Laundry... almost as bad as ticks and mosquitoes.
Laundry is one of those chores that never truly ends. Just when you think you're caught up, another pile magically appears.
If you're tired of spending hours on laundry, it's time to streamline the process. We have some laundry tips and hacks that will show you how to do laundry faster! With simple organization hacks, laundry day can become less painful—and dare we say—almost enjoyable!
1. Set Up a Foolproof Sorting System
Sorting clothes is one of the biggest time-wasters on laundry day. Instead of dumping everything into a single hamper and sorting when you're ready to wash, try pre-sorting as you go.
- Hack: Use separate labeled hampers for whites, darks, colors, and delicates. When it's time to wash, just grab a bin and go!
- Bonus tip: Keep mesh bags nearby for socks, underwear, and delicate items—this prevents socks from mysteriously disappearing and saves time sorting later.
2. Optimize Your Laundry Space (Even If It’s Tiny!)
A cluttered laundry area makes the process more frustrating than it needs to be. Give yourself a functional, organized space to speed things up.
- Hack: Install wall shelves or a slim rolling cart between your washer and dryer to store detergent, fabric softener, and stain removers within reach. We use this one!!
- Hack: Use wall-mounted drying racks or an over-the-door drying system to save space and keep everything organized.
- Hack: Keep a "lost sock bin" near the dryer so you can quickly reunite pairs instead of leaving random socks lying around.
3. Create a Simple Laundry Routine
Instead of letting laundry pile up until it's overwhelming, establish a routine that prevents backup and helps you do laundry faster.
- Hack: Assign specific laundry days for different loads (e.g., towels on Monday, kids' clothes on Wednesday). This keeps things manageable instead of spending an entire day doing multiple loads.
- Hack: Set a phone timer for wash cycles to avoid forgetting and having to rewash clothes (because we’ve all been there).
- Time-saving tip: If you're in a rush, throw a dry towel in the dryer with wet clothes—it absorbs moisture and cuts drying time by 25%!
4. Speed Up Folding and Putting Away
Folding is the part of laundry that most people dread(especially me!), but a few small tricks can make it go faster and feel less tedious.
- Hack: Fold clothes IMMEDIATELY after they come out of the dryer to prevent wrinkles and eliminate the dreaded "laundry pile" on the couch.
- Hack: Use a folding board for uniform, quick folds (especially helpful for kids' clothes and towels). This actually gets my son excited to help with laundry. He's not perfect with it but it's progress!
- Hack: Assign each family member a laundry basket. Once clothes are folded, they take their basket and put things away—teamwork makes the dream work! If you're kids are young like mine, there will likely be spills along the way. Remember to have grace for them. :)
5. Set Up a Stain Removal Station for Quick Fixes
This one might sound silly or a bit dramatic but waiting until laundry day to deal with stains can make them harder to remove (and more time-consuming). Having a designated stain removal station speeds up the process.
- Hack: Keep stain removers, a stain chart, and a small scrub brush in your laundry space so you can pre-treat stains before tossing clothes in the hamper.
- Hack: Use a stain guide chart (taped to the wall or saved on your phone) so you always know how to treat different stains without Googling it each time.
- Hack: Store a small spray bottle of water and baking soda near your hamper for quick pre-treatment on the go.
6. Make Laundry More Enjoyable (or at Least Less Miserable!)
If you're going to be stuck doing laundry, you might as well make it feel less like a chore.
- Hack: Put on a podcast, audiobook, or your favorite playlist while folding—it makes the time go by faster.
- Hack: Set a 10-minute timer and challenge yourself to finish folding before it goes off (gamifying the process can help!).
- Hack: Enjoy a glass of wine, tea, or a fancy coffee while you fold—because if you have to do laundry, you might as well make it feel like self-care.
- Bonus tip: If your kids are old enough, turn sock-matching into a game and let them "win" a small prize for the most matches found!
Conclusion
Laundry doesn’t have to feel like a never-ending battle. With a few simple organization hacks, you can do laundry faster, cut down on frustration, and maybe even make it a little enjoyable (wine helps).
Which of these hacks are you going to try first? Let me know in the comments, and don’t forget to subscribe for more home organization tips!
