You Can Tackle the Laundry

Finding the Time (and the Dirty Clothes)
The first big challenge with laundry is simply carving out the right time to do it. (When is better: Tuesday evening or Sunday afternoon? After dinner or before breakfast?) Second to that dilemma is locating the dirty clothes, which tend to accumulate everywhere. (Why, exactly, is a used pot holder under the sofa?) Here, when to do the washables and how to track them down―without losing your marbles.

You don't have enough hours to do all the laundry from start to finish.
The fix: Break the process up into small tasks that can be undertaken at different times. "I collect clothes in the evening and put them in the washer around 10 p.m.," says reader Nicole Klemens of Rye, New York. (Experts say it's generally OK to let clothes sit in the machine overnight.) "I throw them in the dryer when I wake up at 6 a.m. and fold while watching "Sports Center" at 7 a.m. I never really feel like I'm doing laundry―it's just part of my daily routine."

With a large family, you lose your entire weekend to laundry.
The fix: Create a schedule that divvies up the work throughout the week, such as sheets on Monday, dark clothes on Tuesday, and lights on Friday, suggests Cathy Bloch, a mother of three in Bronson, Michigan. Or wash each child's clothes on a different weekday, suggests Lori Gaskill, a mother of four in Eagle River, Alaska. The best part of such a system? "By Saturday, I don't have to think about laundry at all," says Bloch.

Carrying the wash down the stairs is breaking your back. (What genius decided laundry rooms should go in the basement, anyway?)
The fix: One load typically weighs eight pounds, and some bags and baskets hold two or more loads. If your laundry room is a flight or two away, use bags that close at the top and gently roll them down the stairs. Or try a roomy bag or backpack that fits over your shoulder. "It's more convenient to carry my laundry load downstairs in a huge plastic shopping bag," says reader Viviane Imperiale of San Francisco. "That way, I can hold the stair railing, which is safer than when I carried a big laundry basket requiring both hands."

If you prefer a basket, choose a flexible model, which can mold to your body and is easier to schlep than a stiff one. Minimize back strain by holding the basket close to your body at waist level, says Karen Jacobs, a clinical professor of occupational therapy at Boston University.

Asking your child to help with the laundry is like talking to a wall.
The fix: Unfortunately, "Yo Gabba Gabba!" has yet to dedicate an episode to doing the wash, so it's up to you to teach your kids the basics. Preschoolers can help you sort by color and can gather clothing items off the floor. But once children are old enough for grade school, they can take on more responsibility, with some assistance from you. For 6- to 11-year-olds, consider posting a list of laundry reminders above their hampers. For example:

• Turn your clothes right-side out before throwing them in here.
• Pull your socks off from the toes.
• Have you checked your pockets???
• If you don't want to make your own checklist, download the Laundry Tips Worksheet (PDF).

For older kids, go with another gimmick: humor. Reader Dianne Phelps of Lockport, New York, recalls, "Once, after my teenage son had left for school, I looked into his room and saw a pile of dirty socks on the floor. I got a Sharpie and an index card and set up a display that read, EXHIBIT A: ARTIFACTS FROM POST-MILLENNIAL TEENAGE BOY WHO APPARENTLY SUFFERED FROM AMNESIA. When he got home, my son smiled and, a minute later, put the socks down the chute."

Every time you're about to toss clothes in the washer, you notice ketchup splotches on shirts and ink marks on jeans.
The fix: Stash a pretreatment product, like Spray 'n Wash ($4, at supermarkets), in or near each hamper. Tell teen and adult family members to treat stains (on both sides of the garment) right away―this will save you a step when you wash. Plus, the sooner the stain fighter goes on, the more likely it is that the spot will come out.

Speeding Up the Washing and Drying
Don't expect miracles: Your machines can work only so fast. But it is possible to shave a few minutes here and there and do fewer loads overall.

The washer seems to take forever.
The fix: Consider using shorter cycles. The light setting (six to eight minutes) is optimal if clothes have been worn just once or twice and aren't stained, says Mary Zeitler, a home economist at the Whirlpool Institute of Fabric Science, in Benton Harbor, Michigan.