Do you ever feel like it’s all too much? Every Thursday, I share one action, habit, or project you may want to undertake in order to improve your health, happiness, and sense of well-being.

PROJECT OF THE WEEK

Create a Laundry Schedule

The kids are back to school, fall sports are in full swing, and your work day is filled with calls and emails that start with, “Now that summer’s over, we should start thinking about xyz and get moving on the abc project.” A frustration that I hear often is that there is just not enough time. As a result, the first thing many of us cancel is our "fun" time or "down" time. (But, Making Time for Fun is important in the long-run!)

However, we need time to recharge and if we don't take it, it will catch-up with us. How many times have you finished a big project, only to come down with a cold the next day? Our bodies have a way of telling us, enough is enough, even when we don't want to hear it.

One way to carve out "free" time is by scheduling all the mundane tasks - like laundry! - that have to get done.

Laundry is easy to push off, until you don't have the pants you need for your work meeting or your kid's soccer shirt is dirty and the game is in a few hours.

All of a sudden, laundry moves from "not urgent and not important" to "urgent and important".

There is a simple solution; make laundry part of your weekly schedule.

Getting Started

The key to starting this process is finding the schedule that works best for you and your family.

With that said, I do recommend doing laundry on a weekly basis. Now this does not mean you have to wash every category on a weekly basis. It just supports making laundry part of your weekly routine.

The other benefit to doing laundry on a weekly basis is that it does not become overwhelming. This makes the task of folding laundry and putting it away a lot more manageable.

Below are some simple laundry schedule ideas if you live alone:

Washer & dryer located in your home:

Mondays - Wash clothes.
Tuesdays - Wash sheets & towels.

Multiple washers & dryers located in your building:

Mondays - Wash clothes, sheets & towels.

Below are some simple laundry schedule ideas for a family :

Washer & dryer located in your home:

Mondays - Wash "Parent 1" clothes.
Tuesdays - Wash "Parent 2" clothes.
Wednesdays - Wash "Child 1" clothes & sheets.
Thursdays - Wash "Child 2" clothes & sheets.
Fridays - Wash all towels and Parent sheets.

Multiple washer's & dryer's located in your building:

Mondays - Wash all clothes by person. Note: Pro Tip below on why by person is the way to go!
Tuesdays - Wash all towels and sheets.

Happy Spaces’ Tips & Tricks

As discussed in last week’s Can Money Buy Happiness post, laundry may be one of those mundane tasks that you want to delegate out.

Even with a schedule, if laundry is one of those household tasks that forever feels overwhelming and worth it to you to have someone else do - then do that! There’s no shame in getting the support that you and your family need.

Below are some general laundry tips that you may find helpful:

Pro Tip: Washing clothing by person, eliminates the step of sorting the laundry, when folding it and putting it away. This is especially true of those pesky baby socks that get stuck inside everything and go “missing”. Most clothing can be washed together, as long as it's washed in cold water.
Most items, even if they recommend dry-cleaning, can be washed in a "laundry bag" on delicate in cold water and hung on a hanger to dry.
Laundry is a life skill that kids need to learn. Starting in elementary school, kids are capable of folding their laundry and putting it away. Starting in middle school, kids are capable of being responsible for their own laundry. Teaching your kids these life skills is a gift.
If possible, I recommend scheduling laundry - literally, put this in your calendar! - as part of your "work" week and not on your day off. This will help support you living a balanced life.

Feeling Overwhelmed?

We understand how challenging and scary it can be to start something new. If you feel excited about implementing this strategy, but worry that it’s just too much to start on your own, the It’s All in the Planning Started Pak was designed for you!

GET STARTED

A Note from Happy Spaces

The goal is to add value to your life. If you think this project will add value:

Estimate how long you think it will take. I would recommend doubling the time you estimate.
Look at your calendar over the next week and pick a date and time to get started.
Make an appointment on your calendar for the estimated time.
If you estimate that completing this project will take longer than one hour, I recommend doing it over multiple days. This will support you in getting started!
Prior to starting this project, take a few minutes to make a step-by-step list of EVERY action you need to take to complete this project.
It's not all or nothing. You can choose to implement only the parts of this project that add value to your life.
An Accountability Partner can be a great support in following through on your goals and commitments.

We understand how challenging it can be to implement new habits and systems. For additional support please go to HappySpacesBySarah.com.

Creating a life you don't need a vacation from! ®

Sincerely,

Sarah Weingarten

Meet Sarah

Growing up as the oldest of nine siblings in Upstate New York, I learned to use organization to create sanity among the chaos. Today, I work together with individuals, families, and small businesses to create habits, systems, and spaces that support their needs, goals, and dreams. Clients often refer to our work together as "life-changing" and "better than decades of therapy". What I love most about my work is the lasting impact it has on real people's lives. Nothing makes me happier than hearing the many success stories of clients I have worked with.

Create a Laundry Schedule