If you have ever been lost in mountains of dirty clothes or overcome by endless piles of laundry that you need to fold and put away, then you’ve probably asked yourself if there is a better way. The answer to an overwhelming laundry day may be easier than you think. At Laundry Genie, we’re the laundry experts, and we’re here to help share some simple tips to make your laundry day more manageable. Keep reading to discover our top five tips to make your laundry day easier and more efficient.
1. It starts With A Plan
Like most things in life, changing up your laundry routine should start with a well-thought-out plan. While the right delivery laundry service can reduce your weekly laundry time to just minutes, most Americans spend 8 hours or more each month on their laundry, according to one survey. Your time spent cleaning clothes each week could be reduced by breaking up tasks into smaller chunks of time throughout the week. This can also help with laundry fatigue by trying to pack everything into a single day, especially for larger families washing multiple loads every week or sometimes every day. Make a schedule that works best for your household. One example could look like the plan below:
- Monday: Wash & Fold Darks
- Tuesday: Wash & Fold Lights
- Wednesday: Wash & Fold Towels
- Thursday: Wash & Fold Darks
- Friday: Wash & Fold Lights
- Saturday: Wash & Fold Bedding
- Sunday: Break!
2. Organize, Organize, Organize
Organization is the key to making your laundry day go smoothly. In addition to sticking to your carefully crafted plan, be sure you have all the tools at your disposal to make the tasks of sorting, washing, folding, and putting away your clothes easier. Below, we’ll explore a few tips and tricks to help with your laundry organizing.
Sorting
Sorting can begin with a well-placed laundry basket. Be sure to place it somewhere you already like to drop any dirty clothes. Hampers and laundry baskets with multiple compartments can make sorting simple. Otherwise, you may be stuck sorting from a single place before you wash. Some sorting categories for your wash may include the following:
- Delicates and hand wash only
- Dry clean only
- Whites
- Lights
- Darks
- Towels
- Bedding
Laundry Detergent
Laundry detergent is necessary no matter what you are washing. However, cluttered bottles and boxes can make laundry day a pain. Before you tackle your first load of the day:
- Prepare a space by checking your laundry room supplies.
- Check levels to see what needs to be replaced, consolidated, or just thrown out.
- Clean the area of detergent that may have spilled.
- Consider installing a shelf to keep your detergent better stacked and organized, complete with a space for refills or multiple detergent options.
3. Invest In Efficiency
Staying organized will help speed up the usual laundry list. To help cut out even more time from your typical laundry routine, here are some tips from the laundry professionals, including how to use sorters, tables, and hangers to complete your laundry like a pro.
Laundry Sorter
Investing in a sturdy laundry sorter can be a huge time-saver. These hampers usually have three or more sections to allow you to sort and separate your laundry. This function can be helpful when doing laundry for multiple people or rooms in the home and can help you pre-sort your darks and lights. Look for a sorter with detachable sections that will allow you to pick up and place them in your washer one section at a time.
Folding Table
Many people struggle with not just washing and drying their clothes but folding and putting them away. A long sturdy table can be a game-changer for anyone struggling to follow up on folding their clothes on laundry day. If your dining room table is occupied, consider purchasing a table with foldable legs that can be stored away when not in use. Spreading out your clothes and folding them on the table is an easy way to sort as you fold and keep multiple piles by where they need to be put away.
Dryer Balls
If you don’t like pressing or ironing your clothes, a dryer ball may help. This simple laundry hack can help soften and smooth out wrinkles in your clothes while they dry. The downside is they need room to bounce around in the dryer, so you’ll have to forgo those packed-full laundry loads to get the most out of your dryer balls.
Hangers
Don’t like folding? Investing in some sturdy hangers could help save you tons of time. Just make sure you have space in your closet, and you should be ready to hang anything from shirts and pants to t-shirts and jackets. The only things that may be more difficult to switch over to hangers are smaller items like your underwear, intimates, and socks.
Mesh Bags
If you have a lot of delicate fabric items, then a mesh bag can help you wash them in the machine while limiting wear and tear. Simply set your delicates aside, place them in the mesh laundry bag, and place the whole thing in a separate load inside your washing machine. Be sure you are also using the delicate cycle and appropriate detergent as directed by the care instructions on your garments to ensure the optimal experience while washing your delicates in a mesh bag.
4. Maintain your appliances
When washing your clothes at home, one of the most overlooked necessities is proper appliance maintenance. However, don’t overlook this important step to streamlining your laundry day. Set aside time throughout the year to perform routine maintenance and cleaning or contract it out to a professional as needed.
Washing machine maintenance
Washing machine maintenance can be simple if you make a plan to spread out routine items over the lifetime of your washing machine. Below are few things you will want to do frequently to ensure your washing machine is operating optimally:
- Check the hose lines and connections for leaks and drips
- Don’t overload your machine
- Use the right type and amount of detergent as recommended by your manufacturer
- Regularly clean inside and out, including drum, door, and gasket
Dryer maintenance
Maintaining your dryer is vital to keeping not just your clothes clean but your home intact. Dryers cause more than 15,000 home fires every year. However, with proper maintenance, including the tips below, you may be able to reduce your risk:
- Clean out your exhaust vent annually
- Inspect your outside vent cap regularly
- Never overload your machine
- Clean out your lint trap often
- Wipe down your dryer inside and out
5. Use A Wash and Fold Service
While the tips and tricks shared above can go a long way to help improve the speed and ease of your laundry day, the best way to take your time back is by outsourcing your laundry duties to Laundry Genie. We help save families hours every week with our wash and fold services, and we include free delivery and pick up at your home, work, or even school to help save you even more time. With our Weekly service starting at $1.59 per pound, Laundry Genie could be the real answer to all your laundry day headaches. Schedule your free home pickup today online in just minutes, or check out our FAQ page to learn more.