How to Keep Up With Laundry in a Large Family

Here are some strategies to help you keep up with laundry in a large family:

Divide and Conquer:

• Sorting Stations: Set up designated laundry baskets for each family member (or colour categories) to avoid sorting a giant pile all at once.

• Laundry Teams: Assign laundry tasks or create a laundry schedule. Older children can help with sorting, folding, or putting away clothes.

Optimise Washing:

• Full Loads, Frequent Washes: Aim to wash full loads whenever possible to maximise machine efficiency. Consider doing multiple smaller loads throughout the week instead of waiting for a massive laundry mountain.

• Quick Wash Cycles: For lightly soiled clothes, utilise quick wash cycles to save time.

• Staggered Laundry Days: If everyone has their own laundry basket, they can each be responsible for washing their clothes on designated days throughout the week. This spreads out the workload and prevents a laundry overload on any single day.

Minimise Folding:

• Hang Clothes Wisely: Encourage hanging clothes directly from the dryer whenever possible, especially wrinkle-resistant items or shirts. This saves folding time and reduces ironing needs.

• Fold Only Essentials: Prioritise folding clothes that are worn frequently. The rest can be left unfolded in drawers or tackled later.

• Folding Stations: Set up a dedicated folding area with baskets or bins for each family member to claim their folded clothes.

Reduce Laundry Needs:

• “Wear Again” Clothes: Encourage family members to wear clothes multiple times before washing, only if they haven’t been heavily soiled.

• Towel Reuse: Limit the number of towels used per person each day. Encourage hanging up towels to dry between uses to extend their time between washes.

• Minimise Delicates: Choose easy-care clothes that don’t require special washing instructions or hand-washing.

• Outsource your laundry: By giving your laundry requirements to a professional service, you are significantly reducing the time, money, and effort that would be expended on cleaning the family’s collective laundry.

Bonus Tips:

• Laundry Basket Liners: Use disposable liners in laundry baskets to contain small items like socks or tissues that might get lost in the washing machine.

• Invest in a Drying Rack: A drying rack can be a lifesaver for delicates or air-dry items that shouldn’t go in the dryer.

• Outsource When Needed: Consider laundry delivery or pick-up services if your budget allows. This can be a lifesaver during particularly busy times.

Remember, focus on progress, not perfection. The goal is to establish a system that works for your family, not necessarily a perfectly organised laundry room. Try to celebrate small wins, acknowledge and celebrate your progress in managing laundry as a large family.

There will be days when the laundry monster wins. Don’t get discouraged, just recommit to your system and keep moving forward.

By implementing these strategies and tailoring them to your family’s specific needs and preferences, you can develop a laundry routine that keeps everyone clothed and minimizes the laundry chaos in your large household.

Do laundry service serve families too?

Yes. Laundry services not only cover commercial and individual laundry needs, they are more than capable of addressing your family’s laundry needs, regardless of the size. Here’s how you can organise it today!

Love2Laundry’s signature laundry service is a lifesaver for our users, whether it is for personal or commercial use. Our process is extremely simple and can be explained in four steps.

1. Head to our website or app, and place your order. Your order includes a date and time you would like us to collect your items.
2. We collect your items at the designated time.
3. We clean your items, and can also dry and iron them, depending on the service you opt for.
4. We return your items to you. Orders are always aimed to be delivered within 24 hours.

The best way to handle laundry