I’ve discovered that I can save energy by sorting the laundry while the piles are small and manageable. I also put the piles in the order of the ages of family members. Then I don’t have to figure where each pile is.
—SANDRA FELTON
The New Messies Manual
One Monday, Katie waved her kids off to school and walked into the house through the back door. She nearly tripped over a pile of dirty towels and muttered to herself, “Seems like these piles just grow when I’m not looking. Didn’t I just do the laundry on Friday?”
Being an energetic woman, she tossed the towels into the washing machine and decided to sort the rest of the baskets right then. As she pulled apart the last overflowing pile, she stopped in midair. How come this laundry never gets done? I may end up spending every morning for the rest of my life doing this, she thought.
Across town, I was organizing her mother’s closet. Myrna had a closet full of nice clothes, but it needed to be organized and thinned out. We worked steadily to organize the hanging clothes, line up shoes and purses, refold sweaters and tops, and create a large pile of giveaway items that Myrna no longer liked or used. By noon, we were almost finished when Katie called.
“Mom, I’ve got to pick up Emily from the kindergarten bus, and I only got a couple loads of wash done. Isn’t there a better way?”
Myrna invited me in on the phone call, and we agreed that they were each dealing with two ends of the same time-consuming spectrum—keeping up with clothes. Managing a wardrobe makes laundry and organizing closets go hand in hand. The challenge is to find better ways to simplify both systems until they work for you, instead of you for them.
Tackling the Laundry
I assured Katie that laundry piles could be managed and needn’t fill her days or take over her life. I also redirected her sights by describing how satisfying it would be to wake up with all the clothes neatly hanging in the closet and folded in the drawers. “It’s amazing how much easier mornings will go when the family doesn’t have to hunt around for the clothes they want to wear,” I said. “Everything they want is where it should be and ready to go.”
Same-Day Laundry Principle
As Katie and Myrna continued to listen on the phone, I shared my story that led to my “same-day laundry principle.”
One summer I was teaching a five-part class about getting organized. After I had given classes on the principles and systems of successful meals and cleaning, the women told me how delighted they were with the changes they were making at home.
Feeling confident because of their enthusiastic responses, I launched into explaining the next system, doing laundry. Instantly, the mood in the room changed. I saw thirty women fold their arms and roll their eyes.
I learned a valuable lesson that day: Women will let you teach them anything, except how to do their laundry. They believe they have a good system just because they are multitasking while the washing machine is going. That’s not necessarily true.
Instead of further instruction on a “right” way to do laundry, however, I challenged the class to consider their existing laundry system against the following principle: You have a successful laundry system if the clothes that go in the washing machine complete the four steps of washing, drying, folding, and being put away—in the same day!
At this point, all the women laughed because they had at least one laundry basket full of clean clothes waiting to be put away, or still sitting in the dryer. But to their credit, they were open to hearing me describe why my same-day laundry principle was the best way to go.
“SAME DAY” LAUNDRY PRINCIPLE
You have a successful laundry system if the clothes that go in the washing machine complete the four steps of washing, drying, folding, and being put away—in the same day!
When I described my same-day principle to Katie, she wanted to know more about how to actually accomplish that goal. With pens in hand, we began to strategize right over the phone.
Save Time before You Start
Our first step was to determine the number of loads that needed to be done. We took this amount and planned it over the whole week. Our goal was to avoid the overwhelming amount of laundry that Katie faced each Monday morning.
Katie thought she had seven loads of wash each week for her family. The breakdown went like this:
• Whites (two loads)
• Darks (one load)
• Towels (two loads)
• Bed linens (two loads)
Katie was home during the week, but she was very busy on the weekends with the kids’ sports and running errands with her husband. So we arranged her laundry schedule for Monday through Friday, leaving the weekend to spend with her family instead of her wash.
Stay-at-Home Mom with Seven Loads of Laundry
(Wash from Monday through Friday.)
| MONDAY | TUESDAY | WEDNESDAY | THURSDAY | FRIDAY | SATURDAY | SUNDAY |
| two loads: whites, towels | two loads: darks, sheets- parents and daughter | X | one load: sheets from both sons | two loads: whites, towels | X | X |
“But I am thinking about going back to work soon,” Katie said. “I worry if I set up a schedule like this, it will all have to change when I go to work, and then I will have to spend my entire weekend doing wash.” To allay her fears about being a working mom and never catching up, we made out another schedule.
