Sorting out laundry for family of 6

amother

Wed, May 01 2024, 6:39 pm

I have 6 kids kah. Youngest just a newborn.
I have one central laundry room but my kids dont sleep on the same floor as the laundry room.
I need tips. I want to get my kids input and cleaning ladys input. Right now its too overwhelming.
what is your system? where do kids throw their dirty clothes? is it worth investing in an laundry divider? how often do you wash?

amother

Sapphire

Wed, May 01 2024, 6:43 pm

Following as well. My system is just not working right now. Or maybe it's the best in the circumstances we have. Definitely open to hearing ideas. By the way if you have six kids, you're a family of 8. Besides doing your kids laundry I'm sure you're doing yours and your husband's laundry as well. It's A LOT of laundry.

amother

Mocha

Wed, May 01 2024, 6:44 pm

I also have my laundry room on a different floor. Once a week I have my kids separate their own laundry and they help me take it to the laundry room. If they don't separate their laundry on the given day they have to wash on their own or I sometimes just do it for them if I have time.

amother

Wed, May 01 2024, 6:44 pm

amother Sapphire wrote:

It is, your right. Family of 8 I should say

amother

PlumPink

Wed, May 01 2024, 6:45 pm

I have two hampers in all the bedrooms. One for lights and one for darks. The kids put it in the right hamper when they get undressed. It’s really helpful.

amother

Salmon

Wed, May 01 2024, 6:47 pm

3 section laundry hamper in the hall outside the kids rooms. One section for whites, one for socks, pajamas and underwear and one for all the rest of the darks. I put labels on the poles so they could see in the beginning, now everyone knows what goes where without having to read. I do laundry twice a week and bring it to the laundry room at that point dump it out and put the bags back. There’s usually enough space for everyone’s clothes and it’s easier than gathering from everyone’s rooms.

teachkids

Wed, May 01 2024, 8:11 pm

I have a divided hamper in our room for the high quality stuff I sort- sometimes kids Shabbos clothes get thrown in there too. Weekday clothes go in a central basket- we have one in the hallway and one in the girls room (the boys never used theirs anyway so they just have to shlep it to the hallway every 2 days. I wash all the kid’s laundry together and then sort 4 baskets at a time by room they go in, and then do 1 room at a time for putting away

amother

Alyssum

Wed, May 01 2024, 8:14 pm

One basket per child. Wash each kid's clothing in a separate load. It's more loads but no sorting!

UQT

Wed, May 01 2024, 8:18 pm

amother Alyssum wrote:

One basket per child. Wash each kid's clothing in a separate load. It's more loads but no sorting!

This! Game changer!

amother

Tealblue

Wed, May 01 2024, 8:23 pm

My girls have alot of light colored clothing as well as dark. My boys have white shirts and underwear, and dark suits. I always thought you kill clothing by not sorting

amother

Alyssum

Wed, May 01 2024, 8:46 pm

amother Tealblue wrote:

My girls have alot of light colored clothing as well as dark. My boys have white shirts and underwear, and dark suits. I always thought you kill clothing by not sorting

Maybe very delicate clothing. The only time I wash loads separately by color is if I want to bleach boys' Shabbos shirts. If you wash on warm or cold there are rarely any issues. If you're afraid an item might run, use color catcher sheets in that load.

amother

Lemonlime

Wed, May 01 2024, 9:05 pm

Every 2 bedrooms share a hamper. I will do a combined family white load though. Has really made it much easier for me