This is approximately one weeks worth of laundry. Minus a couple of loads that were still in progress.
There are a few things I notice when I do laundry:
#1 There are WAYYYYYYY too many towels. Is there really anything wrong with hanging up your towel and using it a couple of times before you wash it?
#2 I see folded up clothes mixed in with the dirty. This means that certain of my family pulls out multiple sets of clothes when deciding what to wear, and later while cleaning their room, get lazy and just throw them in with the dirty. To me, once they get all mixed in with the dirty, They need to be cleaned. I don't feel that I can compromise on this....
#3 The ratio of underwear to socks is ridiculous!! Shouldn't there be two socks for each pair of underwear? Why are there more like six? ***Exception to this phenomenon: Cameron will change his underwear 3 times a day because he wants to give all his super heroes a turn.....and he eschews socks whenever possible***
#4 I find random clothes every week. Sometimes underwear I don't recognize. This disturbs me.....
#5 My 'system' drives Jason crazy. I'm not sure how he would manage laundry if it were his job, but my way clearly makes no sense to him at all. He used to do a few loads now and then, but it offended me and I yelled at him so he doesn't touch it now. I prefer it this way. You don't mess with my system, man! Now if you actually want to learn and not criticize......
I have a carefully chosen approach to separating laundry into four hampers to avoid the linty, dingy loads that come from mixing laundry. I don't do a load of something until I have enough for a full load. I fit laundry in when I can. Some things have to soak overnight and be double rinsed. Some loads are cold water only. Some loads are hang-dry. My clean clothes are separated from the dirty in a way that apparently only makes sense to me. (Namely distance...I finish drying a load and dump it in a big pile on the other side of the room....) This makes for a seemingly chaotic laundry situation, but in actuality I feel that laundry for eight (almost nine) people deserves some slack!
To be fair, Sidney decided long ago that my 'system' didn't fit into her schedule of when she wanted to wear certain things, so I only do about 10% of her laundry, mainly whatever she leaves on the floor of my bedroom....she does the rest. However; some of the younger kids produce 3X the laundry that they should so.......
It's not even that I really mind laundry, It actually is quite soothing to me to fold clothes. I get to make organized piles of things and get one big job done all at once! (And no, I wouldn't get the same satisfaction by doing your laundry, so don't ask...)
I actually use it as a time to reflect on the blessing of a large family. What if Conner weren't here for me to wash and fold his clothes? It's satisfying to me! I don't think I would get the same pleasure out of it if I were washing, folding, and putting loads away as I go. It would then become a never-ending cycle of something that was never done. What would I have to show for my efforts? A clean, organized laundry room? Technically, I don't even have a dedicated laundry room. Maybe if I did I would be inspired to change my 'system'.
Here is the result after two hours of folding, which I either choose to layer with a few good TV shows, or a good long phone conversation with Kellie. It might still look like chaos, but trust me, it's not. Everyones piles are separate. The older kids get to fold their own. The younger kids' clothes are ready to put away. All the hang-up clothes are separated into stacks. Underwear and socks in their own respective baskets. Notice the 27 towels. How do you feel about laundry? What is your 'system'? Am I nuts that I would rather do laundry any day than decide what's for dinner? My family size is about to increase, do you have any great laundry organization tips for me?
