We have four daughters. The laundry piles up quickly. I often contemplate how a sweatshirt can end up in the chute on a 95 degree day or why girls need to change their outfits so many times. With that in mind, I have created some solutions to our laundry situation that get the kids involved and help minimize the work. Maybe some of these tips will be helpful to you.
Note: My girls are 10-14, but I've been using these solutions for several years now. Children can be very capable when we give them the chance to take responsiblity.
Hang a double hook for each person in the laundry room. This hook can serve multiple purposes. Use it
for bookbags or coats and use it for sorting laundry. As the laundry comes out of the wash, hang it on the hook for that person. You can even let each child pick a photo of herself to frame and put over the hook. Another option is to paint the name of each person above their hook. Have family members take their own laundry up to their closets daily. Also, to keep the cycle going, have them bring the dirty clothes to the sorting baskets and hang up empty hangers in the laundry area. It is part of our children's daily ritual now to do these things, but with any new change, you can expect a training period and maybe some grumbles.
Use baskets to sort clothing. My kids started sorting colors in baskets as a game at a very early age. Use different baskets for whites, lights, darks, and "special items" that mom or dad handles. Each person sorts their own laundry, preferrably daily, keeping anything requiring special care, or which is brand new, in the special item basket.
Create written instructions on how to use the washer and dryer. At our house, the older kids help with washing. I wrote step-by-step instructions on 3 x 5 cards that tell how to use the washing machine. It helps them to remember what to do and helps prevent mistakes. Be sure to explain the temperature to use, what buttons to push, where the detergent goes, etc. Keep in mind, if kids are doing laundry, your standards may have to change! You can even include instructions on what to hang and what to fold. Of course they can help sort clothes on the right hook too!
Hang a bar over the dryer for hangers and other clothing. Make sure it is high enough that the clothing doesn't touch the dryer before you hang it. This is a great place to keep your empty hangers and you can easily batch items on the bar for ironing later.
Hopefully, these tips will make laundry go more smoothly for you and your family.
Note: My girls are 10-14, but I've been using these solutions for several years now. Children can be very capable when we give them the chance to take responsiblity.
Hang a double hook for each person in the laundry room. This hook can serve multiple purposes. Use it
for bookbags or coats and use it for sorting laundry. As the laundry comes out of the wash, hang it on the hook for that person. You can even let each child pick a photo of herself to frame and put over the hook. Another option is to paint the name of each person above their hook. Have family members take their own laundry up to their closets daily. Also, to keep the cycle going, have them bring the dirty clothes to the sorting baskets and hang up empty hangers in the laundry area. It is part of our children's daily ritual now to do these things, but with any new change, you can expect a training period and maybe some grumbles.Use baskets to sort clothing. My kids started sorting colors in baskets as a game at a very early age. Use different baskets for whites, lights, darks, and "special items" that mom or dad handles. Each person sorts their own laundry, preferrably daily, keeping anything requiring special care, or which is brand new, in the special item basket.
Create written instructions on how to use the washer and dryer. At our house, the older kids help with washing. I wrote step-by-step instructions on 3 x 5 cards that tell how to use the washing machine. It helps them to remember what to do and helps prevent mistakes. Be sure to explain the temperature to use, what buttons to push, where the detergent goes, etc. Keep in mind, if kids are doing laundry, your standards may have to change! You can even include instructions on what to hang and what to fold. Of course they can help sort clothes on the right hook too!
Hang a bar over the dryer for hangers and other clothing. Make sure it is high enough that the clothing doesn't touch the dryer before you hang it. This is a great place to keep your empty hangers and you can easily batch items on the bar for ironing later.
Hopefully, these tips will make laundry go more smoothly for you and your family.
No comments:
Post a Comment