles will advise you to do one load of laundry a day. Now that just doesn't work for me. We have a bigger than average family, so we have more laundry than the average family. Plus, when I did it that way, no one was ever happy. Someone (read Brady)always wanted their black socks or tan pants and I hadn't done that load yet. How was I supposed to know you wanted to wear that today? I'm good, but I'm not that good. Also, I have more loads of laundry than days of the week, so if I did the once-a-day thing, I would never ever catch up. And I find that's the issue about laundry that most people hate--the feeling of always being behind. So I started doing laundry one day a week, just like my madre did.

I gather it, sort it, and spend the day at home so I can fold it. (Of course, I'm a SAHM, so I can do that.) I sort into the following loads: Whites, Darks, Khakis, Brights, Denim, Pinks, Blues, and Towels/Sheets. So I have at least 8 loads, thanks to my handy dandy front loading washing machine. If I had a regular washer, I would have a minimum of 12 loads. So I pat my washer and whisper sweet nothings into her bleach compartment. Here's a picture after it's all been sorted:

It does take almost all day, but when it's done, it's DONE! And unless someone gets the stomach flu, I don't have to think about it for a whole week! I've also found that this method relieves me of some mommy dependency. I no longer hear, "Hey, where's my such and such?" Once I wash and fold it, it's YOUR responsibility. Don't come crying to me asking where your favorite shirt is. And when you wear it, you know exactly when it will be washed again, so plan accordingly. Laundry went from an overwhelming, never ending task to a weekly accomplishment, all thanks to the Laundry Day. If you can try it, let me know how you like it!