We are all different and everyone has a unique laundry routine. The routine majorly depends on the availability of a portable washing machine, space, time and opinion on dirty clothes.
After buying my portable washing machine, I struggled a lot to clean and dry mountains of dirty laundry.
Eventually, I discovered a simplified but more effective laundry routine. I have to say – it really came in handy!
Before I found this routine, I used to wait for dirty clothes to pile up. I’d go for one or two weeks without doing the laundry. Later, I’d dedicate a whole weekend to cleaning and drying them. I would spend long hours in the laundry room, which would leave me exhausted.
Then my friend Faith came to visit me on a weekend. Shocked by how busy and tired I was, she advised me to change my laundry routine to avoid stress.
We’d thereafter brainstorm ideas to make a better laundry routine. Although it took a lot of trial and error and plenty tweaks, I eventually got it right.
Nowadays, laundry is the least of my worries. I can do it while reading or cooking or managing other chores, and needless to say, it doesn’t leave me worked up anymore.
Want to hear all about my amazing routine?
Let’s jump in.
Morning Routine
I wake up at around 5.30 A.M. Immediately after I wake up. I collect laundry baskets from every room. I then rush downstairs to the laundry room and sort out clothes depending on the colors and soils. Mostly, I also separate the clothes into two loads; bright and dark clothes.
After sorting them out, I place the first load in my portable washing machine, turn it on and go back upstairs. The machine takes around 30 minutes on an average cycle. It has a loud sound that alerts me when it is done. The sound can be heard from upstairs even when the TV is on.
By this time, it’s often around 6.15 A.M. I am done with my morning reading and I am getting ready for a workout. I rush to the laundry room, remove the first load from the washer and put it inside the dryer, before turning it on.
I then put in the second load of clothing in the portable washer and turn it on. I adjust the settings of every load depending on the load size and the water level.
I work out for around 30 minutes, by this time the portable washing machine and the dryer are done with their cycles. I go back to the laundry room, remove the clothes from the dryer and place them inside one of the laundry baskets.
I then take the load that was in the washing machine and put it in the dryer. For those clothes which are better off when they are air-dried. I put them on the clothes drying rack.
I then proceed with my daily routine. Freshen up and rush to work.
Evening Routine
When I am coming back from work, my first stopover is in the laundry room.
I remove the second load from the dryer and place it inside the laundry basket. I ensure that I sort out the clothes based on the owner. Every person has a laundry basket.
I then move around placing the laundry baskets in every room and placing the clothes in the drawers.
The whole process takes around 20 minutes.
After I am done, I proceed to prepare dinner.
Weekend Routine
On weekdays, I majorly dwell on cleaning clothes and socks for my family. This includes my kids, my husband and me.
On weekends I deal with cleaning bedding, towels and cleaning cloths such as tea towels. Unlike my friend Faith who cleans her bathing towels every day, I do it once per week.
I clean and dry them very well to ensure that there is no unpleasant odor.
I have a bucket next to my portable washing machine that is specifically meant for dirty towels.
As for beddings, they get in contact with our sweaty and oily bodies daily. Thus I clean then weekly to remove all the dirt.
It is always best to check the care label of each cloth.
Nowadays I have plenty of time to spend with my family and friends. I no longer have huge loads of clothes that frustrate me on weekends.
Laundry Tips
The whole process of shifting from a messy laundry routine to a simplified and more effective routine was a learning process. I got so many insightful and enlightening tips on how to do the laundry.
Apart from a simple routine, here are some laundry tips you can adopt to make doing the laundry more effective.
- Use the right amount of detergent
To avoid too many suds, use the right amount of detergent. Using too much detergent increases the suds. These suds trap soils.
If you have a front loader that has a bad odor, using less detergent will help.
- Choose the right detergent
Liquid detergents are more effective than powder detergents. They penetrate the soils and remove the stains completely.
Powder detergents don’t dissolve well in cold water.
- Select the right temperature
Select the right temperature for each type of clothing. As for bulky clothes such as towels and beddings, it is best to clean them using the hot water setting.
For delicate clothes such as underwear and bras select the delicate setting. This will help prevent them from stretching and losing their shapes. You can also hand wash delicate clothes using cold water.
Apart from delicate clothes, you can also clean bleeding garments and items that shrink using cold water. This will reduce utility costs.
Clean moderately soiled human-made clothes using warm water.
- Avoid wrinkles
There are various techniques that you can use to avoid wrinkles. Remove the clothes from the dryer immediately the dryer completes the cycle. If you forget, re-run the dryer for ten to fifteen minutes. Also, select the lowest temperature to dry your clothes.
Shake out clothes after removing them from the dryer.
Avoid drying cotton and woolen clothes in the dryer. Remove them from the dryer when they are still damp and air-dry them.
Final Word
Doing laundry is a dreadful task that is inevitable. However, you can adopt strategies to make it more manageable and doable.
I was a victim of a disorganized laundry routine. I struggled with huge loads of clothes. On weekends, I was busy cleaning all the clothes and drying them. It was strenuous and time-consuming.
Since I adopted a simple and effective laundry routine, doing the laundry is no longer an uphill task. I clean small and manageable loads. I adjust the settings of my portable washing machine and dryer depending on the size of the load.
If doing laundry is becoming more unbearable, you can simplify it by adopting a more effective laundry routine.