If the chore of laundry is one of the most tiring tasks, it is above all because it does not only consist of putting dirty clothes in the machine. It also comes with the chore of ironing after letting everything dry on the drying rack. And of course, before even getting started, there is the famous “treasure hunt” that accompanies any laundry that needs to be done. We then start going through the whole house to find everything that is lying around apart from the dirty laundry, looking for the second sock under the bed, emptying the pockets, turning the clothes inside out… To make your task easier and save a lot of time, here are some easy tips to sort dirty laundry efficiently.
1) Get organized to properly sort dirty laundry
First, assess your needs. A large basket of dirty laundry will be enough for a single person. However, a single laundry basket, even a large capacity, will quickly risk overflowing in a large family. You will then have to invest in several laundry baskets to find your way or a linen cupboard. There are models with handles, compartments or casters depending on your needs. Additionally, consider assign spaces dedicated to dirty laundry and clean laundry. This will prevent them from accumulating in inconvenient areas. Finally, establish a schedule and stick to this routine. For example, you can do the sheets on Saturday, the whites on Tuesday and the rest of the laundry on Thursday. But above all, everyone must be clear with one rule: always put laundry in a dirty laundry basket to be able to visualize the need or not to wash the laundry.
2) Sort dirty laundry in the most convenient way for you
There are several options here:
-Household and family linen
-Colors, white and dark fabrics
-Underwear and the rest of the laundry.
-Lightly soiled clothes and very dirty clothes (sports clothes, hiking clothes, tea towels and bath towels, etc.)
-Per family member (provide one laundry basket per bedroom here)
-THE new clothes apart (full of harmful substances, they also tend to bleed onto the rest of the laundry)
-Sort laundry according to material (synthetic materials, natural fibers and delicate fabrics)
It is important here to read the labels carefully, especially to identify laundry that does not go into the washing machine.
3) Use and abuse delicate laundry nets
It protects underwear from friction and the rest of the laundry like the drum of the washing machine from bra clips. You can also ask your family to slip their socks in there every evening without fail. This will avoid single socks and will make it easier to sort and put away in everyone’s wardrobe after drying!
4) Little extra steps to properly sort dirty laundry
Remember to check pockets to remove tissues, chewing gum, hairpins and coins. That will avoid damaging the machine. Furthermore, remember to turn the pants inside out, close the zippers and open the buttons. Last step: pre-treat and detach the clothes when sorting to save time and avoid unpleasant surprises after washing.
Good to know: If you don’t have a laundry room and you place dirty laundry in a poorly ventilated bathroom, it risks having bad odors and being damaged by humidity and mold. If you can’t help it, at least put some baking soda in the laundry drawer to neutralize the smell.