My Favorite Things That Make Laundry Day Less Tedious
I hate washing clothes, so I usually send mine to a service center to avoid having to do it at all. However, sometimes this just isn’t possible and I have to wash and fold a ton of clothes. I don’t believe in unnecessary suffering, so I invested some time and money into making this never-ending task less tedious and overwhelming. Here are some products to help make your laundry day more efficient.
Rethink your shopping cart
I’ve said this before, but you need to make it difficult to update . You’ll need a machine with wheels (or at least some sort of shoulder strap) so you can easily get your laundry to the machine, whether it’s in another room or in an outdoor laundry room. Ideally, you should also purchase one with sections so you can sort them by color, family member, or type of clothing. In general, look for something like this:
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Keeping your clothes organized and getting them into the machine easily is just the first step to more efficient laundry. What you use when washing your clothes is also important. My first recommendation is the SockDock, which I’ve had for about two years and has completely eliminated the need to pick up my socks after washing.
It’s really simple: it’s an elastic cord on a hook shaped like a leg with dividers along it. I keep mine by the hamper and place each pair of socks I take off right in one of the spots along the cord. When washed, the whole unit pops out, but the socks stay glued together, so when you take it out, they’ll already be in pairs. The time savings after each wash are significant.
There are other ways to keep your socks organized during the wash, such as individual sock clips ($17.90 for 20) or mesh bags ($19.79 for four bags with seven compartments each). I prefer the SockDock because it’s unpretentious; I just attach my socks to it and I’m done without having to zip up a bunch of compartments. However, mesh bags are useful for storing a variety of items, including socks and beyond, such as underwear, headbands, sleep masks, bonnets, hair ties, or any other small fabric items that need to be washed.
Speaking of mesh bags, look for one that is specifically designed for shoes. Washing shoes can be stressful due to the clattering of the machine, which is noisy and can damage both your shoes and your appliances. Use this bag instead as it attaches to the inside of your washing machine door, preventing shoes from getting tossed around.
Another option is these really fluffy bags that keep your shoes and washing machine safe by surrounding them with padding ($29.99). With them, your shoes will still fly, but it won’t harm your car. While you’re at it, grab the Baseball Cap Washing Cage ($9.99). It’s shaped like a hat, so it helps them keep their shape while they tumble around in cars. I’ve been using them since I was a kid and the design hasn’t changed much in 30 years, but that’s simply because when something isn’t broken, you don’t have to fix it.
I also recommend purchasing a stacking hanger and keeping it in your closet. When you remove clothing, place the hanger on a stacker rather than leaving it in the closet. Then, when laundry day comes, take the stack to the laundry room so you can hang everything as soon as it comes out of the dryer, instead of lugging it back to the closet, pulling out each hanger individually and then putting it back in again. You’ll save time and get rid of fewer wrinkles. A pack of two is only $13.88 .
Finally, if you’ve been thinking about purchasing a folding board, my advice is to just go for it. Folding clothes is one of the most boring parts of laundry, if not the most boring. Even if you’re really good at it, it’s repetitive and time-consuming. Simply place your clothes on the hanging board, fold the sides a few times, and be surprised how quickly you’ll have a stack of shirts or pants in the same size, ready to fit into your drawer.