Success in doing laundry starts with packing the right clothes.When packing for college or university stay away from white clothes, they will turn grey and red clothes that will turn everything pink. Leave them at home.Discuss who is responsible for doing laundry before your student leaves for university. Click To Tweet
1. Practice
If your student has not done laundry at home use the last month or two before they leave to teach them how to use a washer, sort laundry, empty pockets and use a stain remover .
2. Money
Find out if the washers and dryers need coins or if money is put on a plastic swipe card. Put some money on the card or send coins to get them started and into the habit of doing laundry.
3. Laundry ” Basket”
Provide a central collection area for their laundry in their room. It might be on the back of a door or chair, a bin or bag in the closet. It needs to be easily portable so they can move it easily to the Laundromat which may be on another floor.
Mesh laundry baskets let damp things dry until they are washed
Put a laundry bag on the back of a door.
Backpack laundry bags make it easy to get everything to the laudromat.
A basket can be put in any convenient location and is sitting open easily to throw clothes in.
4. Supplies
Buy liquid laundry detergent because it dissolves quickly and comes in small bottles. It is better to have a supply of small bottles than a large one which is heavy and hard to take to the Laundromat. Buy fabric sheets for the dryer as the student will probably never be there for the rinse cycle.
5. A place to hang damp clothes
Have a place to hang up clothes – a line, door hooks or a free-standing wire rack in their room for things that are damp or that they don’t want to put in the dryer.
Use a rack to dry clothes and save money
Folding wooden or wire racks can be hidden away when they are not in use under the bed or in the closet.
Over the door hooks come in many styles to fit the door and space.
over the door hooks are great for hanging up damp clothes
6. Who does the laundry, parent, student, home or at school?
Decide if you will do their laundry when they come home on weekends. Set the policy early so there are no surprises.
Share your experience about laundry successes and failures.
Julie Stobbe is a Trained Professional Organizer and Lifestyle Organizing Coach who brings happiness to homes and organization to offices, in person and virtually. She enjoys working with her clients to provide customized organizing solutions to suit their individual needs and situation. She reduces clutter, streamlines processes and manages time to help her clients be more effective in reaching their goals. Julie can coach you to break-free of the physical or emotional clutter constraining you from living life on your terms.
Contact her at julie@mindoverclutter.ca
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Wow, does this bring back memories! I’ve never minded doing laundry, but there was a guy across the hall from me who was, shall we say, a spoiled rich kid. He had a ton of clothes so he didn’t need to do laundry and he just let it pile up. He ended up paying me something like $5 a load to do it for him – which was a lot of money for a student in the 1970s!
I can see how your career has gone from an onsite organizer in the 70’s to now a Virtual Assistant. Although the work can pile up as a Virtual Assistant it probably doesn’t have a distinct odour about it. It is an interesting point you make. If you own a lot of clothes laundry can pile up and become a clutter issue. I do suggest to my clients to cut down on the amount of clothes they own because then you have to keep up with the laundry and you will be spending less money.
thank for sharing
My kids are welcome to use my washer and dryer and soap but they get to do their laundry. It is teaching them time management and responsibility.