Sorting the laundry...

I know this is a lame post, but I'm going to add it here anyway...I've simply given up on sorting.....my laundry appears to be multiplying in the dark as we speak...Jennifer, I don't even want to know what laundry will be like for you in a few months...egads....if you tell me that you separate everything carefully, I'll have to throw myself at the mercy of my copulating clothes........{sigh}

Can you tell I've been doing laundry ALL DAY!!!!!

Kris

We had what Jon called "constipated laundry" for a few months there - until I just took about a week and devoted myself to getting on top of it (we're talking about twelve piles of laundry lying throughout the house - quite a mess). I generally throw things into several piles when the kids run out of jammies (every six or so days) and end up doing about five loads of laundry. Not as hard as it sounds once you get used to it.

Jennifer

[Meenah]

I sort NOTHING. When there is enough to fill the washing machine, I add soap and turn it on. I'v been doing this for years and it works 98% of the time.
Luanne

[fluffhead]

laundry woes

I live in an apt bldg with a laundry room. Advantage is doing 4 loads at once (parallel processing for any resident computer geeks 8O ) but disadvantage of arriving with armfuls of stinky clothes to find all being used and a line in front of you.
We plan to buy a house this year, so I guess I'll find out the other side's story.

Meanwhile, I try to get it all done while the baby naps. Usually it ends up running over, and I need to bring her down with me, which is ok - she likes watching the dryers.

[DCJenn]

I'm not sure this is exactly the right place to post this but since it's related...

If any of you are in the market for a new washer or dryer, let me recommend the Whirlpool Neptune. It's expensive, don't get me wrong, but I'm such a granola that I really wanted to do my part to not waste water. OK, my water bill- for two people bathing at least once a day, plus running the dishwasher a least twice a week- $15.00. A month. And we don't even have a reduced supply toilet!

So, I think it has more than paid for itself, or will soon. And it works sooo well. You can pack it full and everything comes clean. It's a front loading washer so theorectically there's less agitation and more tumble. It don't know, but I do know it's moving wherever we go! It will not convey! (We got a stackable but it's full-size!)

Jenn

[mommax3]

Jenn,

I have heard GREAT things about that washer. I think ours will have to die first -- but I comfort myself by thinking that by then, the new ones will be even better. As far as your water bill goes......I was in such a state of shock when we moved up here -- the city raised water rates 150% the February before we moved and our water bill is astonomical. I paid between $30 and $120 a month in San Antonio, depending on if I had to run the sprinklers or not (I know, I know, xeriscaping is awesome but we lived in a pretty cookie cutter neighborhood and I wasn't sure it would fly with potential buyers) and here it is easily double that. The guy who lived here before us had not been running his sprinklers at all -- the ground was so dry that the foundation of the house was starting to shift and we were getting cracks in our walls! We were in a state of shock about our water bills for about the first four months we were here. We even had them come and check for leaks in our pipes! So for all of San Antonio's water woes, (and the shortage is not as bad up here, although it does get awfully dry) the residents are getting a bargain on water rates.

Just had to share!

Sally

[fluffhead]

I sort NOTHING. When there is enough to fill the washing machine, I add soap and turn it on. I'v been doing this for years and it works 98% of the time.

Luanne

This method sounds very attractive to me.
Do you wash on warm?
Do you sort for the dryer, or just put everything on high?

[Cumberland]

i take my laundry to a dropoff service. They wash/dry/fold/put on hangers,for 50 cents a pound. it is way worth it to me. i havent done laundry in a year. that is one big argument we never have anymore.

[Meenah]

I do NOT sort for the dryer. I figure if I ruin something, oh well. I have more than made up for it in saving on therapy bills. The best is, with this method, my teenagers now prefer to do their own laundry!!!!!!!!!!
Luanne

[PrincessFiona]

sorting...

My mom nearly died last time she visited....we have definately decided that sorting is useless...If its' a whitey that turns pink...well...it's looked upon as a brand new article of clothing or one less thing to have to wash .

Everything gets clean and dry...so at this point....we'll take it!

