Monday, September 7, 2009

Can I get a little help from my friends? Before it all comes out in the wash?

I have a problem.

I hate doing the laundry.

We are not allowed to use the word "hate" around our house...but I honestly can say "I hate laundry!!!" If I could afford to buy a new outfit for every day for the rest of my days, I would. Or if I could afford for someone to do my washing and drying and folding and putting away for me, well that would be great too.

I just have a second problem...

I'm broke. There is no room in the budget for a servant girl for Mich. Believe me, I've crunched the numbers in hope plenty of times. I get the same answer every time... Mich, you are stuck doing the laundry, like every other good wife and mom. UGH!!!

Today I spent my whole labor day, laboring. If you have read my previous posts, then you know I have a very sick hubs in the house. I did my best on conquering my mountain today, on the off chance, that I catch the dreaded "bug" myself. (As of right now, I'm still feeling fine, but thanks for asking.) Five loads later, I'm still not finished and I realize something has to be done. I am getting "sick" and tired of doing the laundry, flu or not!!!

So, I decided to ask all of you, my good friends for a little help. If I had the money I would fly you here to help me out, but I guess I will have to settle for a little advice instead. PLEASE let me know how you keep on task and on top of the laundry at your house. I'm always curious how others with very active families (my son changes clothes more than once a day!!!) and teenagers (my daughter, with the clothing laying all over the room, clean and dirty mixed together!!!) and husbands (who like to leave their socks by their chair in the living room.) accomplish the never ending task of washing. Any advice on how this very disoraganized mom can better conquer this mountain, would be appreciated!

My second question is this...

Part of my problem is that my washer and dryer are in the hall. I don't have the luxury of a laundry room with a door, where "piles" can stay hidden. In fact you have to walk in front of my appliances to get to the hall bathroom. What a welcomed sight for visiting guests. I've thought of putting some kind of armoire in the hall and fill it with hampers. But other than that I'm out of ideas. Any suggestions? I would love to hear them and all the ways you keep your dirty duds organized...

So, come on friends, send this very frustrated mommymaid, some much needed advice and a few secrets of the trade. Thanks!!!

On a side note... thanks for all your sweet wishes and prayers for Kevin. I think we are over the worst, but he still is not feeling up to his old self. Tomorrow is going to be hard, for we will be heading back to work and school and he has to stay home, by his self. If you know my hubby, he doesn't like sitting around doing nothing and certainly not alone. Now we are just praying the rest of us don't get it. Thanks again for the prayers!

12 comments:

Kendra Lee said...

On a good week, I try to tackle some laundry about every other day... that way it doesn't turn into a mountain... Good weeks happen occasionally now that I'm not working outside the home at all, but still are few and far between... We have a laundry basked in our room (mine n hubs) and one in one of the kid's rooms (it rotates). That's where the dirties collect...

I feel ya on this one, about to try to tackle the mountain today... :( In fact, I was going to tweet, "Thank you Jesus for this mountain of laundry, that we have clothes to wear, running water and are financially able to purchase detergent. Thank you for three kiddos and a hubby that wear all these clothes..." Just to try to keep things in perspective... HA!

Jim said...

Sis,
As you know, your mother is a laundry queen in the best sense of the word. I try to help out by wearing some things more than once, and then find where I put them, they've disappeared into the laundry. Sunday I wore a dress shirt in the morning and was ready to put it on, minus the tie, and she says, get a clean one. More laundry. I asked her this week, how often does she do laundry? Because it is the recurring noise in the house almost daily. She said at least every other day. She does have a regimen she's developed for all housework. Now realizing she's retired and cooking's kind of an individual thing for us, with me whipping up something once in a while, or her takinga turn, but laundry and house cleaning is her particular discipline, and I guess that's the key - discipline to schedule a time around other tasks. Sorting is one part, then picking your time to wash a load while you dry another. A mountain perhaps can be leveled a mole-hill at a time. A place to daily sort whites from colored from etc. with an orientation for help from your "team" to use them. I know, I know, I'm one to talk when I leave a pile hanging. But I'm learning.

I do know we all got spoiled in Bangladesh and Thailand - with maids and laundry men coming to the house to do those things - their wages were a lot less than the standards here.

