Making Laundry Fun

I'll be the first to admit that doing the laundry is at the top of my list of least favorite chores, right alongside cleaning up dog poop and scrubbing baseboards. But, laundry is a fact of life. It's never ending. So instead of sticking my head in the sand and dwelling on how much I dislike the task, I've learned to make the most of it. "Make the most of it, what are you talking about?" you may be asking yourself. Well, like all good things, if I can involve shopping into the activity, it's just that much better.

While doing the laundry is a mundane task of daily life, if you have all the supplies you need to do it right, it can be kind of satisfying.

Other than the obvious washer and dryer, here are some things you will need to do a proper load of laundry:

High quality laundry detergent*
Stain remover spray
Bleach
Color safe bleach
Liquid fabric softener*
Dryer sheets*
Cute laundry basket*

*Check out the eco-friendly options available

With all the proper tools at hand you are ready to do laundry.

Sort your dirty clothes. Make separate piles for whites, darks, brights, and sheets/towels
Pre-treat any stains with your stain remover spray
Place your load of dirty clothes in the washing machine, and add laundry detergent
Pour liquid fabric softener into your washing machine's designated area
According to your washing machine's directions, set the appropriate wash cycle for your dirty clothes

While your clothes are washing, you have several options. You can either A. make the most of your time and find some other chores to do while your clothes are washing or B. make yourself a cup of tea or, depending on the time of day, pour a glass of wine. Then turn on some music, grab a book and lounge on the couch for the next 40 minutes.

When your clothes are done washing, move them promptly to the dryer. If left to sit in the washing machine, mildew can quickly form, making your clothes smell bad and possibly leaving stains. Add a dryer sheet (there are some really cool scents on the market) and choose a drying cycle based on the kind of laundry you are drying and the machine's instructions. Now you can go back to what you were doing while the clothes were washing (either A or B-I make no judgements.)

Once the buzzer rings, signaling the laundry is dry, be sure to promptly remove it. Load all the toasty warm clothes into your cute laundry basket and carry them to where you intend to fold them. It is important to fold them right away. If you leave them squished in the basket, you will have to iron them later. As to not incur additional chores for yourself, take 10 minutes to fold and put them away now.

While laundry is an annoying fact of life, it doesn't have to be completely awful. By using fun products with good smelling scents, a cute clothes basket, and making the most of your time (either working or lounging) while the machines do their thing, doing laundry can be fun.

Find more neat home ideas at InMyNewHome.com

5 Ways To Jazz Up Your Cup Of Hot Cocoa

Cool Product: Recycled Glass Tumbler

image credit: desiretoinspire.blogspot.com

From the Community…

Comments 1-10 of 37

First
« Prev
Next »
Last

Posted by Lauren Mon Oct 19, 2009 11:59am PDT

The only way to make laundry fun is to throw it out & shop for new!

Report Abuse

Posted by greg Wed Nov 18, 2009 5:28pm PST

Wow! I obviously didn't make the best of my time by reading this. Where is the fun?

Report Abuse

Posted by Marie d Wed Nov 18, 2009 10:19pm PST

What part did the actual "fun" come in??? All you did was tell us how to do laundry. I think we already knew that...

Report Abuse

Posted by steven Thu Nov 19, 2009 3:31am PST

"you stupided azz american's" people have been hanging their laundry out side to dry for 1,000,000,000,000,000. of years. get the frack over it. just because your neighbor's laundry is more sexy than you're partner's and turns you wife or husband "ON" doesn't mean that that their their has to be a law that stop's people from doin it. get the "frack over it" are you a communist or what??????

Report Abuse