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Feb 28 2011

Routine: Washing clothes

Category: Laundry • Routines

Today is ROUTINE MONDAY I will be sharing how I keep up to date with our washing.  Unfortunately washing is one of those tedious jobs that is never ending, you think you have found the bottom of the pile, but the next day it’s back!  You need to create a system that works for you.

I wash certain things on particular days (I have logic to my madness).  Firstly I seperate all my washing into 4 piles (I will show you more about this on Thursday).  I have always had piles, it makes washing so much easier. 

1. Separate your washing into piles

WHITES - anything white like a tablecloth, school socks, after school sports uniforms and other clothing  (it’s never a huge load) - I always use Napisan Oxyaction when washing whites, clothes always stay a crisp bright white.  I also use Napisan to soak stains out of clothes, works every time!

DARKS - school uniforms, work clothes, Mr 8′s and I wear alot of dark clothes, so I have to schedule in several dark washes each week.  Each child only has 3 school uniforms, so I ensure I wash darks on a Wednesday so kids have enough uniforms for the rest of the week.

COLOURS – I wash coloured clothes once a week as the kids stay in their uniforms after school so it’s really the clothes the kids wear on the weekend and hubby and I throughout the week, which altogether is 1 load.

OTHER- Tea Towels, face washers and tablecloths.  I wash each of these items weekly.

SHEETS – I don’t pile these up in the laundry.  I wash all bed sheets on a Friday, strip the beds that day wash sheets, dry them and they go straight back onto the beds.  This is usually 2 loads of washing.  

TOWELS – Again these don’t pile up in the laundry I take them from the rails in the bathroom, place straight into the washer.   

2. Create a washing schedule to suit you

This is my washing schedule (note:  if I can I will I pop them on the line the night before)

Monday - Colours
Tuesday - Tableclothes, tea towels, washers, mop heads
Wednesday- Darks, usually 2 loads
Thursday - Towels
Friday - Sheets
Saturday - Darks and Whites
Sunday - DAY OFF!

Having a laundry schedule may not be for some, but it suits me to make sure the kids always have clean uniforms.  

3. Determine a time to start washing

My mornings are usually busy getting the kids ready for school.  If i can I find it easier to put the washing on the line the evening before (except sheets as I like to wash and put straight back on beds).  I usually put the washing on around 4pm and hang out on the line just before dinner.  I find that it is dry by 8-9am the next day!

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  • http://leechbabe.com Marita

    I was reading this blog post in bed this morning thinking that I could set up a laundry schedule. Then I spied one of my girls dragging their wet bedding to the laundry and remembered why I don’t have a laundry routine. Thankfully they don’t wet every night anymore but it is still often enough that I have to make sure the washing machine is empty in the mornings ready for wet bedding.

    I miss being able to hang out washing overnight. Between the possums and the spiders anything that is left outside overnight has to be rewashed.

    • http://leechbabe.com Marita

      Ooops forgot, I do have a tip for after the clothes are dry. We have 5 laundry baskets. One each for hubby, myself, Annie and Heidi. I used permanent marker to put our initials on our basket and then I just sort the clean washing into the baskets ready to fold and go straight to their rooms. One spare basket for moving around wet washing and holding cleaning bedding/linen/towels. My girls are getting good at taking their own basket of clean washing and folding it and putting away.

      • Chrissy

        We do that here Mariata. My boys (2 and 4 years old) love this ‘work’ as they call it. They are also responsible for matching and folding Daddy’s socks and folding the rags, washers and tea towels.

      • Monica A Hanson

        I mostly wash 2 loads of washing each day. My laundry is set up so with 5 baskets ,1. Towels/teatowels/sheets, 2. Darks, 3. Whites, 4. Coloureds, 5. Reds. I’m lucky I have a bigger laundry, bur we are building another house atm and I wouldn’t compromise on my ability to have this set up in the new house. Everynight I put on a load of washing and set it to finish just before wakeup time, I hang that out and then put on the next load ready for when the kids get up. My children are older so it is one of their morning chores to hang it out before going to school or before going to their activities on the weekend. Then in the afternoon they need to take their clothes off the line and place them in their folding basket. I used to make them fold and put them away everyday, but sometimes their daily schedules are so tight that I am now happy with the basket being empty on Saturday. On their allocated day to hang out the washing they are also charged with washing their sheets, My children are now in their teens, but we have had this schedule since very early primary school, and it takes the all the onus of washing, off me.