Working Mom with Seven Loads of Laundry
(Wash in the evenings and on Saturdays.)
| MONDAY | TUESDAY | WEDNESDAY | THURSDAY | FRIDAY | SATURDAY | SUNDAY |
| two loads: whites, towels | X | X | two loads: whites, darks | X | three loads: towels and two loads of sheets | X |
Instead of doing all seven loads on Saturday and Sunday, Katie could see how she could spread out the loads during the week and still be done by noon on Saturday. If an evening event came up, all she had to do was rotate the wash to the day before or after the scheduled day.
No longer would Katie have to feel defeated or surprised about finding wet towels in the washing machine. She now had a system, and she could control it. With a laundry schedule posted on three-by-five cards in the laundry room and beside the clothes hampers, she could remind the family the day before of what was getting washed and look forward to getting it out of the way.
Katie put a clock on the wall above the washer and dryer and also used a kitchen timer to remind her when to move the load. She allowed thirty minutes for washing, thirty minutes for the dryer, and thirty minutes for folding and putting it away. It became easier to figure out how much time in a day her wash would take:
one load = 1.5 hours
two loads = two hours*
three loads = 2.5 hours*
*By adding a load of wash every time one went to the dryer, it only added a half-hour each time.
Ten Timesaving Laundry Tips
While laundry will be an ongoing part of life, it doesn’t have to be never ending. Here are some tips to stay on track through the most difficult parts: sorting and putting away.
1. Place a wall clock above the washer and dryer.
2. Be ready to move clothes to the next step after thirty minutes.
3. Wash those items first that require the most sorting afterward.
4. Minimize wrinkles by immediately folding warm clothes from the dryer.
5. Save time by making the bed with the sheets straight from the dryer.
6. Stack clean towels by bathrooms to speed up delivery.
7. Leave the washer lid open as a signal to empty the dryer.
8. Save steps by keeping a lint box or wastebasket nearby.
9. Hang the empty laundry basket on a hook.
10. Close the lid after your last load and congratulate yourself for finishing all your laundry for the day!
Decorate your laundry room to be a pleasant place. A pretty wall hanging, some paint, a mirror, or even a family vacation photo will brighten your day as you wash and put away clothes.
Minimal Laundry Needs
Myrna had been listening patiently to my conversation with her daughter, but she and her husband had very little wash to do. “Laundry isn’t a problem for me,” she said afterward, “but is there something I should know?”
With such a light schedule, I told her, it wasn’t necessary to assign days, but it would be helpful to figure out a way to minimize washing everything each week. I suggested listing what she needed and then operating on a rotating A and B week schedule.
I pointed out that Myrna and Katie could save twenty-five loads of wash in a year if they washed some loads only every other week. For example, they could purchase enough white underwear, socks, and T-shirts and wash them every other week. Here is a sample chart:
A and B Weeks for Fewer Loads of Wash
A Week: Two loads, plus hand wash = whites, darks, and hand wash.
B Week: Three loads, plus ironing = towels, sheets, shirts, and ironing.
For both ladies, writing and posting the schedule on three-by-five cards by the washing machine (and the clothes hamper) simplified their lives. For the first time in a long while, Myrna and Katie felt in control of how much time they spent on laundry.
Ironing or Wrinkles?
For those who iron, like Myrna and sometimes Katie, there are two different philosophies at work:
• Ironing weekly. Some people like to do all of their ironing at one time. This is a good method if you have enough clothes for a week for yourself and family members. You can also iron while watching TV or catching up on phone calls.
• Ironing daily. For those who prefer to iron each day, try not to keep the ironing board set up all the time. An ironing board can be a huge clutter item that detracts from a peaceful home.
Katie found she could also minimize her ironing if she purchased clothes with a small percentage of synthetic content. This meant that they looked fresher without ironing.
Organizing Closets
By midafternoon, Myrna and I had finished organizing her walk-in closet. When we were finished, she couldn’t contain herself any longer. She had to call her daughter.
“Katie, you have to come over and see my closet,” she said. “You won’t believe it. It’s so organized that it looks like Nordstrom’s!”
Katie and little Emily came right over, and we gave them a tour of the “cleanest walk-in closet in the neighborhood.” Their eyes lit up as they congratulated Myrna on her beautiful closet. Naturally, Katie wondered how we did it, so I shared the three-step process with her:
Step 1: Organize and Simplify Hanging Clothes
For a fresh closet makeover, Myrna and I worked from left to right on the hanging rod, organizing a section at a time. Sometimes it was easier to pull a whole section out and rehang items in the right category; other times there was enough room to just move the hangers into the right spot. We spent the most time placing the jackets, blouses, and slacks in their own categories and from dark to light colors. Myrna used matching hangers to give everything a clean, crisp look, including spacing the hangers one-half to one inch apart.
