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Do you fold laundry?
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creditcards




 
 
    
 

Post Fri, Jan 22 2016, 1:02 am
I recently stopped having cleaning help and was wondering how people manage. What shortcuts or ideas do you have? Do you fold all or part of your laundry. When? Do you let your kids wear an outfit 2 times before washing if it's clean? Do you wash floors and bathroom every week? Do you change linen often? What else do you skip on that won't change the quality of your life?
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shabbatiscoming




 
 
    
 

Post Fri, Jan 22 2016, 1:24 am
daisy2 wrote:
I recently stopped having cleaning help and was wondering how people manage. What shortcuts or ideas do you have? Do you fold all or part of your laundry. When? Do you let your kids wear an outfit 2 times before washing if it's clean? Do you wash floors and bathroom every week? Do you change linen often? What else do you skip on that won't change the quality of your life?
To answer your questions:
Fold all laundry after the load comes out of the drier or shortly after that.
I let my daughter wear what she wants for at least two days unless there are obvious stains on something.
Toilets get cleaned every few days. The rest of the bathroom ideally every week but it doesnt always happen.
Floors weekly. Although brooming every while goes a long way.
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PinkFridge




 
 
    
 

Post Fri, Jan 22 2016, 9:39 am
When my kids were little, everyone had a basket and I pitched their clothes into a basket. Towels and shmattas had their own and the kids would fold that. Whatever would get hung up, got hung up straight from the washing machine.
At this point, I only do laundry for one child, with occasional items from the children who manage their own. I leave the non-hanging stuff in a grocery bag on dc's door as it comes out.
I still don't fold the towels and linen that often Very Happy (or should it be embarrassed ? Wink ).
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Optione




 
 
    
 

Post Fri, Jan 22 2016, 9:43 am
Laundry: I fold as soon as I take it out of the dryer.

Bathroom: I wipe down frequently and clean the whole bathroom once a week.

My kids are toddlers so they wear everything once before going into the hamper, but wit few exceptions.
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amother
Mauve


 

Post Fri, Jan 22 2016, 9:50 am
Until it learns to fold itself.... yes, I fold laundry.
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Chayalle




 
 
    
 

Post Fri, Jan 22 2016, 9:51 am
My kids have little plastic bins in their drawers for underwear, socks, etc..to keep them organized. I fold shirts/tops/pj's and sort as I fold, and each child puts away her clothes. My teens will put in a load for me if I ask them to, so will DH. I like to do washer to dryer myself, or things will end up in the dryer that shouldn't. DH will bring it up. I work from home and fold during breaks, phone meetings that only require my ears, etc...

For kids rooms, they each have one set of linen. I have them strip their own beds, put into washing machine, and when it's dry it goes right back on their beds. I help with quilt covers.

For my room, I have several sets of linens and whether I change to a new set depends on my mood. If I'm feeling lazy I just put it right back on after the wash.

I wash Kitchen floor and bathroom weekly. My girls and DH help vacuum the rest of the house (carpeting). Every so often I have a clean-up Sunday where I do more than usual cleaning, like stoves, fridge, etc....I buy wipes that help in cleaning alot (7th generation - natural because I'm sensitive - used to use Lysol or Fantastic but they make my throat itch....) - use wipes on a fridge to get it sparkling clean in a jiffy, or on bathroom vanity and tiles....

Big girls wear uniforms and pj's twice before washing...well, depends on the season, in the summer, blouses go in the wash daily. Little DD, depends if it's clean or not. I fluff in dryer for 5 minutes then hang to dry, no ironing.
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gittelchana




 
 
    
 

Post Fri, Jan 22 2016, 10:11 am
daisy2 wrote:
What shortcuts or ideas do you have?


Shove everything into the corners and your floors are clean.

Twirls all the clothing into a giant ball and stuff in the closet.