  • http://www.girlswearbluetoo.com Tammy

    So when you say you was colours on Monday is that what you are washing that afternoon and hanging before dinner? Your wording later in the post has me wondering if you might was Mondays load on Sunday afternoon? May be its just too early for me…lol
    I really need to get something happening with this all my routines went out the window shortly after we moved and a new washing machine means I need to change the way I used to work with this task.
    Thanks for the inspiration.
    Oh and the reminder about napisan!

    • Katrina

      I edited the post for you Tammy, sorry it is confusing. This is my schedule what I wash each day, but if I can I will put them on the line the night before. ie, colours on the line Sunday afternoon but all dry for Monday. I find it important to make sure I wash the darks mid week so the kids have school uniforms for the remainder of the week.

  • http://www.milkncookies.info Casey

    Hey Katrina,
    Love this post! I love routines and I love piles lol!!! Actually, I also do as Marita does and have a basket for each member of the family so that I sort out the dry washing and take the basket to the wardrobe where the clothes belong (my squids are only little so I still have to put away) but it makes me feel more organised to at least have everything sorted so if I get side tracked and things aren’t away I know where to find everything.
    My routine is really based around the fact that my HH (Handsome Handyman) needs his uniform washed a few times a week and somehow managed to go through dozens of pairs of socks and jocks a week (I still haven’t figured out why!) so I wash his stuff first so he has uniforms, then the kids stuff and lastly mine (always coming in last lol) then towels and then linens.
    I have two hints… The first is to hand tops on the line on coat hangers then you can simply gather the hangers with clothes on and hang them in wardrobe when dry. The second is if you are running really low on time and have a lot of washing to do then seperate into tops and bottoms, wash all the tops first and put onto hangers and hang (this is particularly useful during wet weather as they can be hung in doorways around the house when desperate to get them dry!
    Geez, might have to turn this comment into a post of its own over on my blog!

  • Denise

    yes Katrina I also love piles and routines. I also have sundays off if I can.
    I used to do certain things on certain days but since the high electricity rates in NSW I have changed.
    I separate my Laundry into whites, colours,socks, towels and sheets.
    I do all the clothes on Saturday and then towels, socks, table clothes and teatowels on Sunday. This because these two days are the cheapest to do washing. Then I change the sheets on Monday and wash them Monday night after 10pm before I go to bed as at this time of night is the next cheapest time for electricity.
    I do a small clothes wash Tuesday night for Hubbies work clothes.

  • Natalie

    Oh a routine for washing! Yippee! I seem to be washing ten times more than anyone else…. with a toddler and a hubby who has a uniform that needs changing every day it seems to be never ending. The only routine I have managed to stick with is sheets on Saturdays when we do a weekly clean. We have a big wide bookcase in our hallway by the bedrooms so I take all my washing off the line and fold next to the bookcase. Linen can go straight in the linen closet, and the rest is left folded for each member of the family to put away. I don’t care if clothes take a while to leave the shelf, because they are not on the floor!

  • Leila

    I don’t have a washing routine, although i can see how well this could work for us. We are a family of 6 with a toilet training almost 3 year old boy who some days has no accidents and other days will have 5!

    I seperate our washing into:
    red/pink/orange/purple and usually have 1 load of this per week which includes hubby’s work shirts.
    Blue/green which includes the kids school sports shorts and little miss’ school tunic and skirt.
    Towels/tea towels/ face washers etc (we end up with at least 2 loads per week)
    Sheets/Blankets, at least 2 loads per week as a rule
    Dark clothes we usually have 2-4 loads per week depending on what we have had on
    Whites i usually have 1 load a week of whites and will put my oatmeal and colour tops/pants etc in with the childrens school shirts which are yellow.

    I will have to take note of what is put in the laundry on what days over the next fortnight to month and then make a washing plan of action.

    I put all of our clean washing on the lounge so it bugs me until it is folded and put away.

  • Cassie

    I have alot of trouble doing washing regularly, but generally, once the small hamper in our bathroom is full, I have a washing day. It can end up being up to 6 loads depending on the diversity of colours/towels. My son has a little laundry drawer in his room and this gets added in on washing day, but not before.
    One tip I’d like to add, on top of hanging tops on hangers etc; We have just three in our family, so I hang our clothes in sections on our Hills Hoist. the fourth section is for linen. This way, when I’m taking washing off the line, every body already has their pile to take out of the basket! I find this so handy. I’ve also started to do this while putting the wet washing into the basket so that when I get to the line, every thing is sectioned off and easy to grab. And I’m not dropping wet clothes on the grass, pet hate!!!