“But then we did the best part,” Myrna told her daughter. “We counted and wrote down the number of blouses, slacks, and dresses I owned. Wow! I had a lot more than I thought. When I divided the total number of dresses by the estimated number of times I wore them, I realized I had way too many.”
“So what did you do about it?” Katie asked.
“We pulled out each hanger and asked, ‘Do I like this, and do I still want to wear it?’
That made it easy to put things in a giveaway pile right next to a dry-clean pile and a to-fix pile. I feel so relieved to have all my favorites in my closet where I can find them and the so-so items being passed to someone else who can use them.”
Katie was impressed at her mother’s organized and simplified closet, and even little Emily clapped with glee before she sat down on the clean floor. “Look, Grandma, I can play here!”
Step 2: Vacuum the Floor and Organize Shoes
Myrna continued. “After we did all the hanging clothes, we pulled out everything on the floor and vacuumed thoroughly. Oh, the dust! I even found a pair of my favorite shoes that I had been looking for.”
By lining up all the shoes from dressy to casual and from dark to light, Myrna could see what she had. We revived a discarded shoe rack until she could shop for a contemporary shoe holder that would be convenient to slip her shoes into.
From the floor we discarded forgotten bags of items and old purses. We gathered up sewing materials and placed them elsewhere in the house. We even found a few forgotten Christmas gifts. I reminded Myrna that her closet was for clothes and dressing each day, not a storage catchall.
Step 3: Refold and Simplify Shelving Items
After sorting the hanging clothes and the closet floor, Myrna knew what she had, which made it easier to decide what to keep on her shelving. She pulled sweaters, T-shirts, and athletic wear down, cleaned the shelves with soapy water, and pondered what to keep and what could go.
“Go back to our two rules,” I said, as I repeated them for her:
• Keep only what you like and use.
• Keep clothes that reflect your current lifestyle.
When Myrna looked at her large collection of hats and visors that matched her tennis outfits, she sighed and dropped them in the giveaway bag. “With my arthritis, I guess my tennis days are over. But that’s okay, I have enough clothes to go out to lunch with my girlfriends instead.”
On the shelves we arranged her current purses from dark to light, and we refolded sweaters so that one rounded “decorative edge” faced smoothly forward. Sportswear and lounging clothes were placed according to frequency of use. We used lower shelving if those clothes were worn each week or drawers if there wasn’t enough rod space. Less-used items were stored on the highest shelf in labeled boxes.
The Best Day to Clean Closets
There is one day that is the best to weed out the family clothes closets. Do you know what that day is? Katie was amazed to hear me tell her that it is laundry day—because everything the family likes is in the washing machine, and the least-favorite items are still in the closet. Those are the clothes you want to scrutinize and consider giving away.
If you haven’t worn something in the past six months, consider giving it to a friend or charity. People in your community and around the world need clothes, so make someone happy while gaining some valuable space in your closet. You can also receive a tax deduction for giving clothes to charity. Be sure to keep a list for your records.
After weeding out your clothes, it’s time to organize your closet. For an organized look, get matching hangers, and always place the empty ones at one end of the rod. Now make sure all the items are laundered and in the closet. That way everything is there, and you can start simplifying the closet contents.
Remember, most people wear 20 percent of their total wardrobe 80 percent of the time. Get rid of the unworn 80 percent excess by passing it on to someone who can use it. An organized closet is priceless for creating a stress-free environment each morning.
Establish an in-and-out rule. Every time a new item comes into the house, show an old item the door.
KATHY PEEL, family manager
Expert Challenge Level
• In deep drawers, “stairstep” stacking items, like T-shirts or pants, so you can see one inch of every item from top to bottom. Use shoeboxes or plastic containers in drawers to hold small items in place.
• Get a picture from a magazine or catalog and fold your clothes the same appealing way. Each stacked item should have the smooth “decorative edge” showing, with multiple edges from sleeves in sweaters or the edges of towels toward the back.
• Keep a numbered inventory of items in each category (such as tops, slacks, sweaters, nylons, and jackets). If you don’t have to wear the same thing twice in the next three weeks, you probably have enough clothes.
• Minimize sorting time by putting a hamper, lightweight basket, or laundry bag in each bedroom closet. You can fill up their load of whites by washing their bedsheets at the same time.
