Laundry, Not Such a Chore
By Daryl Hoole A “success story” gives me great pleasure, especially when it’s about something I’ve written or said that has been useful to someone. Such was the case when Jennifer, a reader from Idaho , told me how well a tip she read about in one of my books is working at her house. Below is her story, followed by the laundry tip and illustration: (see The Ultimate Career, p. 12-13) Dear Daryl, I just wanted to drop you a note to tell you about my (and your) laundry success story. I’ve adopted your ‘shelves above the dryer, clean laundry buckets for each person’s laundry sorting method. Our method used to be the ‘lots of clean laundry but we can’t find anything (giant pile on the couch)’ method, which didn’t work so well (as you can imagine). This year my dad, who is a handyman, asked me what I wanted for my birthday. I told him I wanted laundry shelves above my washer and dryer, so he went to work building some beautiful, sturdy and very functional shelves. I went out to Walmart, invested in some dishpan-size buckets, labeled them with the kids’ names, and put them to work. I also got some sock clips for the kids, a different color for each. ” What a difference! I don’t think I’ve had laundry on my couch/bed/floor since. My two older girls (6 and 5) put their clothes away without a fight at all (the dishpans don’t hold too much, so the kids aren’t overwhelmed), and here’s the beauty of it-my toddler girl sees her older sisters putting their clothes away, and she comes downstairs hollering, ‘Where’s my bucket? I need my bucket!’ So I gave her a bucket, helped her upstairs, and watched as she put her own clothes away! Amazing!!! This has been an easy new method to implement, and it’s easier by far than my old one. It has cut my laundry work, I bet, in half (maybe not that much, but it has made it so pleasant and satisfying that it seems so). I’ve since added a few extra buckets for ‘D.I.’ (Deseret Industries) items, ‘laundry soap,’ and for ‘lost items’ (things that belong at someone else’s house, since my ‘laundry room’ is really my front porch. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you for giving me a way to enjoy something I have to do anyway. What a blessing! Our Sunday morning ‘where’s that one teeny little pair of white church socks?’ routine is NO LONGER. Hooray! Thanks again, Jennifer from Idaho
“A table for sorting and folding is a helpful addition to the laundry area, if space allows. If not, use the top of your washer and dryer for a working surface. Clothes-sorting bins (either purchased commercially or improvised) for whites, colors, and delicate fabrics are time-savers. The laundry can be further expedited by installing a shelf or two above the washer and dryer or by creating an area for clothes containers (small plastic containers about the size of a dishpan) for each family member. Label each one with the person’s name. As clothing is removed from the dryer and folded, it is placed in each person’s container. Family members then take the full containers to their rooms, put away their clothing, and return the containers. (To make this work, you might say something such as, ‘Before dinner, please empty your laundry containers by putting your clean clothing away properly.’) “This method helps keep the laundry room free from piles of clothing; clean clothing is not mixed up with unwashed items; the folded items are handled only once; and you save many steps by not having to carry clothing to various rooms throughout the house.” ( The Ultimate Career , p. 12-13) 
As expressed in the letter from Jennifer, and as explained in my book, it is a fact that a well-organized laundry room, using efficient plastic containers, can work wonders. When you work smart “laundry is no longer such a chore.” Do You Need H.E.L.P.?
Home Executive Lessons and Principles
by Daryl Hoole Daryl is answering questions from readers who contact her at [email protected]. Her response will be sent directly to the reader. Some responses may also be incorporated into her At Home column that appears the second Monday of each month on Meridian.
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