Ah, Well. as the scriptures say, "look to the mountains from whence cometh" help. He is the Lord of the mountains, even those made of laundry.

You're gonna be your mamma one day - every body makes that transition.

Love you, mountain-girl friend!
Jim-Dad

Kristin said...

It is a neverending thing, isn't it? I do have the luxury of a laundry room, but I have one of those laundry sorters that has 3 compartments for dirty laundry to sort whites from darks. My kids are trained to throw their clothes in there or their hamper upstairs. My husband and I each have our own basket for dirty clothes in the closet too, although he usually ends up throwing his clothes beside the basket, because you know it's much harder to put them IN the basket. Ha!! Then each of my girls have a clean clothes basket that I keep in the laundry room with their name on it and as soon as it comes out of the dryer it gets sorted into their own basket. Sometimes those get put up, sometimes I just let them get what they need out of there.....depends on how motivated I am during the week. Right now I have about 5 baskets that need to be put up!

E @ Scottsville said...

See,I hate to FOLD laundry, but I don't mind the washing/drying process. I always feel like I've accomplished so much when I get it all done! And all in all, it's really very little effort to make all those dirty things CLEAN again! ha ha ha

Then I just make the KIDS do the folding, and voila! I'm done!

Amber said...

Girl...

Laundry is my favorite of the household chores, but I still hate it. I'd rather not do anything.

You'll figure it out. And when you do...let me know.

Love you.

Heart2Heart said...

Mich,

Some suggestions that have already been mentioned is do one load a day instead of 5 in one day. It makes it more manageable and kids can always toss in those favorite jeans or shirt that they have to have done in that days' load.

Do you have a high capacity washer and dryer? These are worth the investment for large families. Not only do they save water and energy but you can get three times the load of a standard washer in one load. Makes less laundry to do.

When the laundry is dry I fold it and each kid comes and gets their load and they put it away. Hope that helps!

Love and Hugs ~ Kat

He & Me + 3 said...

I do two loads every day to stay on top of the laundry. But I am a SAHM, so that is of no help to you. Maybe keep laundry baskets in each persons room and put the whites in one and the darks in another persons room. It would be a pain, but then when the baskets are full do that load. I don't have any other ideas. Sorry. All the laundry comes in our room and when it is a load I wash it...which is everyday:)

Loriann said...

Hey,
Here is what we do, try and suggest...
We try: basket in each room and in the bathroom, keep it emptied as often as it gets full. the girls help when I can get them to.
we do ..I wash three or more loads a day, and can't keep up... meaning we must get rid of all the extra, to small or to big...
advice... Sarah and Hannah always try to get me to let them wear them in the shower to wash them, every so often it is ok, but usually it doesn't happen, also they like me to let them hang them out in the rain, then let the rain wash them... also a no go. but it is fun when they try to "help" mom... good luck. Our laundry room is attached to the carport, so we have to go outside to do laundry... it can be a challenge. Have a blessed week... this too shall pass.... (O:
Much Love and prayers, Lori

Anonymous said...

Hello, Mich,

I hope Kevin is better by now.

I do not have a laundry room either. My washer and dryer are in the garage next to the van. It is a crowed space and often causes me much frustration, especially because our garage door is often left open by family members who do not see any problem in airy the dirty laundry for the whole neighborhood to see.

I have a hamper in both bathrooms and I have to empty them each day. The laundry has a way of piling up fast, and the only way I can keep it under control is to sort it and wash it daily, whatever amount there is. That is my only solution to this never ending problem.

♥Hope

really.truly said...

I always have a pile waiting to be washed...a huge pile. Plus, I always have piles waiting to be put away. I'm no help, huh?

elaine @ peace for the journey said...

One load a day; fold quickly, put away even more quickly. We're a family of six; I understand!

peace~elaine

Elle Bee said...

I can not help you on the laundry thing. It's a losing battle at my house as is the cleaning, tidying, bathing, grocery shopping, you name it. I'm trying to get comfortable with chaos. :o) Hey, I just read what Kendra Lee had to say. THat's very good advice--to be thankful for the chores in life we wouldn't have if it weren't for our lovely families. Cool!
Elle