thoughts for thursday.

as i was doing laundry, i thought about something.  i wondered how all of you did your laundry.  what a deep thought for thursday huh?  :)

i have a love/hate relationship with my laundry.  i love when the washing machine and dryer are going because it means something is getting done - however then comes my turn to fold it and put it away.  dang it.  where is rosie when you need her most?

here's how i do my laundry.  i separate it into four categories.  there is the towels, the clothes, the rugs/any house items needing washing and matt's work clothes.  i don't break it down by color.  i don't usually wash a load of whites (however, i'm in need of a bleach cycle soon on some things).  i pretty much just want to get it done and off my list of things to do.  if i have anything that needs to be on gentle cycle or anything like that, i'll separate that as well.  so maybe i actually have five categories.  funny - i've never REALLY thought about all this. 

i use tide coldwater to wash everything in.  i use bounce dryer sheets most of the time.  i will buy the target brand to use with matt's work clothes because well, it's just his work clothes - do they really need to be outdoor fresh or smell like fresh linen?  i don't think so. 

once the load of laundry is dried, i throw it in my basket and then throw it on the bed to be folded/put away.  we don't have a clothesline to hang things on, but if something needs to air dry, i just hang it from a hanger on our  shower rod.  i would love a clothesline at my house, but i'm not sure where i would want it.  this could be a project for this summer now that i think about it.  :)

there you have it.  that's how i do my laundry.  now tell me, how do you do yours?  do you separate it into categories?  do you have to use the same detergent all the time?  do you put everything in the dryer or do you hang things out?  i'm curious!

i will post links to other thoughts for thursday bloggers soon!

Comments

[Alison]

It's so funny you posted this, as I just wrote about how laundry differs in the UK to the States, that most people line-dry over there but nobody does in super-sunny California. I can't work out why? Maybe because the sun will bleach your clothes out here?!

[Hope]

My BF does all of the laundry. I know, you hate me, right?

[Robyn]

I do lights and darks. I usually use Ecos laundry detergent. I don't always use a fabric sheet, but my husband will throw 3-4 in if he is doing it. I get the cheap target ones, he buys bounce. Ecos is supposed to have fabric softener in it. I fold it and hang shirts up right out of the dryer. Everyone has their own basket they are responsible for. Needless to say, my clothes and PBs are the usually the only ones that get put away.

[Michelle Sauer]

Well, I hate laundry and for the most part, Brian does it. But, I always separate colors-darks and lights, whites and towels, etc. I can't wash towels with clothes, it bugs me. I use whatever detergent I have but have to have yummy smelling downy, it makes me happy to smell clean clothes, I'm weird I know! I have to put the clothes away right away, or else it will be weeks before it gets done! That's the worst part though, folding and putting away. Like I said, laundry sucks!

[stacy]

i do a cold load, which is usually our jeans, teeshirts, sweatshirts and a warm load which is undies, socks, towels, bedding. emily's stuff gets washed seperate because i still use all free for her stuff. i use whatever detergent is the best price but i really love tropical gain. i am currently using fabric softener sheets but most of the time i like to use liquid. anything that smells yummy. they say you shouldn't use fabric softener on your towels though, takes away from their absorbency so once in a while i will wash the towels seperate on a hot cycle and then dry with no sheet. i hate the folding and putting away part. usually takes me until the next laundry day to finally get it put away. all of it.

[Miranda]

I have five piles, darks, whites, towels, good whites and good darks. I use TIDE and BOUNCE love the smell of clean clothes. I do laundary every Monday then i am done for the rest of week that i what i grew up with so i just continue it in my house. I hate putting the clothes away that is TRAVS job when he gets home from work he will have six loads of laundary for him to put away! Now that aubriee is older she loves to help!! She folds and helps put the clothes in the dryer and washer!! I really want a clothesline but my husband that i can't have one because we live in town and it will look like we are hicks!! WHATEVER TO HIM!!

[Leah]

I sort - lights, darks, red, bleach/whites. I throw sheets and towels wherever there is room. I use ERA and liquid softener - Downey. Love it.
I can't stand folding and putting away!!
We bought a clothesline about 4 years ago and have not yet put it up. I bought it thinking we'd save a little money by not having to run our dryer....oh well. My husband didn't want to put it up as he thought everybody would see his underwear (even though we have a privacy fence). Truth is, I'd probably leave the clothes on the line for weeks and then would have to rewash them :)

[Hilary]

I used to separate darks and lights and then realized that if you wash everything in cold, nothing shrinks, and dark colors are ok with lights if you wash them on their own once when they are new. I used to separate Ethan's clothes and wash them with Dreft, but now his go in with the rest. Unless I need to spot treat, or something requires the delicate cycle, it all goes in together...sheets, towels, clothes, socks, bras...all of it...with Era Free, cuz I like the smell...the lack of sorting makes life just a bit easier.

I only hang dry the stuff that I've washed as delicate, otherwise it all goes in the dryer together on med. heat with Bounce Free dryer sheets...I TRY to fold immediately so my ironing pile is smaller...I HATE to iron!!

[Jaime]

4 piles: Lights, darks, bleach, towels/sheets. I use Era because it's cheap and smells decent. I always use a liquid softner, no dryer sheet.
I'm good with washing and drying. I don't really mind to fold. I hate, hate, hate to put clothes away. I don't know why, but, it's probably the most hated household chore around here!
I don't really dig clothes lines... idk why? I think it's because I want my laundry to smell like the softner and after they clothes-line dry, they smell like outdoors to me. Weirdo....

[Sarah S.]

