Laundry is a chore that we all dread, yet have to complete at some point throughout the week. No matter how much you hate doing laundry, you don’t want to get caught wearing a shirt you wore three days ago. Whether you have an individual washer and dryer in your apartment, or go to a community laundry room, here are a few tips to make laundry less of a hassle.
Presort Your Laundry
Have separate hampers for your whites, darks, and linens. This will make sorting through your laundry easier, especially if you have a family. While it may seem odd to have more than one hamper in your closet, it will make things much easier when it’s time to transport your items.
Use a Timer
Set a timer or the alarm on your phone to notify yourself when your wash or dry cycle is complete. For those of you who do laundry in a communal laundry room, this will help keep your laundry moving and allow other residents to start their laundry or transfer their wet clothes to the dryer. Even if you have your own washer or dryer, using a timer will help you get this chore done quicker.
Check Your Tags!
If your clothes say “line dry” instead of “tumble dry low,” there is probably a good reason for it. Following the instructions on your clothing tags can help lengthen the life of your clothing. For clothes that you might need to line dry, Apartment Therapy offers advice on how to set up a clothesline in your apartment. You can also find collapsible drying racks online or at a local big-box store.
Have a Home for Lost Socks
Ever have that one pesky sock that doesn’t match with any others in your laundry pile? Consider getting a small basket in your bedroom or laundry area for any spare socks. Put the sock in the basket and see if you can find its counterpart the next time you do laundry.
Combine Binge Watching With Ironing
Ironing is a perfect time to catch up on your favorite shows. Help pass the time ironing by turning on a podcast or a show that you are trying to catch up on. Now you have no excuse on why you haven’t caught up on Making a Murderer or House of Cards. Just make sure your eyes are peeled to the iron, and not your screen!
Home Remedies
You might already have some of these items in your apartment. The following materials can help your clothes stay fresh:
White Vinegar – Keeps whites bright, removes manufacturing chemicals, softens fabric.
Baking Soda – Removes body oils, odors, and stains
Pepper – Prevents colors from bleeding during wash cycle
Nail Polish – Removes ink stains. Use a clean towel to transfer ink.
Club Soda – Removes red wine stains
What are some ways you make laundry easier? Let us know on Facebook or Twitter.