  • Melanie Graham

    I am a bit spoilt (well a bit lol). My husband does the washing for our family of six. He tends to wash once maybe twice a week which just drives me mad because he doesn’t wash enough, but hey I am not saying a word… just very thankful that he does it. ;) When I did the washing I washed every day, and he tends to wash whenever he doesn’t have anymore clean shirts to wear lol But it is all good :) We manage lol

  • Fleur

    Thank you for writing about laundry! This is definitely my weakest area as a housewife! I seem to get the washing clean ok, but I am absolutely hopeless at putting it all away. I am really looking forward to your tips in the next installment on laundry!!

  • Andrea

    This routine is great and will help me so much! I tend to have maybe one or two days a week where I’m running around like a headless chook trying to get all the washing done AND I NEVER DO! Hopefully your plan will make laundry not feel like my enemy.

  • http://followmeonmyjourney.blogspot.com/ Jill

    Oh I like the look of your new blogging schedule, some things to look forward to and keep us motivated. I tend to just wash everyday no real routine here

  • http://www.amykeeptrying.blogspot.com Amy Keep

    I wash all my clothes together, I don’t seperate them out. This is just double handling the washing for me. My husband has white chef jackets and these go in with the colours, darks, towels, whatever. I’ve never had any trouble with clothes running colours (new clothes are hand washed at first so they don’t run). I also use a quality laundry detergent, so I don’t need to add softner, brightener, sanitiser, etc, etc. I do at least one, sometimes two loads a day, but usually get one day ‘off’ a week.

    I peg my clothes out in the afternoon too. I usually throw whatever needs to be washed in the washing machine, put it in baskets and then wait until around 5pm before I peg it out. Any clothes that are on the line are folded as they are put into the basket or again, it’s double handling (take them off line, put in basket, bring inside, fold up). It may take a couple of days for the folded clothes to be put away, but they’re folded, in a basket out of the way.

  • Lisa Braaksma

    Hi, I have a routine in laundry as well. When we did our extension, I made sure I put in 2 large POT drawers (on top of each other), the top is my LIGHTS and DELICATES, and the bottom is all the DARKS. I have a separate washing basket for TOWELS and SHEETS.

    As for days of washing (that happens every day – rain hail or shine). We have a large indoor kitchen living room, so in wet and cold weather we purchased a clothes line from Mitre 10 http://products.hills.com.au/Products/Laundry%20Products/laundry-products/portable-clotheslines/Portable%20170/portable-170 (I have seven children, so washing everyday is normal around here).

    Folding I use those wire baskets http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41KRFM1939L.jpg (two kids per basket) and share for hubby and I.

    I also recommend any of you to go to ALDI atm, they are selling these stackable coloured storage boxes only $4.99 each (PURPLE, BLUE, RED AND GREEN), I have used this for extra storage in my laundry cupboards, in the pantry and linen closets too.

  • Chrissy

    I hang all our ‘good’ clothes (jeans, polo shirts, dresses, tops) inside on coat hangers above the bath. I have a plastic chain that hangs between two curtain rod holders that is perfect. This way our good clothes don’t fade, get wrecked by the dog and aren’t wet if it rains.

    I also don’t sort washing. I was at least 1 load of clothes a day and a load of linen or towels. I have NEVER understood why people sort (someone care to explain?), no issue with colour running as I also handwash the first few times, and there is no way I would ever have a white load. If I’m super busy everything get’s hung out at night after the kids are in bed and can then be brought in after 9am the next morning.

    I use white vinegar as a fabric softner/additive/booster and it is also great at removing smells from the washing not being hung out in time, I just add 1/2 cup to every wash.

    • Suzy

      I sort because I’ve had problems with colours running and ruining other clothes. I have friend who don’t sort and don’t have a problem, but it has gone wrong too many times for me! I do 4 separate loads – whites, darks, colours and reds (as I find that a lot of red items continue running all through their lives, also my kids’ school uniforms are maroon, and all 5 family members have a few red or dark pink tops and jumpers, so there’s always enough to make a load).

  • http://www.ourlifeinblogform.com Tracy

    Great post! I will be taking these tips on to.. I was just thinking yesterday that I need to implement something like this. I’m always getting behind with it.

  • http://mezhead-dayslikethese.blogspot.com/ Mez

    Oh Wow! I am in love with your Blog. Can’t wait to read more!

  • http://thestrandsofme.blogspot.com/ Daneyl

    I love this idea and can see how it can work, but right now I only wash every second day. My little man is 16 months old and I use cloth nappies, so I already have an extra load just for him. I’m looking forward to seeing more of your routines!!