House and laundry are now done and it only took 10 minutes. Now back to imamother LOL
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glamourmom




 
 
    
 

Post Fri, Jan 22 2016, 10:16 am
yes I do. its a bigger mess if I don't so its part of cleaning up. after dryer I dump it on my bed and later at night as I'm chillaxing with a movie or on the phone I sit and fold. it works great because I don't even feel I'm doing a chore.
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greenfire




 
 
    
 

Post Fri, Jan 22 2016, 10:17 am
PinkFridge wrote:
When my kids were little, everyone had a basket and I pitched their clothes into a basket. Towels and shmattas had their own and the kids would fold that. Whatever would get hung up, got hung up straight from the washing machine.
At this point, I only do laundry for one child, with occasional items from the children who manage their own. I leave the non-hanging stuff in a grocery bag on dc's door as it comes out.
I still don't fold the towels and linen that often Very Happy (or should it be embarrassed ? Wink ).


we're more alike than you thought ...

when kids were little we had laundry parties where everyone got a basket and pulled out their belongings from the main basket ... then we all folded each our own stuff

then everyone started doing their own laundry ... contained in baskets some care if folded while others do not so long as it's clean

then my dd#3 would add mine to hers

if not in the mood to fold linen - it gets pulled off the bed - washed - then immediately put back on

ironically we do fold towels straight away
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lfab




 
 
    
 

Post Fri, Jan 22 2016, 10:55 am
I try to do all laundry on Sunday, then fold it all Sunday night-otherwise it's a bigger mess as baskets sit around all week. Linens generally get washed and put straight back on the beds, no folding needed. Same with towels. Towels are washed each week, linens every 2 weeks. Sweep main living areas daily and mop once a week. Upstairs bedrooms are not swept or mopped nearly often enough embarrassed. Bathroom sink and toilet get wiped down midweek and whole bathroom cleaned fully once a week. Bookcases and furniture not dusted very often-every few weeks I'll have my kids do it using dust wipes, not perfect but better than nothing. Kitchen counters wiped down daily or as needed.
Honestly though, I think the only way I really manage with 4 little kids and no cleaning help is because my husband does pitch in and help with a lot of the cleaning (I.e he does the nightly sweep of kitchen and dining room, helps wash the dinner dishes, etc.). Best advice I can give you is to try to have each family member take on one task to help. Depending on age of children they can help sweep, wipe down furniture, sort/fold laundry, etc. And try to have your husband help as well.
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amother
Pink


 

Post Fri, Jan 22 2016, 11:16 am
daisy2 wrote:
I recently stopped having cleaning help and was wondering how people manage. What shortcuts or ideas do you have? Do you fold all or part of your laundry. When? Do you let your kids wear an outfit 2 times before washing if it's clean? Do you wash floors and bathroom every week? Do you change linen often? What else do you skip on that won't change the quality of your life?


I live in a building with laundry in the basement and have two toddlers. I buy kids lots of clothing and me and dh lots of undergarments and shells and I only do laundry every 10-14 days. I dont have laundry room. When I get back all the clean laundry I dump it all on my and dh bed and im forced to fold and put away right away. My kids are toddlers so no they don't wear the same thing twice. Its generally dirty by the time evening rolls around. I officially change linen rosh chodesh but cant say it doesnt happen a week later. Rosh Chodesh is my reminder time to start thinking of changing linens.... My whole apartment is either tile or hardwood flooring. I wash all floors on Tuesday. The bathroom I scrub down on Thursday. I do not have a cleaning lady.
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zigi




 
 
    
 

Post Fri, Jan 22 2016, 12:02 pm
I fold and my kids put their clothes away in their drawers. truth is I should skip folding some of their clothes b/c they just shove it in. lol
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zigi




 
 
    
 

Post Fri, Jan 22 2016, 12:04 pm
I fold when I am relaxing. if I am doing a whole pile, it goes faster when I watch a video or listen to music. the kids help clean the house. many hands working together it goes faster.
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perquacky




 
 
    
 

Post Fri, Jan 22 2016, 1:04 pm
I bought one of these. Teach your kids to fold their own laundry when they're old enough.

www.flipfold.com/
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amother
Mustard


 

Post Fri, Jan 22 2016, 1:21 pm
daisy2 wrote:
I recently stopped having cleaning help and was wondering how people manage. What shortcuts or ideas do you have? Do you fold all or part of your laundry. When? Do you let your kids wear an outfit 2 times before washing if it's clean? Do you wash floors and bathroom every week? Do you change linen often? What else do you skip on that won't change the quality of your life?

