Laundry, Laundry, Who Likes Laundry???

Hmmm... I don't want to even say (type?) the word. 

It is like saying "the Scottish play" name in a theater.  Bad luck for everyone involved.

That is how I feel about laun... laund... laundry!

There, I said it (typed it!).

After spending an HOUR sorting out Mike's clothes that he wanted wrinkle free by putting them in the dryer - all 100 articles of clothing (okay, an exaggeration, but not by much), I thought there has to be a better way to do this thing called laundry.

I don't mind sticking a load in the washer, moving it to the dryer and then placing it in a laundry basket... or more often reality in our home, a pile on the bed that then gets moved to the floor, then back to the bed before going back to the floor again, and then moved to an undisclosed location when company is coming over.  (No, you will never find my hiding place so don't even try!)

I have been on the search for some fabulous, laundry-hate curing tips. 

Here are my top 10 that I have (or will) put into practice...

10. To help reduce wrinkling, fold or hang clothes as soon as possible after the dryer cycle ends. If this is not possible, slightly dampen a cloth, add it to the load and then run the dryer for a few minutes. The moisture and heat will help the wrinkles fall out. It's also a good idea to run a cool-down cycle at the end of the drying time. All laundry items are more prone to wrinkling if left sitting in a pile when they are hot. If your washer has steam washes, this can also reduce wrinkles.  (Tip from LG Laundry Tips)

9. Sort your laundry by fabric type, color and water temperature. Keep clothes that require hand washing or dry clean only items separate. Divide the rest into 5 piles for best results:

• 1. Whites — everything white, underwear, t-shirts, handkerchiefs, etc.
• 2. Lights — including striped whites, off-whites and pastels
• 3. Darks — everything dark, like blacks, blues, browns
• 4. Brights — reds, yellows, oranges, fluorescents
• 5. Delicates — fine linens, lingerie, some synthetic fabrics

Who knew that there was more sorting to do than just WHITES and DARKS?  Yikes! (Tip from LG Laundry Tips)

8. You can make your own homemade laundry detergent...cheap!  I found Bethany and her blog The Big Red Pot on Pinterest.  She gives some directions and shares a tutorial about how you can make your own laundry detergent.  Certainly going to give it a try!

7. White distilled vinegar is my new bff.  It can do EVERYTHING!  Check out the WDV resume HERE.

6. I actually learned this tip from my mother-in-law... Use your washing machine to prolong the life of your shower curtain (vinyl, heavy plastic or cloth).  Just add your laundry detergent and a little bleach and hang that sparkling baby back up in your shower to dry.  Amazing!

5. Body oils rub onto shirt collars and attract dirt, leaving them grimy and worse for wear. Reverse the damage by grabbing your shampoo and a clean paintbrush and paint a line over the soiled collar before washing.  (Tip from Shine from Yahoo)

4. Get organized. Get your children involved as soon as they can help with even the simplest of tasks when it comes to laundry.  I make Andrew help with the laundry by making sure all his dirty clothes make it into his dirty clothes basket.  Now that he is capable of doing more, I will certainly be taking some cues from Amy at The Idea Room who has a laundry system like no other!  I will strive for this organization in my laundry life!

3. Like the homemade laundry detergent, I am blown away with the idea of making your own dryer sheets.  Totally going to try by following the Damsel at Old School blog and her tips for stopping static cling and saving some money too!

2. Taking advantage of spaces for storage that you might be missing - I sure have been, but not after reading the wonderful tips from Infarrantly Creative. She has found ways to utilize the space on the inside of her cabinets all over her house - and especially in the laundry room.  Brilliant!

1.  Clean your washing machine.  It is important (so I have learned the absolute hard way)!  I have front loading machines and no one told me how I would have to care for them in any specific way to prevent build up of gunk, mold and mildew.  But, boy do you ever!  Gross, gross, gross!  I have searched and tried several different ways of cleaning my washing machine, but ecokaren's step by step instructions are the best and most helpful I have found that work!  Just one more thing to add to the list of cleaning chores, but so, so worth it!

Whew!  This just makes me tired thinking about laundry.  I will be dreaming of laundry fairies dancing with magical folding wands tonight!

Happy washing!