  • http://raisingwill.wordpress.com Michelle @ Raising Will

    What an inspiration you are Katrina! I have a seven month old and I am still amazed at how much washing I now have to do. To establish a routine is a great idea. Then to get onto that five storeys of ironing I have hiding away…

    • Rachaela

      Ironing with a baby? This is one chore that I gave up when I had my babies. I had a friend that only ironed in Summer and I followed her lead. My winter wardrobe doesn’t need ironing. Even the school uniforms get left. I have found that if I shake wet uniform skirts out before putting on the line, and are careful when I take them off, it minimises ironing. Also, if I iron the pleats in with a wet washer, I can usually get away with only having to iron the skirts once every two or three washes, as the pleats stay in. I use skivvies or long sleeve polo shirts for winter uniforms that don’t need ironing.

      • http://www.theorganisedhousewife.com.au Katrina

        I love these tips Rachaela, do you mind if I add them to the upcoming newsletter

    • Rachaela

      Ironing with a baby? This is one chore that I gave up when I had my babies. I had a friend that only ironed in Summer and I followed her lead. My winter wardrobe doesn’t need ironing. Even the school uniforms get left. I have found that if I shake wet uniform skirts out before putting on the line, and are careful when I take them off, it minimises ironing. Also, if I iron the pleats in with a wet washer, I can usually get away with only having to iron the skirts once every two or three washes, as the pleats stay in. I use skivvies or long sleeve polo shirts for winter uniforms that don’t need ironing.

  • Kirrily

    I sort the washing as it hits the dirty clothes baskets. I have three oversized paper bags for whites, coloureds and others. That way it is easy to see which load needs washing.

    I found a 3 compartment laundry basket at Big W late last year, carted it to the registers and left it there (too much to carry along the queue, whilst supervising a toddler rearranging the shelves!). I’ve never seen it in the stores again. Has anyone seen something similar recently???

    • Missimoomoo

      Yes I have found one at Aldi it is fantastic and eliminates all that sorting that you have to do

      • http://www.theorganisedhousewife.com.au Katrina

        Aldi sells so many great things!

    • Carole Adams

      I got one in Ikea about a year ago – It’s actually for sorting recycling but perfect for laundry sorting – it’s dark grey with white metal frame – over all size is bigger than regular laundry basket. It’s not that pretty but very functional – has 3 compartments (1 larger than the other 2) I put colours in the largest, then darks in one & whites in the last (I also put delicates in with the whiles – that way I can easily store them until they’re washed (by hand or on delicate load) & also see them so don’t accidently put them in the machine) Not sure if they still do them but worth checking :)

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  • Perthcastings1

    I don’t know how many times I have ruined a whole load of washing with something red or something black or blue or green bleeding in the wash. I only use cold water but it still happens, especially if the item is new. I always separate my colours now. We have three girls so our 3 colour piles are whites, darks (denim, black, blue, green) and pink/red. With five in the family I usually have enough of all three colour piles to do a load of each every day. If I’m short of white clothes, I’ll put my white teatowels and/or bathtowels or sheets in with the white clothes.
    PS. Thanks for the tip re: how often to wash the bed sheets. I am a bit slack at that. It’ll be weekly from now on.

    • http://www.theorganisedhousewife.com.au Katrina

      Wash as it suits you and your family, glad you are enjoying the site and finding some useful tips

  • TC

    I hang up most of our cothes inside out, minimising fading. It annoys my hubby as everything then has to be turned in the right way, but in saying that it prolongs the life of the clothes. I am still wearing t-shirts and jeans that I have had for over 10 years. Minimal wash fade and still look great. Some of my hubby’s clothes are more then 15 years old and are still great. The kids clothes still look fab when they have outgrown them, so I sell them on eBay for a little extra spending money

  • Kerrie Lee

    I colour sort (been caught with runs) and have a delicates pile, towels and linen. If a particular load is small then I can add say a white towels to the whites load. If I’m lucky I can eliminate the towel pile altogether that way. I check all all pockets for tissues etc, do up zips then turn all inside out so they don’t fade or rub. Peg them out so they don’t show the peg marks if possible and don’t distort or stretch. When I take them off line, they get turned the right way out that way I don’t have to do it before ironing. I take the stuff that does not need ironing off first and fold it, then ironing goes on top. Once inside I can put the stuff that needs ironing straight to the pile and the rest goes into the relevant persons basket to go away. I have RSI injuries so have to do it in stages.

  • spottsy7

    Did you know you can also use napisan to soak off hard to remove stains from saucepans and roasting pans? Treat the same as for clothing but remember to rinse really well.

  • Anne

    I would not wash mop heads and tea towels together. In fact I don’t like to wash tea towels with anything else except tablecloths.

