One of my favorite topics! Seriously, there is nothing I love more than clean laundry!
Too BAD in my large family it never stays this way!

This was one of the biggest accomplishments of my 2010 year. I got to do this::

Amanda Friedl: I have NEVER been able to post this since I’ve had facebook… I AM CAUGHT UP on Laundry!!!! WHOOO HOOOOO!!!!!!!
December 31, 2010 at 5:01pm · Friends Only · Like Unlike ·
37 likes and 25 comments later, I realized what this meant. Most of us large families don’t ever see the end of what has been called Mt.Never Washed.

A family with 16 people living in it, had nothing dirty to wash in the house minus the clothes on their bodies. Unfortunately, it was already 5 pm, and pretty soon the preschoolers would be heading to bed, followed by a lot more…

We do 6 loads of dirty laundry a day on average. Each room has a day of the week that they do their laundry. The oldest child gos first from the room, followed by younger siblings. They are responsible for remembering what day it is. I have someone who is responsible to be the laundry helper as his chore. He helps people who haven’t mastered the washing machine.

I know the Duggars have 4 washing machines, but I only have one. I love my washing machine and dryer.
Here is a picture of my washer:

We have the GE Profile Washer and Dryer.  We first bought this set in 2004, when we added the laundry room.  I love my washer and dryer so much.  We moved in 2007, and then had a house fire (obviously another post).  We lost our washer and dryer in the fire.   I replaced them with an identical set.  They keep up.  They are HE machines, and they have the front loader technology with a top loader system.  I definitely prefer this to the front loaders I’ve tried, especially with cloth diapers.  (again, another post… and I don’t currently have anyone in diapers).

Here is my laundry room.  The back side.  I’m trying to find a front few but… until 12/31/10, never had laundry actually caught up so I wanted a picture.   Opposite the buckets are the washer and dryer, and probably 4 tall baskets.  At our house, we use tall baskets for dirty and short, flat baskets for clean.  I’ve also done a little fixing since this point, and there are small dish tubs labeled for each smaller child on shelving.

If we are doing a “family” load, I sort their clothes into their buckets, and have them come grab them.

Well, I love folding laundry, and I love clean laundry.  I hate clean laundry in the dirty baskets and I apparently don’t like that every day, there is more dirty laundry again.

As far as soap, generally I use an HE soap.  I have made my own but usually sales and coupons, I do some stocking up.

My son, who is my helper, helps me fold my towels, sheets etc and is old enough to swap it out during the day.

My biggest laundry advice is to

1) swap the laundry when you wake up

2) swap it at every meal –

3) set a timer if you are really far behind.

4) train your children to follow your system, and to respect it (ie – put clean clothes away so that you aren’t washing them again, dont’ hide dirty clothing, etc)

I guess there is nothing brilliant about this post.  The problem with lots of laundry is that you have to do it.  And then there is more.

Momma

Check out the other All in a Day Bloggers…

Carrie @ Our Full House

Christi @ Where the Creek Meets the Lake

Elizabeth @ Yes They’re All Ours

Kathy @ Kathy Mom of Many

Kristy @ Homemaker’s Cottage

Lori @ Happy Busy Mama

Monica @ Natural Mama

Renee @ Bakers Dozen