By Clare Kumar from Streamlife
Laundry never stops, so if we’re going to have to take care of it I like to encourage ways to make it a lot less onerous. Read on to find ways you might even find yourself enjoying it!
Shift your mindset
As a productivity coach, my mission is to help people have more fun while getting things done, and laundry is no exception. In my holistic model for sustainable performance, Productivity CPR™, the R stands for Ritual. Why ritual? Because I think the word ritual can give a sense of honour to what can often be perceived as mundane.
Whether it be processing receipts or doing laundry, a task that one finds tedious can be elevated with careful thought. Think of your clothing as a tool to help you do what you want to do and to help you make the impression you want to make in the world. Doing laundry then becomes taking care of the clothes that take care of you. This shift in perspective can elevate laundry from a mundane task to an act of love and honour.
Another way to make garment care a more positive endeavour is to think of all the work that went into sourcing, making, shipping and selling the piece so that you can enjoy it. Taking care of it is part of the garment’s life until it can be passed on or recycled.
You may have seen Marie Kondo’s show “Tidying Up”, and observed how she treats spaces, people and things with respect. I noticed this reverence while living in Tokyo for almost three years. We may have different ways of expressing honour, but it’s a truly beautiful way to engage with the world. I grew up witnessing a similar approach in the way my father managed his things. They were well-cared for and treated with love.
Fit laundry in virtually anywhere
If space is tight, in a spot only 24” wide, you can install the ventless, Smart All-In-One Washer and Dryer from Whirlpool which as it sounds includes both the washer and the dryer in one machine! I live in a condo and would really love to have both appliances in one machine to free up hanging space for the clothes I choose to air dry. Both the machine and a hanging rack could then be kept in my laundry closet keeping them out of sight rather than lingering in the bathroom. We can’t deny laundry exists – it deserves a good home!
Simplify the process
Not only do you no longer have to worry about switching clothes from the washer to the dryer, the Smart All-In-One Washer and Dryer also saves you time with its super capacity dispenser which holds up to 20 loads worth of laundry detergent. This will make it even easier for anyone in your home to do the laundry. Without having to manage a heavy detergent bottle, you can now get the kids to pitch in.
Smarten the process
To save money on electricity, it can make sense to do laundry when electricity rates are at their lowest. Have you ever thought about that and intended to turn on the machine yet forgotten? With remote access, you no longer have to worry about being home. Your washer and dryer has just joined the internet of things. The “Smart” in the name of the All-In-One Washer and Dryer means you can access the machine from an app on your phone. You can start a load while waiting for your daughter to hit the ice at hockey practice, or run the dryer when you’ve gone to work and your house guests let you know they are awake.
Keep collection easy
Make sure you an easy way to gather laundry anywhere it collects. Bedrooms or a shared bathroom are ideal spots and there are a variety of sizes and shapes to fit any space. A corner unit is fun in a kid’s room if you want to make tossing laundry in the hamper a fun way to get kids involved in the process. Hampers now come in a wide range of finishes as well so you can find something to blend in with your décor. The handles on the hamper shown above make it easier to carry.
Make folding more fun
I searched twitter for “laundry” and “stress” and there were so many posts about people sleeping with their laundry instead of folding it, it blew me away. There is a lot of angst out there. With things we don’t like to do, it is common to overestimate the time it takes. A timer is your friend here.
Step 1 – Run a timer to learn how long it takes to fold a basket of laundry.organization
Step 2 – Keep a Time Timer in your laundry room and now you know roughly how long it takes to fold a basket, see how fast you can get it done and play beat the clock. Gamifying works! Why not include getting all the clothes back in closets and drawers? This is an awesome thing to do with the whole family. It’s never too early to get everyone involved.
Give yourself a treat
We know that rewards work, so consider being kinder to yourself when doing the laundry. If you’re like me, in the winter months, your skin is dry. One day, the skin on my fingers was so dry and it kept catching on the inside-out clothes I was turning outside-out (is that a word?), and I decided from that day forward, I would never turn inside-out clothes the right way around again. A little “garbage in, garbage out” theory so my kids would have to solve the problem on their own.
But here’s another option…I’m a big fan of hydration and moisturizing, as where I live you need all the help you can get. I’ve put my best lotions in my gym bag for years to indulge after a workout. Why not have a luxurious salve on hand to use while doing the laundry, especially after any hand-washing, to keep your skin feeling soft and smooth? Made in Canada, from 80% organic ingredients, toxin-free DermaCare Skin Salve from eScential Wellness will make you feel like you’re loving yourself a little bit, too. #loveyourselfhard
I hope this gives you a few ideas on how to make laundry a little lighter in your household!
