These clever time-saving laundry hacks will help you create a realistic laundry routine that eliminates overwhelm. You’ll learn how to make laundry take less time and the best way to do less laundry.
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It’s no secret that the easiest way to keep up with the laundry is to have fewer clothes.
That’s why I regularly get rid of clothing we no longer wear and I’m cautious about the clothes we buy so we don’t waste money on clothing that never gets worn.
When you’re a busy mom with toddlers many times you don’t have the time, energy, or motivation to do laundry.
But here’s the thing…
Laundry doesn’t have to make you put your head in a pillow and scream.
Let’s talk about how to keep up with the laundry so it doesn’t feel so overwhelming.
What is a good laundry schedule?
Depending on the size of your family, it may be a good strategy to do one load of laundry per day.
I like to put the clothes in the washer in the morning, switch them to the dryer in the afternoon, and put them away in the evening.
This way I can create the habit of doing laundry every day so it doesn’t pile up.
How can I make my laundry take less time?
Here are the simplest ways to cut your laundry time in half.
Stop sorting
The technology in washers and dryers is more advanced so sorting your clothes by color is no longer necessary.
It can still be helpful to sort your clothing by fabric type (delicates, towels, etc.), but you can skip sorting lights and darks.
We use these laundry detergent sheets and wash clothing in cold water to keep our whites bright and colors crisp.
Washing your clothes in cold water can also save you money.
According to GE Appliances, “By not heating the water in your washing machine, you may reduce your energy costs with every load. An estimated 75 to 90 percent of all the energy your washer uses goes to warming up the water, so switching to colder water can lower your gas or electric bill.”
Stop folding
Folding laundry felt like a necessary evil if I wanted my clothes to look nice and organized without wrinkles.
But not only was it taking me forever to fold everything, it was hard to find what I was looking for because I would have to unfold 4 black shirts to find the one I was looking for or I had to try to fold it a certain way so I could see the design.
Both of which are not a good use of my limited time.
Now I use the no-fold laundry method. Small items like undergarments and clothing accessories like scarves go in bins and everything else gets hung up in the closet.
Hanging up your clothes also helps to prevent wrinkles so you can skip ironing or throwing your clothes in the dryer on the wrinkle-release setting before you rush out the door.
This simple system of no longer folding has allowed my 3-year-old to put away her own laundry since she was 1-year old which also saves me time.
How can I have fun while doing laundry?
Have you heard of something called temptation bundling? It’s when you pair a fun task with a not-so-fun task.
I like to listen to a podcast or audiobook while I put away the laundry.
This way I look forward to the task because I get to listen to something I’ve been wanting to hear.
I use the podcast or audiobook as a reward except I don’t put away the laundry then reward myself. I reward myself while I’m doing the task which motivates me to get started.
Find something you’re looking forward to like watching Netflix and make yourself wait until you put away the laundry to watch the show or movie.
How many loads of laundry is normal per week?
This depends on the amount of clothes your family wears, but I think a load per day is normal (if not more) which would equal at least 7 loads of laundry per week.
Typically I wash a load of clothing every other day and I wash our bedding and towels once a week.
As a family of 4, I don’t wash clothes every day because I make sure we only keep the clothes we wear and we donate the clothes that would somehow end up getting washed even though they’re clean.
What is the fastest way to catch up on laundry?
The fastest way to catch up on laundry is to take it one load at a time. The laundry didn’t pile up in one day and it won’t get cleaned in one day.
Here’s the process I would start to create a consistent routine:
- Day one
- Put a load of laundry in the washer.
- Day two
- Switch the load in the washer over to the dryer.
- Put a new load in the washer.
- Day 3
- Put away the clothes from the dryer.
- Throw the clothes from the washer into the dryer
- Add a new load of laundry in the washer.
With this method, you start small and create a rhythm where each day you put away clean clothes and start a new load of laundry so you don’t fall behind.
9 clever time-saving laundry hacks for busy moms with toddlers
Now, let’s dive into the 9 time-saving laundry hacks that will help you stay ahead of the massive pile of laundry (clean or dirty!).
1. Organize your laundry room
Make your laundry room somewhere you enjoy being. If you walk into the laundry room and it feels overwhelming you’re not going to want to be in there.
Make simple tweaks like putting the detergent in cute jars or labeling items.
Remember that you want it to not just look great but also be functional. If you’re not going to restock the cute jars and containers then don’t buy them.
Keeping your home organized shouldn’t feel like a job. Make it simple and practical.
2. Get rid of extra clothing
When you have less clothing there will be less laundry. If laundry feels overwhelming there’s a high chance that your family has way too much clothing.
If you want a step-by-step method to simplify decluttering clothing I recommend this.
3. Have your children do their laundry
My daughter has been doing her laundry since she turned one.
We use labeled bins and she throws the clothes in the correct bin.
I started teaching her how to hang up things like jackets and rompers when she was around 2 years old.
Now that she’s 3 years old she takes her basket of clean clothes into her room and puts them away without any assistance.
4. Invest in bigger appliances
I view appliances as an investment because they save you time and energy.
If you wash a lot of laundry it could save you money in the long run by doing 5 big loads of laundry instead of 10 small loads.
5. Use mesh bags
I’m sure you’ve experienced your socks being sent to a secret universe somewhere between the washer and dryer.
These mesh bags will keep small items safe and secure.
Whenever it’s time to do the laundry, put the items in the bag and throw the entire mesh bag into the washer and dryer.
Everything will be easy to find and put away.
6. Use a lint bin
This cute lint bin speeds up the drying process by collecting the lint instead of you taking it to the trash can each time.
Place it on the wall by your dryer and collect all the lint and empty it when it gets full.
This will easily save a few precious seconds or minutes.
7. Only have one dirty clothes hamper
I’ve seen where people recommend a dirty clothes hamper for everyone in the house but since my kids are still young I prefer to have one hamper for dirty clothes.
When the hamper gets full it’s time to start a load of laundry, which for us is about every other day.
Using one hamper helps me keep the mess contained instead of trying to gather clothing from multiple hampers in multiple rooms.
8. Only have one basket for clean clothes
The more baskets I have for clean clothes the longer I let the clean laundry pile up before I put it away.
If you only have one basket for clean clothes you’ll have to start putting clothes in other places and that feels like a hassle.
I don’t like having clothes on the couch, table, etc so when the basket gets full I have to put away the clothes because I usually have more clothes in the washer and dryer.
This simple hack helps me keep my laundry routine operating smoothly.
9. Sock matchmaker
This sock dock will help you keep the socks together to make sure they don’t get lost throughout the washing and drying process.
Quick recap…
These clever time-saving laundry hacks will help you defeat, overwhelm and tackle that large, never-ending pile of clothes.
The simplest way to stay ahead of the laundry is to have fewer clothes.
This step-by-step process will show you how to declutter without getting rid of everything.