Kris


PS.....let me just add that I blamed the non-sorting on Thomas when she came 8) . She took the clothes out of the dryer and just assumed that it was him and so I agreed with her that it was a terrible practice and that I, of course...sort!

[DCJenn]

OK you guys- this is how I teach my clients to sort- and if they can do it and it takes no more time, then you can do it to:

I buy two laundry baskets, one white, one colored. The whites go in the white on and the colors go in the colored one. Presto, your laundry is sorted. (They throw all of their laundry in one basket and then on laundry day they take it to the washing machine and sort it right then and there)

Jenn

[PrincessFiona]

laundry sorting...

Well...I do try and sort out the colors as best I can...I just don't mess with towels/cottons/polyesters/jeans....

8)

Kris

I second the idea of having two baskets, one for colors and one for whites. I don't know about all of you, but DH doesn't usually get his clothes anywhere near a basket when he takes them off. Most nights they land just in front of the closet, so when I pick them up, I drop colors in one basket and whites(lights) in another.

Since it is only DH and I at the moment, this isn't a big deal. My sister in law has earned the title of "laundry lady" in our family ... and she actually likes doing laundry. First, she recommends never having the washer and dryer on a different floor than the bedrooms, so if this isn't the case currently, think about it when you move . She starts a load first thing in morning as she heads to the kitchen. Whenever she makes it back to the bedroom to make the bed, shower or whatever, she switches it to the dryer and loads the washer but doesn't start it unless she plans on being home. She then runs the dryer while getting ready. If she has a few moments to fold the load before leaving the house, she does. Otherwise, she pulls shirts that need ironing out and hangs them and folds jeans, etc. Then in the evening when she goes to change, she starts the washer and repeats the process. She makes sure to fold one load before bed. She says that because she does this everyday, she only has 2 small loads that are quick to do (there are 6 in her family). The only part she used to hate was putting things away; now that she doesn't have little, little kids around (youngest is 8), she drops things in different baskets in the laundry room and everyone is expected to pick up/drop off. Anything that needs ironed is done on "request."

I like her method, but as we live in an apartment without washer/dryer in the apartment, it won't work here. But it did in our last apartment. And I set aside one day a week (or maybe once every two weeks if things are slow) to iron, as DH goes through a minimum of 5 ironed dress sheets a week and I refuse to pay to have them done at this point ... when he is out of training maybe, but for the moment, I can't justify the expense.

Besides, the best part of this method is that you never have to worry about spraying air freshener ... the fresh laundry smell and fragrance from the dryer sheet take care of it LOL

Aisha

laundry

Ironing? NO WAY! I have discovered wrinkle free clothing for my husband-it really is wrinkle free, I haven't used an iron since before we had our son!! The catch is that you do have to hang the shirts or pants up as they come out of the dryer. If it isn't wrinkle free or can't go in the dryer, I won't buy it. Our laundry is in our basement, so I often wash the same load of clothes over and over--but my friend gave me a good idea, try to wash at least one load a day-then it doesn't pile up.

Has anyone checked out flylady.net....she has some good tips on cleaning, laundry, etc.


Renee

I love the Fly Lady ... if everything in life were as simple as "shining" the kitchen sink.

I also like the following sites:

http://www.newhomemaker.com/
http://www.all-homenfamily.com/
http://www.pioneerthinking.com/cleaningsolutions.html
http://housewifemagazine.com/
http://www.homemadesimple.com/index.shtml

I am a little OCD though and prefer to make schedules and lists; my mother was the type who did a certain thing on a certain day and I just sort of fell into that too. There is a great book for home making called Home Comforts by C. Mendelson. Her schedule is:

Monday - washing
Tuesday - ironing/ go to market
Wednesday - sewing, cooking, freezing food, paying bills, baking
Thursday - run errands
Friday - clean the house
Weekends off except kitty litter goes out

Of course, she recommends that you do the following daily:

- sort laundry
- clean sinks/tubs
-check soap, toilet paper, change towels if needed
- prepare meals and clean up
-set out fresh kitchen towels each evening (no paper towels)
- make beds
-neaten the clutter
- empty trash

It is worth looking through her book at the bookstore

Aisha