What do you think is a general laundry principle? (sm)

[Jane]

Assuming you are not picky about delicates or color variances and assuming you use the new larger capacity washers and dryers, would you say one adult equals two loads of laundry per week (one load of lights, one load of darks)?

 

I'm looking for a general rule of thumb to apply to our laundry system. Household washings (sheets, towels, dish rags, and small rugs) count separate.

[Melissa in FL]

I only seperate out whites. Each child has one load a week. Dh and I have between two an three, depending on what we did that weekend, how often I left the house during the week, etc. It's usually two. Dh wears dress shirts to work which I do about once every three weeks. All of our whites are done together on Friday. I know you didn't ask, but I do one load of sheets every week- Week one- ours and one of the children's, week two-the other two children's.

 

HTH

Melissa

[Laura Corin]

I do a load each day, with everyone's clothes mixed, alternating days for whites and colours. So: four people, seven loads.

 

Laura

[Jane]

Thanks, ladies. Your responses certainly help. :thumbup1:

 

Melissa, what are the ages of your children? I think age factors into # of children's loads per week, but I didn't want to get that complicated in my post. :)

[fshinkevich]

I am a family of 7 (two adults and five children) and I do about 2 loads of laundry a day, assuming no one is sick. I mix all our clothing together and line dry most of it. Each child has one towel and one washcloth with their name embroidered on it, their bedding and their own laundry day (for example oldest DD gets her things non-clothing items washed on Monday,oldest DS on Tuesday etc) and if they forget to put it in the hamper or leave them on the floor to get dirty then too bad for them - I will NOT wash them until their wash day (unless they were sick or something, of course). Maybe sounds a bit mean but it didn't take them long to learn and everything runs smoothly now :001_smile:

 

So basically I do one load of clothing each day, and one load of non-clothing each day - every once in awhile I will have an extra load if someone was sick, or we took a vacation or something.

[snickelfritz]

On a bad day, each of my kids could easily go through 3 outfits. A good day means they only have to change once. A potty accident, spaghetti sauce on a sleave, mud on the knees, milk spilled, milk spilled again, etc.

 

I think age factors into # of children's loads per week, but I didn't want to get that complicated in my post.

[abbeyej]

I don't think we account for two loads each a week... I'd say it's more like about 4 loads per week (clothing) for the four of us. But I separate minimally and wash everything in cold.

[Lolly]

Thanks, ladies. Your responses certainly help. :thumbup1:

 

Melissa, what are the ages of your children? I think age factors into # of children's loads per week, but I didn't want to get that complicated in my post. :)

 

yep, age factors in. younger kids often = more outfits; teenagers=more

 

but, the biggest factor is the season. A pair of blue jeans and a sweater takes up a whole lot more space than a pair of shorts and a t-shirt. A day in a bathing suit takes up even less!

[keptwoman]

2 adults, 3 kids. Ages in my sig.

Clothes: 3 loads a week usually. Either 2 dark and 1 light or VV depending on the season

Towels: 2 loads a week

Sheets etc: 2 loads a week

So about 7 loads a week on average in an 8kg washer (um that's about 17 pounds ish)

[3lilreds in NC]

Dh said he did 5 loads of laundry for us today. He did all of our laundry last weekend too so it really was only one week's worth.

[Jane]

On a bad day, each of my kids could easily go through 3 outfits. A good day means they only have to change once. A potty accident, spaghetti sauce on a sleave, mud on the knees, milk spilled, milk spilled again, etc.

 

Oh, especially those potty accident days! How quickly I forget! Yes, those potty training days can create a LOT of extra laundry--nearly impossible to keep up with. One almost needs a separate washer just for that first month... :001_huh:

[snickelfritz]

OK, how did I do that? I meant to start a new post. Sorry.

[Mom2boys]

Dh's clothes = 2 loads per week - lights and darks

 

My clothes = 3 loads per week - lights, darks, and pjs

 

In the summer I do one load per week for ds7 (smaller clothes) and two loads per week for ds11. In the winter it jumps to two loads per week per child, plus a load of pjs.

[Vida Winter]

I am good with laundry for a few days and then I go into a lapse.

 

If I kept up with it, we would be fine. But...

 

I space out. It is in the basement, where I avoid going. Until necessary. And I hate bringing all the dry clothing upstairs to put away. I recently made a rule that every time I am down there I am to bring up some items to put away. That helps.

 

I don't know what to say. I am hopeless.

[gardening momma]

Dh does my and his laundry (shrink a couple items of his, and he takes over soon enough!); I do the kids' laundry. I don't keep track of how many loads per week, sorry!

[Alana in Canada]

How many?

 

I'm just about to check out flylady for that! My son needs new clothes for the season.

 

Well, crackers, I can't find it.

 

OK, I'll do this.

 

If we were going on a trip, this is what I'd pack for a two week trip (in winter) (assume he's wearing a shirt and pants): three pairs of pants, six shirts (He's a dribbler) and two sweatshirts. One pair of pj's, one robe. Slippers, outdoor shoes/boots (depending on whether there's snow on the ground or not) seven pairs of socks and seven pairs of underwear. One shirt and pants ensemble included in the above suitable for dinner in a fancy restaraunt. (Not that we would go--probably wear it to Church or for dinner at Great Auntie's house....).

 

For my daughter--same thing, only add two dresses to the above and two pairs of tights/leotards.

 

I'd plan on doing laundry once on the trip and once immediately when we get home..

 

Does that help?

Edited October 5, 2008 by Alana in Canada

[Peela]

We each do our own washing and I would say the kids do about 2 loads a fortnight when they run out of clothes :) and dh and I each do between 1 and 2 loads a week. Often one would do but since we do whites separately, it is 2. Then there are towels and sheets...I am erratic with them, maybe one load a week average.

[TammyinTN]

I do 2 loads on M-W-F. So 6 loads a week for our family of 4.

[Arch at Home]

We do a total of 3 to 4 loads a week for a family of 5, that includes sheets and towels. I think that big varient is how frequently do you change clothing, do sheets, and towels. We try to wear everything at least twice except socks and underwear and pajamas are generally washes once a week. We reuse towels a couple of times before washing and I wash beds every other week except for ds's which I do each week.

[Melissa in Australia]

we are a family of 7.

I do one load of mixed colour every day, and one load of whites every 2 days. the sheets fit in with the whites, except when I change my sheets, which get washed separately, once a week.

I line dry everything.

All the males in my house where shorts year round, ( yes even in winter, when it is only 10 oC my husband is from Canada and claims that 10 oC is not cold)

[Ellie]

I have never had enough clothing personally to do two loads a week:confused:

 

I wash Mr. Ellie's and my clothing in one load. I only separate his white all-cotton underwear (I use bleach and a different detergent).

 

When dds were young, I washed their clothing once a week, one load for both.

 

One load a week for towels, one for sheets, washcloths and dishcloths (those are all white cotton, and I pre-soak them in bleach first).