~Wash Day~

Monday is Wash Day, or laundry day. This is how this day typically goes:



As soon as Darlin' leaves for work in the morning I throw a load in the washer. On this day I strip the beds and wash/replace bedding. Then continue switching and starting new loads until all of the laundry is clean and dry. When a load is dry I dump the basket out on our table in the living room. Sometimes I get around to folding it as soon as I bring it up from the cellar, but mostly it just piles on the table until it is all clean and dry.
     In between loads, usually right after I start a new load, I sweep the cellar stairs and laundry area, wipe down the laundry shelf, and the machines. I also empty the trash can at this time. There is a small jar on the shelf for pocket "goodies" that I find. If this is full, I empty this too. Our wood furnace is in our laundry area, so regular sweeping on Wash Day helps keep the bark, dirt and wood chips that come with heating with wood under control.

       During the week I try to keep up with the laundry so it is not such a big task on Monday. I usually shoot for "1 by 1" which is one load of laundry washed, dried, folded and put away by one o'clock every day. That seems to be just right for our family of four. Yours of course, will probably differ. The whole "1 by 1" thing tends to disappear on the weekends though, when Darlin' is home and we are doing family things. I'm sure I could still do it, but I honestly just haven't put forth the effort. And when Monday rolls around I ask myself "would it really have been so bad to do one load each on Friday and Saturday?! Oh well, thus the need for Wash Day. That is why I have it on Mondays, after a weekend of probably no laundry. I tried a long time ago only doing laundry one day a week. That did not work. We were always out of socks or certain clothes we wanted were dirty, then babies came, and well, you know how they spit up and diaper disasters happen.Yeah.

 On Wash Day, usually by nap time it is nearly all washed and dried. I put the boys down for quiet/nap time and fold, fold. Then when they get up, I change them, give Little Boy a bottle and Big Boy a sippy cup and applesauce pouch. They are then happy long enough for me to put it all away (their dressers are in Little Boy's room, and I avoid the stairs during nap time because if Big Boy hears the stairs creak-it's all over. "GET OUT!!" He will holler no matter how little of a nap he actually had. And the hollering wakes up Little Boy, just NOT worth it, Lol).
     Wash Day is also when I make homemade laundry soap. I haven't lately because I've just been grabbing cheap detergent off the store shelf instead of taking the time to get the THREE components for the homemade stuff. I know-super lazy! But when I do make it, I make enough for a couple of weeks so that I don't have to do it every Wash Day. Plus, this avoids the problem of running out mid week, which usually results in a laundry pile-up because I don't have the time (or don't take the time) to make it right when it is needed.

    The main goal at the end of Wash Day, is of course to have all of the laundry and bedding washed, dried, folded and put away. That said, on these days I do not plan gourmet meals. It is a good day for the crockpot, or spaghetti, frozen pizza, something like that. I love to cook, but I cannot confine myself to the kitchen when the goal is the laundry.
     In the warmer seasons, I like using my clothesline. It saves on electricity, it is relaxing to hang out and take down, I enjoy seeing laundry on the line, and you just can't beat the fresh smell of sun and breeze-dried laundry! I also like how the towels are stiffer from being dried on the line. I can fit two loads on my line at a time, so it doesn't take that much more time to dry it that way (aside from hanging it out and taking it down).

Well that's about it for Wash Day. If you have any questions, suggestions, or stories just leave a comment!

*UPDATE*

I forgot to mention, Wash Day is also the day I repack the diaper bag for Sunday (I have a separate one for going to town) and gather outfits for church. I know a week ahead seems a little overkill, but all of the laundry is clean and it is just easier for me to remember it on Wash Day rather than the weekend. It makes Sunday go so much smoother when we are ready ahead of time!