We all know that having to do the laundry can be a real chore. Not only that, keeping on top of the ever-growing pile can be tough. I don’t think I’ve ever managed to have a completely empty laundry basket because as soon as that happens, its time to start the process all over again.

As a working mum, it’s hard to keep all the plates spinning, juggling work, the kids and the household chores. It means I have to be organised to keep things running as smoothly as possible. I’ve put together some simple laundry tips for you that might help.

7 ways to keep on top of your laundry pile

Make a laundry schedule

It sounds crazy, but having a schedule will make the tackling laundry less daunting. I’ve been known to leave it until the weekend, by which point I’m manically trying to get through numerous washing loads while also trying to dry them on the radiators in our home as we don’t have a dryer.

Having a schedule makes laundry more manageable. At the moment, we probably put on around 3-4 loads on a week (we have a huge 9kg drum), and as we don’t have a dryer, we have to pop the laundry onto clothes horses and radiators to dry which means we are then limited to how much washing we can do.

Laundry baskets for each room

This works alongside my laundry schedule tip above. Having a dedicated laundry basket in each bedroom means there’s less chance of dirty clothes being thrown all over the floor. It also means you have more of a chance to work out what’s dirty and what’s not if clothes are actually in the laundry basket.

Use the timer on your washing machine

This helps to save time. I tend to preset mine to come one before we wake up so that it’s ready to be put out first thing in the morning making it one less thing to check off the to-do list. If you don’t have a machine with a timer, you can try putting a wash on when you are heading out for the school run or grocery shop) so that it’s ready for when you’re back home.

Get the kids involved

They say a problem halved is a problem shared – the same goes for laundry! Get the kids to do their share and help load the machine, put the washing out, fold and put it away.

Use mesh bags for delicates

This stops things like tights catching on your other garments and also helps keep socks together so you don’t end up with odd socks you can’t pair up!

Create less laundry

By doing regular laundry, you’ll need fewer clothes to rotate and wear. So if you can streamline your wardrobe you won’t have much laundry to do either!

Use a laundry service

If all else fails and you simply can’t keep on top of your laundry pile, you can try a washing service like Laundryheap. They offer both laundry and dry-cleaning services and are designed to work around those with a hectic schedule. Simply book via the website or through the app and your laundry can be collected and delivered back to you within 24 hours.

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