Some tips for cleaning and organizing:
-I try to do 1-2 loads each evening so I'm not left with a huge chore.
-I hang dry all clothes on hangers and when dry transfer to closet (clothes stay better without dryer and this saves me from ironing and folding)
-All underwear, socks and pj's get machine dried and I try to fold as soon as the clothes come out of the machine. Otherwise I leave them in a foldable mesh laundry basket and fold once a week. I leave the folded clothes on everybody's bed so they can put them away and kid's clothes get put away by me.
-PJ's are worn twice before washing, everything else washed after use.
-Linen gets washed every other week and put right back on the bed as soon as it's out of the dryer, so no folding.
-Towels get wasted twice a week. Straight from hook in bathroom, to dryer, back to hook, so no folding.
-Sweep daily after dinner
-Wash floors once a week and spot clean an additional time during the week
-Keep a container of disinfecting wipes under the bathroom sink and wipe everything down in the evening.
-Pour some Mr. Clean in the toilet before heading to bed. When you wake up the bathroom smells great and when you flush it swishes it all over.
-Scrub toilet with brush 2x per week. Also great to squeeze some cleaner with bleach into toilet before leaving the house, it soaks and when you come home scrub with brush.
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creditcards




 
 
    
 

Post Fri, Jan 22 2016, 2:16 pm
nice tips
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creditcards




 
 
    
 

Post Fri, Jan 22 2016, 2:26 pm
At what age are children old enough to start folding their own laundry? My oldest is turning 5 next month.
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amother
Aqua


 

Post Fri, Jan 22 2016, 3:32 pm
Mustard, great tips. Not that I want this to spin off into another conversation, I am just curious if you work as well. The background of my question is that currently I have cleaning help, because I am preg and can't move. Iyh after the baby and my life settles down, I was wondering if I would be able to expect myself to be my own cleaning lady- following your tips. I work part time and Kah do have a family of little kids
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amother
Mustard


 

Post Fri, Jan 22 2016, 4:33 pm
amother wrote:
Mustard, great tips. Not that I want this to spin off into another conversation, I am just curious if you work as well. The background of my question is that currently I have cleaning help, because I am preg and can't move. Iyh after the baby and my life settles down, I was wondering if I would be able to expect myself to be my own cleaning lady- following your tips. I work part time and Kah do have a family of little kids

I work part time and work really hard to maintain the above and keep things running smoothly but still find it hard without cleaning lady and am constantly rushing and juggling.
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amother
Linen


 

Post Fri, Jan 22 2016, 4:44 pm
I have 3 children under 3, no cleaning help, and work f/t, so I know where you are coming form.

This is what I do:
1. I limit laundry to once a week (early in the week before get busy with Shaboos preps), so I'm not busy with it every day. My toddlers like to help sort and fold so it becomes a fun family activity. Linens are not washed as frequently as I'd like due to time restraints

2. Bathroom toilet and sinks get washed down as needed. Then it's also cleaned weekly on Wednesday or Thursday. Bathtub tends to only get cleaned once every couple weeks unless it's dirty, since we don't have time for everything.

3. Floors are washed once a week. Bedrooms floors may only be done every other week if they are generally clean.

4. I do not cook any complicated meals. All food is now limited to what is simple to prepare and can be done in a few minutes. No more gourmet dishes.

Good luck to you!
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