Managing Life as a M.O.M: Laundry

One of the great thing about women is that we all do things differently and can learn so much from each other!  I actually love to ask my friends how they manage all their laundry because I think the little quirks each of us has is so, so funny. 


Laundry multiplied (times a thousand) when we had babies.  Little people just require a lot of washing.  In general, we all use towels twice (including the babies) and Michael and I have been known to wear our "nice" clothes a couple of times before washing.  But everything else needs to be washed daily.  I do sheets once a week (ours on Friday/babies on Sunday) and the living room throws once every two weeks. 

Fun fact: I DON'T sort laundry.  My mom never did and I don't either. I also wash every day with very few exceptions.  There really is always enough to run at least one load every day. An everyday load might have a couple of towels and washcloths, baby clothes and pajamas, kitchen towels, and maybe a pair of my jeans and my work clothes.  I usually start the washer first thing in the morning and I wash everything on cold with All Free and Clear.  When it is done I pull it out item by item and check for leftover stains that may need to be retreated.  Anything "nice" is hung to dry and everything else goes into the dryer with a Bounce dryer sheet.  I do my folding during nap time, or when the kiddos are eating.

I HATE stains.  OxiClean mixed with Dawn dish detergent is my secret weapon.  It will remove almost anything.  The toughest stains to get out at our house are cherry tomatoes and bananas.  I have tried everything and set in banana is almost impossible.  My kids eat naked a lot simply so I can avoid having to work so hard to clean their clothes. When they were really little I used to give them Colic Calm for  their tummies which is actually black and it stains too.  Medicine is best given in the tub when I can remember and I try to buy dye free or purple simply to avoid the stains.  My kids will probably never know what red Kool-Aid tastes like Ha!!!

So, that is how I manage.  I don't leave laundry laying around and since I wash everyday it doesn't really get overwhelming.  Every now and again I will end up skipping a day because we are busy or whatever but since I'm caught up that doesn't throw my whole system.  If we are out of town and I can wash wherever I am, I do.  The best thing in the world is coming home with clean clothes.

I fully intend to get the littles participating in this chore as soon as possible.  My mom was on to something when she taught me how to fold clothes! 

Love,
Juli