THREE-STEP CLOSET ORGANIZING
You will enjoy waking up to an organized closet after you clean thoroughly. Keep—and wear—your favorite things that make you feel good. Pass on things you don’t like or use.
1. Group hanging items by category and put unused items in a donation bag.
2. Empty, vacuum, and neatly return the floor items.
3. Clean off the shelves and put back only what you like and use.
The Fabulous 52-Week Simplifying Technique
Myrna and Katie realized there was more to organizing clothes than just dealing with the closet. Katie wondered how she could organize her bathroom cabinet, which was filled with her makeup, shampoo bottles, and zillions of hair things for Emily. “It seems like I’m always in a rush when I need to find something, and then I never have time to organize them,” said Katie.
“ ‘The fabulous 52-week simplifying technique’ is the secret for busy people,” I replied. “I heard about this from one of my audience participants, who had to be the busiest, yet most put-together working mom I have ever seen. She said the secret to staying organized was to clean out one drawer or shelf every Sunday night, which was the only uncommitted time she had as a single mom. This helped her stay ahead of the clutter in her home and gave her a sense of order at the start of the week.”
If you clean out one drawer every week, you can simplify everything relating to clothes, laundry, and getting dressed. Following is a more detailed explanation of how it works.
The Next Ten Things to Simplify
Find a calendar just for your dressing area where you can keep a ten-item list going. Resolve to accomplish one simplifying project a week, such as Friday morning, Saturday morning, or Sunday night. Here are ten examples for your personalized fabulous 52-week simplifying list:
1. Organize your jewelry drawer (earrings, necklaces, and bracelets).
2. Simplify and clean items in your makeup drawer.
3. Organize and toss extra items under the bathroom sinks, such as unused shampoos and cleaning supplies.
4. Refold your sweaters and tops on the shelves.
5. Sort and match your belts with your shoes, and give away the excess.
6. Wash nylons and place in divided compartments for easy retrieval.
7. Sort and simplify everyone’s sock drawers (one person a week).
8. Fold and restock everyone’s underwear (one person a week).
9. Clean out and dust your nightstand and dresser tops.
10. Simplify the medicine cabinet.
You get the idea—keep organizing the “little things” to make a big difference. You’ll feel so happy the next time you open an organized drawer that you’ll say, “I own this space!” The secret is to do this at a regular time each week so that you won’t forget.
| Katie | •Get laundry under control. | •Master the same-day laundry principle. | •Simplify laundry
needs. •Have a consistent schedule. |
•Do the wash on
regular days.
• Keep tops of the washer and dryer clear |
| Myrna | •Organize closets and simplify. | •Practice the fabulous 52-week system to keep closets and drawers simple. | • Hang all clothes
in their proper
category.
• Utilize a giveaway bag or basket in your closet. |
•Wear what you
like and love.
• Put clothes away instead of putting them down. |
Final Thought
A laundry system should be simple, straightforward, and leave your home looking clutter-free. The laundry baskets get put away, and the tops of the washer and dryer become as polished as the dining room table. The system is truly simple once you take the time to plan it out and use it.
The time you save getting ready each morning is worth the extra effort to get everything put away in one day. Clutter-free, organized closets invite you and your family to look your best. And simply put, an organized laundry system and closets relieve stress because everything is in its place before you start your day.
Personal Reflection
Ask yourself the following questions to see where you rate:
______ 1. Is your laundry folded and put away?
______ 2. Are the tops of your washer and dryer clear right now?
______ 3. Do you know how many loads of wash you do each week?
______ 4. Are your clothes clean and ready to wear whenever you need them?
______ 5. Do you regularly give clothes away to a charity for people who need them?
If you answered yes to all the above questions, your systems are all working, and you have a simplified life in this area.
A final thought: Does it matter if your laundry is folded and put away the same day it’s washed? You bet it does. Just check the stress level of your family the next morning when you don’t.
Completed laundry + an organized closet =
Time saved and a wonderful sense of accomplishment!
A Simple Prayer of Love in Action
Dear God, You know there are baskets of laundry waiting to be folded and put away. When I face the laundry and closet disarray, remind me that helping my family dress their best is a way I can show them I love them. Help me to care for others with my actions and not just my words. Amen.
Of course, we would all like to be appreciated and effective at the same time. If you have to choose between the two, be effective and let God be the One who appreciates you.
—PAM FARREL, A Woman God Can Use