Well this is an interesting take on time management. I guess you can find someplace to save time in just about any situation! In this article, the author talks about how to save time doing the laundry. Of course using all of the tips requires having a specific type of lifestyle, unless you can find some spare preschoolers around. Anyway, read on for more on how to save time ding the laundry, as well as why it is important to not skip this aspect of your life in terms of saving time. Read on for more.
Summer is quickly approaching. Who wants to spend so much time dealing with the laundry that accumulates from all those summer activities your family will be participating in? Whether the kids go to camp or hang out with family and friends, there is lots of extra laundry. Bathing suits, towels, shirts with ice cream spilled on them, grass stains – you get the idea. Who has the time?
There are ways that you can deal with all that laundry and still have time to enjoy the summer but you need to carve out some time to do it.
First, instead of doing all the laundry over the weekend, break it down into small tasks that can be undertaken throughout the week. You can create a schedule to divide up different types of loads on certain days. For example, darks on Mondays, whites on Wednesdays, towels on Thursdays, sheets on Fridays. This way, you are doing just one load a day.
You can sort the clothes in the morning, put a load in the washer in the morning before you leave for work. When you get home from work, put that load into the dryer before dinner. After dinner, fold the load and put it away. Begin the same process the next day.
Ask your children to help you out. You’re thinking, yeah right! Well, it’s possible. Just make sure the task is age appropriate.
Preschoolers can help you sort by color and gather items off the floor. Once they enter grade school, they can take on more responsibility. Consider listing a some laundry reminders above their hamper. For example, “Turn Your clothes right-side out before throwing them in here”; “Check your pockets”. When the kids are older, you can give them a pre-treatment product like Stain Stick to keep near their hamper and ask them to treat both sides of the stained garment right away. This will save you a step when you are doing the wash, and the sooner the better when it comes to getting those stains out.
You can save time when running the washer and dryer. Try using the shorter cycle on your washer. The light setting is best when clothes are lighter in fabric and not “heavily soiled”. This cycle runs for only 6 to 8 minutes. If doing more than one load at a time, keep the dryer running from one load to another. Because the dryer is already heated up, subsequent loads will dry faster. Start with the lighter weight clothes and end with heavier items like jeans. Also, don’t overload or under load the dryer. Filling it half way is optimal for maximum efficiency.
In order to cut down on the amount of time you need to spend ironing, be sure to untangle the clothes before throwing them in the dryer. Then, remove your clothes promptly from the dryer. If they have been laying in the dryer for a while, turn the dryer onto a low setting, adding a damp cloth, just to get the wrinkles out.
In order to avoid creating large piles of clean clothes, divide them up so each member of the household has their own basket. Then, fold them, hang them and put them away, right away! If you hate folding, and you have sufficient room, hang up most of your clothes. Have empty hangers available in the front of your closet to save time.
Using these tips will help you save lots of time when dealing with your laundry. So, get out there and enjoy your Summer!
Audrey Cupo is a full time professional organizer and the owner of “A Better Space” based in Bucks County, PA. Aside from writing articles, several blogs, and a monthly newsletter, Audrey provides in-home organizing services and has a full line of “U Can Do It”products as based upon the strageties she has used for herself for over 25 years as well as her years of experience setting up personalized organizing systems for her clients. Visit her website at http://www.4abetterspace.com to learn more.
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Publish Date: 06/01/2010
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