Folks! Remember how I told you about my struggle with laundry and desire for a laundry fairy? Well, all that is still true but I just had a laundry epiphany while folding five loads at five o’clock this morning.
I had just embarked on folding a massive pile of laundry while my coffee cooled before my eyes. I wanted so badly just to sit and enjoy the coffee but our Wednesdays are busy and the laundry beckoned. Alas, I folded on.
And then it happened. I was imagining how later this morning, once my little poppies were awake and fed, I’d lug all the baskets upstairs and to each child’s room. Then I’d place a bunch of hangers on top of each basket and ask them to put their laundry away. You know, the same thing I always do.
And then they would do the same thing that they always do: upturn the basket so that they can “see it all”... Yes, I fold all of their laundry so that they can then dump it on the floor.
When they do this, I always sigh and think to myself, “Well, at least they put it all away.” That’s true, however, this morning I thought to myself:
Why do I even bother folding their laundry???
I’m sure there are wiser moms out there who had this epiphany years ago. They are reading this thinking, “Well, duh.” Wise moms out there, please do all of us other moms a favor and share these gems! Between the hustle and the bustle and the sleep deprivation, it can take years for these epiphanies to happen. I’ve been folding for years, only to have it dumped out moments later.
This morning, I folded my laundry and Schizz’s laundry and then I sorted the rest. This saved so much time! I was able to pay some bills, pack lunches, wrap a couple gifts, set up their breakfast stuff, and then sit here- second cup of coffee piping hot- and share this epiphany with all of you.
Some may call it laundry laziness, but I’m reframing it in positive terms: this is a laundry hack, folks.
Terrific idea I do this as well. It does save a but of time. I have found that my kids will occasionally fold their laundry. I also got rid of a lotime of clothing. We each have enough for a week and that is it. That way they cannot change multiple times a day. If they do then they run out of clothes!
Oh, Sharon! My daughter used to be one of those change-multiple-times-a-day kids. I threatened making her do all the laundry and it stopped (knock on wood). My kids occasionally fold clothes. More often, they will fold towels and napkins. I appreciate any help when it comes to laundry 🙂 Thanks for reading!
Sometimes it’s easy to just keep doing your routine and not realize that sometimes, the little things don’t really matter. Like folding laundry ends up immediately unfolded. Thanks for the great read.
Folding clothes is a family affair at our house! I bring in the baskets, and everyone folds their OWN clothes! 😀
Here’s a tip from one who had folded for years on end….I don’t even want to tally up the time I’ve spent….too depressing….but this little trick has helped me a TON…Dots…..yes….DOTS…..take a laundry marker( I’ve even use a black regular sharpie) and put dots on the tags of your kids clothes. In my instance with five kids….four being girls…oldest gets one dot, 2nd two….etc…..I even dot my son’s stuff (he’s #3) because some of the boy clothes can be worn by the girls….anyway….when things get small all you do is……add a dot! Plus I have 2 sets of girls only a year and half apart….those little undies and things start to all look the SAME size after a while……and when they are teens no ONE want’s their stuff mixed up with their sisters stuff……and makes it SUPER easy to sort! Of course now I have two that can do their own…..its nice ladies….you WILL get there someday! 🙂
This is GENIUS!!!!