How to Get Your Family To Separate Their Laundry

Doing the laundry is a dreary job. Adding to it is the time spent in separating it, piece by piece.

People generally wash several loads of laundry at a time - white clothes, dark or bright clothes, light clothes and denim. This means that each piece must be evaluated and thrown into a separate pile before even starting the laundry, unless...

You can set up a system that will separate the laundry before it gets to the laundry room. If you follow this guide, it will cut at least ten minutes off of every laundry session - and who couldn't use some more time?

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• 4 plastic trash cans for each bedroom

1. Purchase four tall trash bins without lids for each bedroom. They can be the same color, or different colors, your choice.
   
   If you have far less clothes in a designation, such as white clothes, you can purchase a small bathroom bin for that category.

2. Make 4 labels for each set. Use a Sharpie and paper and apply the labels with postal packing tape to ensure that they stay where you put them. The labels should read something like this:
   White
   Light
   Denim
   Dark/bright
   
   Or, however you separate your laundry.

3. Tape a label on each bin. Line the bins up in an inconspicuous place in the bedroom, or better, in the closet if you have room.

4. 
    

   Instruct each family member to throw their clothes into the correct bin when removed.
   
   When laundry day arrives, gathering and separating the clothing is as easy as emptying the bins.

Tips & Warnings

• This is a good system to teach your children. They will thank you for it years from now. It also encourages your older children to do their own laundry when their bins are full by making it much easier for them.

[wannawrkfrmhome]

on 10/19/2009 SOUNDS like a good plan but not sure my tween would be willing to go that far! It's an accomplishment just to get it out of the floor! It's an idea worth tryint! 5*

[mvalora]

on 9/21/2009 Good idea for getting your family to separate their laundry.

[jillybilly]

on 9/21/2009 Nice idea, I dont have kids, but I live a boyfriend who is horrible at laundry! 5*

[rockymtngrma]

on 9/18/2009 Great idea! Now, if you could tell me how to get them to pick the clothes up off the floor? LOL--just kidding-wonderful article. Thanks!

[barbarastanley]

on 9/17/2009 I wish I had thought of this years ago!