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1567821466 Renee Mills

    I wash when needed if its going to rain(like this week) i wash everything on the sunny day(like today) and every other week just wash when baskets are full i have a load of whites which is more like a once a week thing and towels when i have enough i need to wash and work uniforms get washed friday night then daughters basket when full and same with ours

  • Judiannd

    I wash tea towels with sheets in a hot wash. Mop heads and other cleaning rags all together, also in a hot wash.

  • Kat

    I could never stick to a routine for washing. I don’t have the room to make piles of dirty washing.
    I do love a good routine though. Heehee.
    My kids and hubby put all their dirty clothes straight inthe basket next to the machine, or the machine itself if I ask….and I wash most colors together..so as soon as the machine is full, a load goes on. And like you Katrina, sheets are washed and put back on the same day. Other than that, I wash tea towels with the clothes, but bathroom towels and rags separately.

  • NekoMama @ nekomama.com.au

    Interesting you wash at night and hang overnight. My husband is very particular about them getting re-wet with morning dew. Ever have this problem?

  • Megan

    I always fold my washing as I take it off the line, as I hate sitting down to a basket full of washing that needs folding before it can be put away. Plus I procrastinate about putting washing away, so if it’s not folded it gets very screwed up sitting in the basket waiting for me to deal with it!
    When I hang my kids clothes on the line, I hang all the t-shirts on one line, the pants on another etc, so that when I take it off I can fold it and place it in piles for each child. Then when I go to put it away, I have a basket of nicely folded washing already in piles of pants, t-shirts etc for each child, easy to put straight into drawers.

  • TamW

    I also have a washing routine. I have 3 baskets in the laundry and a fourth in the bathroom. Whites, Darks (Blues) and Red/Colours in laundry which Miss4 is able to sort and Mr in bathroom for “work” clothes – he’s a landscaper so very muddy/dusty often. Monday: Sheets. Red and Blue load from weekend. Wed: if there is a load I’ll do one. (I work Tue/Wed/Thur and often don’t get time.) I do put all washing to soak from daycare in afternoons ready for washing. Fri: Red load in am before swimming. Towels from bathroom and swimming after I get home. and often a Blue load in pm. Sat: Dad’s Work clothes and a White load. I try and fold the clothes as soon as they are off the line (we don’t have any room to hide the clothes and hate them looking at me in the baskets and iron only as I need things).

  • Tab

    While we don’t really have a routine yet (still adjusting to our 10 month old – so much laundry!), my little tip is about washing baskets. We live in an apartment building and would constantly forget to take a washing basket down with us to the washing lines, so I started using the big blue ikea bags (that cost under $2) to take down washing and then I peg it to the line next to the washing :) We found they can hold up to 3 loads of washing at one time.

  • Gracee

    Katrina, I am continually inspired by your posts but I have a five month old and a two year old and live in a two story house with the laundry downstairs. I am struggling to keep up with the LOADS of towels, wraps, nightclothes, day clothes to wash, and then there’s hanging them on the line and folding!!! How did you do it when your kids were smaller? X

  • Louise

    I like to do small loads everyday or close to it, but I dont do any colour sorting. I’ll do a separate wash for towels and one for sheets once a week but everything else gets chucked in together. I hang it out in groups (ie. 2 lines for Miss 8, 2 lines for Mr 5 the rest for hubby & me) and then I fold it all as it goes in the basket in the order of the lines so as I walk in the house Miss 8′s is on top as her bedroom is the first one I come to, Mr 5 second, etc. Its amazing how a few little steps can make a huge difference as the small loads all folded and in order are so quick to put away.

  • Peta

    I generally put my washing on at 10pm – as this is the cheap power time – and then hang it out first thing in the morning [6am] makes it time effective and cost effective :) however sheets I do the same as you so these are done as the kids get up and generally on the weekend :)

  • laura

    i have a different washing routine. I always do a load at night ready to dry the next morning. I seperate the kids clothes (usually about 3 times a week) Mine and my husbands clothes, towels and sheets.

  • Dwife

    I just upend the whole basket of washing into the washing machine, towels, colours, everything!! No fabric softner. Im a bad housewife lol
    Seriously though, If I had to only wash colours once a week we would all run out of clothes to wear!

  • Kerry

    Excellent tips – thank you so much! Which Napisan do you use to soak out stains – I’m new to Australia and so not familiar with which Napisan is best for which job! Thanks in advance.

    • http://www.theorganisedhousewife.com.au Katrina

      off the top of my head it’s the nappisan oxyaction, it’s the powder form in a pink container

      • kerry

        Thanks!

  • RachB

    Tip…put the washing in the machine the night before and if you have a timer, put the timer on for breakfast time. Then once everyone has had breakfast and got out the door the washing will be ready to hang out.

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