Laundry day

Ok
So we all enjoy wearing clean clothes. How do the other Toytowners go about doing this exciting task . I myself bought a whole pile of extra clothes back with me last time I went home to Aus this giving a extra week of clothes but leaving me with 4 loads of washing to do in one very exciting day. Im lucky I guess as I have my own washing machine in the basment and I dont have to go down the street or anything. Do Any Guys have the Mrs do it or are those days over. My Father would not know how to open the Washing machine turning it on would be a miracle. Only 5 hours of Excitement to go.

Aussie Steve

I get through a lot of clothes so I have this issue too.
You need to have a system.

I wouldn't know . . .

So far my system is to wear my clothes out until im wearing a tshirt that was never in fashion is was a present from a long lost relaitve 10 years ago and then think about doing the Laundry.

for a proper system you need to have enough clothes. I only wash a full load:

whites: generally takes my 2 weeks to generate a full load, darks: 1 load a week, coloureds 1 load every 2 weeks, and the bedding towels etc one a week. I put a load on on the way to work, or out to the pub and then collect it on the way home from work/pub. drop it in the drier and put the next load on if it is there.
Lucky I also have my own machine in the basement.

Erm...

I put the washing in the washing machine in the bathroom just before I go to bed. I set it to come on at 4am, then when I get up I hang the stuf on the rack. The following day or two days later I will iron / fold stuff and put it away. Repeat as required. Try not to do washing at the weekend.

Don't bother with a drier. I'm not an eco warrier, but personally cannot see the point in having a machine to do what happens naturally (and everything smells a lot fresher too).

Stay tuned for next week's exciting instalment. How one mops the floor.

errr. Go to a laundry which has the advantage that:
a) there is more than one machine (do all your washes simultaneously not one after the next)
b) a wash only lasts 40 minutes-ish

I'll grant you that any bad grime wont budge, but at least the 5 washes are out of the way in less than an hour!!

Lucky to have a wash machine in your basement? I thought almost everyone had one in their apartment? I've never had to go anywhere to do my washing..

You see that’s when it comes up from behind and bites you on the arse.
You are down to wearing that NASTY shirt from Great Aunt Fanny from 10 years ago. Suddenly your dream shag rings you up and asks you out for a drink or three, NOW and you’ve nothing to wear to work tomorrow either……..

It isn’t a good idea and it is pretty soul destroying to do laundry work every day but leaving it till you have a huge mountain makes it look and insurmountable task.
I tend to do it about twice a week. I’m lucky enough to have my own washer and dryer in the flat but I’ve been without in the past.

Sort the laundry into different piles, darks, whites and colours etc and wash them separately. Even if you have a tiny balcony, use that for a small clothes line or a clothes rail for shirts and t shirts or a clothes horse. In a Munich summer, stuff will dry overnight. In winter it can be a nightmare and I swear by my tumble drier. There wasn’t the space to get all the stuff dried and damp was a nightmare. If you dry clothes inside make sure there is PLENTY of ventilation!

Plan it so that when one lot of clothes is dry, you put them away / iron them thus creating a space in the cycle for the next lot. Stuff I wear regularly ie more than once a month I tend to always iron but lesser used stuff I iron when needed. And always try and keep a couple of days worth of work clothes and casual clothes in reserve in case the unexpected happens.

Totally agree. When I had tons, I always went to a laundrette and washed in several machines and used the dryers and was outta there in no time with clothes ready to be squeezed in to the wardrobe.

First thing I bought when I had kids was a washing machine. It took the place of the dishwasher though Anyway, it still took me ages to realize that doing one medium load a day was the best bet. Some days there is not enough for a medium load (yeah) but I never do more than two loads a day and never wait more than 2 days to do laundry. This way the majority of stuff is always clean and it's just a part of my daily habit as brushing my teeth.

The fact that I work from home is a big help, of course. But Richardtoddywhatever has the right idea there as well.

Now I am training the soon to be 10 year old not to change jeans 3 times a day and/or he will be doing all his own laundry. Actually, he can do the laundry in a pinch, but I would rather he was only doing his own. After the second time he helped with his own laundry, the amount of his clothing in the wash reduced to normal levels... but I digress.

Thought this was going to be a dead thread, but am amazed at what fabulous pieces of advice are coming in!
Aussie Steve - if it is any consolation, I am currently doing 2-3 loads of laundry a day! (Yep - it is a miserable life!) We are in the process of toilet training twins and let me tell you, the collateral damage is chronic!
My system: two different containers to sort darks from lights. I have a machine that has an express cycle (takes 30 mins but only does a small load) so that means that I can put on a small load without feeling guilty about contributing to global warming. The moment I have enough to do a load, it it goes. Why put off the inevitable! As one of the previous posters pointed out, you never know when "dream shag" will call! Just be warned - it could lead to you having to toilet train twins down the track ... you have been warned!
As for ironing ... what is that?

I have not done laundry since 2 weeks after I moved here in 2001. I put my boyfriend's new Ralph Lauren shirt, which was red, blue and yellow in the washing machine, turned it to 90 (I'm thinking F not C) and let it wash. It came out brown, orange and another color. I have not done a load of wash since.

I use the dryer on occasion (in winter for sheets and socks) but we have a clothesline out back so it's nice to hang the clothes there is summer. They smell so good. My boyfriend does a wash whenever there is enough for a full load.

you've given me a great idea kitkat...might just have one of those accidents on purpose...

mo3 - don't worry. Ironing is so overrated.
kitkat - I didn't cook or do dishes when I was married for similiar reasons (not that I can't cook, I can now safely point out )

Hmm,,,, I don't cook either.

No laundry... check
No cooking...check
No cleaning...I'm working on that one.

However, I do take care of the entire yard/garden. Which I enjoy doing (but don't tell him that).

I love cooking so I will make sure I hold on to that one!!! Actually don't mind the washing either - it's just the hanging up bit I hate the most...can't think how one could screw that up though...

Its Nice to see Other People having such a passion on their Laundry tips. Im now very learned and will now go and put wash no 2 on. Exciting

Cooking I really enjoy, washing is ok, but it takes too long, ironing I hate, I tell you, I hate it.

I only iron what I need when I need it...and I tend to avoid those items if possible.

I refuse to put my clothes away unless they are ironed.

I must admit I do not like ironing, but when I start I generally go right through to the end.

BTW I am very happy coz I just had a visitor for the past few days and my ironing mountian has magically disappeared while I was working. gotta love it

Lucky you!

I don't bother doing that because I find (for some reason?!) that when I take the clothes out of the wardrobe again to wear, they somehow get creased in there anyway, so ironing beforehand seems a waste of time. (I think I possibly have too many clothes!).

i take my clothes to a laundry place, and i pay 20 yo-yo's to a nice lady to wash fold and iron the shirts twice a month.

Yes Mr 666 , service washes are the way to go , although yours sounds expensive , I pay 1,50 € per kilo , minimum 5 kilos , this includes powder , folding etc , got to be the cheapest and least time consuming way .

Good topic. I'm moving to Munich next week and will need a decent wash-n-fold service. Can anyone recommend anything in Schwabing, specifically on either tram line 12 or 27, or anything around the Hohenzollernplatz station? 1.50 Euro per kilo is a good price, as mentioned earlier. Any suggestions?

Thanks!

A