LAZY SUPERWOMAN; FAMILY WASHDAY SORTED

YOU KNOW WHEN YOU WALK INTO THE HOUSE AND THERE IS LAUNDRY TO BE DONE - EVERYWHERE? 
I mean, everywhere.
Here are tips to quickly tackle that mountain, and still have time to relax with a cuppa afterwards.

TIME SAVING TIPS

• The lazy superwoman's guide is to buy loads of white and fixed-dye T-shirts; and skirts and trousers of materials that don't need ironing. [Or at the most, a quick run-over with the iron]. Also easy wash cardigans and jackets 
•   Get everyone to wear these easy wear clothes and fabrics until they start falling apart. 
• Sew a couple of stitches when hems start falling, buttons start popping off, or seams give way.
•  If they get old or too scraggy to use, old T's can be used as dustcloths or emergency drying cloths if there is a leak from the roof. You will save HOURS and DAYS of your precious and valuable time by buying non-iron fabrics. I spent years slaving behind an ironing board; I now reckon life is too short.
• Kids don't need to wear designer for playing outdoors. Believe me. Buy for them today, and the way they grow they'll have grown out of them the day after tomorrow. Hand me downs from the older kids to the younger are a great standby. Or from cousins to cousins. Or from friends to friends. Buy one great set of clothes for church and special occasions and you're set
• You can buy good quietly slightly preworn clothes from Charity Shops. Just make sure it's a good shop, and wash the clothes well. You can often find designer items at Charity shops for your evenings out
• You don't need to iron teatowels. Or sheets, Or towels. Or duvet covers. Or pillowslips. No, really. From the woman who spent years ironing them, and packing them in the cupboard, perfectly folded edges outwards. No one will ever thank you, or even remember. Buy materials that don't crease too much
• Keep clothes that need hand washing to a minimum. Yes, I know. It's lovely to have that cobweb fashion cardigan, that temperamental material dress for a society evening. And yes, do have a few and handwash them. Only thing is, it takes time to wash; dry [can't tumble dry], and sometimes iron. Be kind to yourself; only buy the minimum of items that require handwashing
• Don't ignore that trailing hem, that loosening button, that tearing material. Mend it before it becomes a real problem. Keep a small tupperware box with sewing materials, or a sewing box. Whip it out often. It really is true - a stitch in time saves nine. And puts pennies in your purse when you make the life of your family clothes stretch through great sewing

SORT YOUR WASHING

• Sort the mountain of washing into three sets; chuck all whites in one pile, colored clothes in a second pile, dark colors in a third pile
• To make life REALLY simple and easy, have washday regularly. As soon as you have enough to make a decent size washing machine load, wash the clothes. Leaving them means that instead of a regular minor job, you now have a two day laundry marathon that'll leave you exhausted and irritable. Never mind how your hands will look. Ooh, that's another tip; wear gloves to prewash your clothes and deal with wet washing. Your hands and nails [and cuticles!] will thank you for it

HOW TO GET THE BEST WASH

• Wash them in three separate lots. Also make sure all your clothes are colorfast. One memorable occasion all my clothes turned out various shades of reddish pink when the dye of a red dress ran. Another time all my clothes turned green. And one dress shrank. Look, any homekeeping mistake to make, I've already made. Believe me. Check that your clothes don't run. 
• Prewash your laundry. It REALLY makes a difference. Wash stains out of your clothes by scrubbing at them with a piece of soap
• Check each garment before putting them into the washing machine. Take out tissues if you don't want to be picking pieces of fluffy paper off the clothes for the next two weeks. Take out any money, keys or odds and ends in pockets. Secure zips and fastening to prevent them snagging other fabrics. Tie any laces which may get tangled. Don't put in any torn or frayed clothes - the washing cycle will just encourage them to really tear. Mend torn or frayed items first before washing. Remove things like belts or non-washable accessories. Put more fragile items into a pillow slip before popping them into the machine - things like a lacy cardigan you don't want to snag on to something else; or tights and stockings, more delicate items.
• Those nifty little laundry detergent capsules are brilliant. One in each large wash really scrubs your laundry up well. They don't leave powdery streaks and give a fresh scent to the laundry. It's an investment to use Non Bio or hypoallergenic capsules. Sensitive skins can react to harsh laundry chemicals
• Shop around. Good shops run the No-Name Brand of good housecleaning and washing items for a fraction of the price. Find what works for you and stick to it. Your purse will thank you
• Throw in a half a cap of Non Bio Fabric Conditioner [or Softener], with five caps of cool water to dilute the conditioner and prevent any clothing streaks, and you're sorted
• Run a cycle in the washing machine [if you don't know how, read the instructions or ask someone to show you]
• Tumble dry your clothes [if you have the luxury of a tumble drier]. Otherwise, hang them out with pegs on a washing line to dry. The other day I walked past a basement apartment with clothes hung out on a washing line, and a fixed umbrella above them in case of rain. Love it!
• Do wash your blankets and curtains from time to time to keep them fresh and clean. Make sure you can get them properly dry afterwards. [Curtains will probably need an iron. I, dear Reader, have NON-IRON ones. Took me years to work that one out. I made them myself - saves loads of time]
• Don't leave damp items in a dirty-linen basket or in the machine because you can invite mildew to form on them. Mildew stains can be impossible to remove
• Clothes will stay looking good for longer if you wash them frequently rather than letting dirt build up

IRON YOUR CLOTHES

Work clothing, church clothing, and some of your home items will need ironing. Keep a good iron, and use it. I've had mine for absolutely years. 
  It broke the bank when I bought it [a really good make] and it's paid me back a hundred times over.   It gives a great iron, and keeps everything smart and shipshape.

DON'T PROCRASTINATE

Fold, hang and pack clothes away neatly as soon as they come out of the dryer, or have finished drying outside. Don't wait. 
  It's one of those jobs that you need to take a deep breath and get out of the way. 
  Otherwise you'll have clean piles of linen reproachfully staring at you every time you let yourself into the house. Which can be depressing.

And voila! Your washing is done! Go and enjoy a cup of tea and coffee.