I used to do laundry whenever something was needed, but our loads usually got to be too big to do just one load for each group. Now I do laundry every Monday so the loads are a lot smaller. I separate darks, lights, whites (sometimes combine with lights depending on size of load) and then Matthew's are washed separate only because they're easier to put away. I take his bin into his room and he hands each item to me to put away, no digging around in the adult clothes to find the tiny stuff. I have to use HE detergent because we have a front load washer so I'm limited on the brand. I only use liquid fabric softener for towels and use sheets for everything else.

[heather]

I do lights, darks, whites and if towels don't really fit in there, do a load of towels and/or sheets. I wash everything in cold (unless there's something I feel needs a real disinfecting HOT wash) with usually All Free and Clear. I have to use a detergent without dyes or fragrance with Sawyer's eczema. When there was a baby in the house I did the kid/baby clothes separately first because of the difference of detergent, but also because it seemed easier to sort and put away. Now I just throw it all together in the same three loads and dump it all on the bed to fold and put away. It's the folding and putting away that takes me forever... not like the job itself takes all that long, I just put it off and leave the clean clothes sitting around forever.
My mom used a clothesline all growing up and I hated my clothes line dried. I hate the "crusty" feeling they get. But I did do it last year when we lived in MI and I had a huge clothesline. Beside the fact that it's "greener", I like the actual job of hanging out clothes... something about it is repetitive and relaxing to me. And taking them down and folding them up right into the basket. Now we don't have a line here. I kind of miss doing it, but I don't miss the crusty stiff clothes!

[Steph]

I actually like doing laundry. I am very picky about it. I separate it into lights and darks, and then any gentle cycle items. I use oxyclean with my light cycles all the time, this reduces the need for bleaching. I use it when there are any real soiled dark cycles. I just started using Wintree detergent (very concentrated, environmentally friendly) and I love it. I use downy dryer sheets most of the time. I pretty much dry everything, but if I do hang something, I usually throw it in the dryer for a few minutes after it's dry just to loosen it up.

Oh, and I don't really enjoy putting them away, but I HAVE to fold and put them away right away. Wrinkles of any sort drive me nuts.

[Denise H.]

I have never really though about this subject either... I don't mind laundry but with just Heath and I we don't have a lot. Although, after we have kids I am sure that I will grow to HATE it.

I separate it into whites, lights, delicates, jeans, blacks and darks. I'm not sure what my detergent is called but I always use Downey Fabric Softner and Downy sheets.

I dry almost everything! If something needs to be hung up I usually hang it on my $800.00 clothes hanger. That is what Heath calls our treadmill. haha

A small clothesline would be Awesome though.

[Mel]

I bleach everytime I do whites. Then a load of everything else. Usually do sweatshirts/sweatpants/jeans in one load and then the other stuff in another load. I do towels, washcloths, dish rags, etc. in a load together. And I don't dry much in the dryer. Almost everything I wear gets hung up. I'm very anal about my clothes.

[amy]

I have been doing laundry all morning! I just kind of do it when there's some to be done - always. I do lights and darks seperately. I also do most things on cold accept if it says otherwise. I do towels and sheets on warm. Its usually just a neverending cycle for me!

[Jessica]

I seperate into lights, darks, whites, Hailey (she still has to have baby detergent with her sensitive skin), towels, and bedding. I do rugs and shower curtains every other week, and they get seperate loads as well. I wash everything in cold water on the regular cycle.

My biggest thing is that I hate, hate, hate to put laundry away. I usually wait until Ryan's home...I wash, we both put everything away. It goes so much faster that way!

[Kari]

I am the laundry natzi in our family! I have taught almost everyone in my family (younger than me) how to do their laundry, and family comes to me for stain removal... if I can't get it out... it's not coming out! This post is right up my alley! I love doing laundry... I don't like putting it away, but I hate it all piled up and I LOVE the smell of clean laundry! I use Tide w/ bleach alternative, sort very similar to the way you do. Fabric softner, I use Downy (cashmere and linen or the mountain spring green top). I always have a problem with socks... we never have all the matches. I am sure our dryer eats them! I HATE to hang up clothes... I don't like them to feel "crunchy". I wish I did because when it's nice out it sure would be a "green" alternative! I think I'll make that a goal for this summer! Good post!

[jenny's mom / tucker's gram]

i seperate, wash some on gentle, use cheap detergent, use fabric softner sometimes, downey in the purple jug, sometimes for my clothes i buy tide in the purple jug and use purple box dryer sheets. the tide is the best but don't use it all the time. i hang things to dry all over my basement, i only dry my husbands jeans, shirts, and of course underware and towels and socks also get dried. i put fold (which i do hate that job) everything and do tend to put it away. i have alot of storage places for clothes that don't fit in my small closet. all in all i hate doing laundry. i do my bedsheets about twice a month, is that bad? one thing i have to say about jenny is that she washes her rugs alot too. she has clean rugs, he, he, he. when i go up once a week to watch my little pumpkin i try to help her out and do some of her laundry. she does keep up on it pretty good i have to say :)

[Kim]

i do lights, darks, and then our bedding. i'll throw towels in wherever they fit. i'm really hard on my clothes - i don't gentle wash anything, except maybe a sweater. and i dry almost everything, unless i have a new pair of pants that's sort of snug, then i'll hang those. i wash max's clothes all separately. not because i use a different detergent or anything, but just because i think it's easier to keep all his little stuff together rather than mixing it in with ours. easier to put away that way.

ooh, now i want a clothesline too. :) my mom used to use one all the time... i loved when my sheets had been hung out!