A Laundry Sorter Is a MUST!

If I would have had a laundry sorter in the bathroom or even in each of their bedrooms a lot of these problems could have been avoided. I could have shown them how to separate their own clothes as they took them off. Having a sorter instead of regular laundry hampers would have gone a long way to teaching them how to do their own laundry!

With a laundry sorter you can quickly grab a bag and head to the laundry room. Need to do whites? Grab the whites bag out of everyone's room and you are done! Of course it will take some time for kids to get it just right so you might have a few colored clothes mixed in. But it will definitely be easier than going through all the clothes - right?

You will find that a laundry sorter will generally have three bins, usually made of canvas or mesh. Both are very durable and perfect for laundry. They both have benefits. Canvas is thicker and will hide your laundry in the bag. Mesh breathes more so your laundry won't get so stinky. However, if having your laundry on display bothers you then don't choose mesh.

Laundry Sorter Styles!

As I have been looking for a good laundry sorter, I am surprised and pleased with all the different choices there are. At first I thought that I would just pick up a three bin sorter with white canvas bags. This is a great option and I am perfectly happy with this choice. But, I had no idea I could find laundry sorters that will work in almost any room!

I found a great wicker laundry sorter that looked like an oversize hamper. But inside you find three sorting bins! I loved the fact that it has a lid - however many consumers felt like this particular laundry sorter wasn't sturdy enough. I thought this would look great in the master bedroom and maybe it would work in there since it won't get much abuse, but I wouldn't put it in a child's room!

But, I did find quite a few laundry sorters that would be perfect in a child's or teen's room. These laundry sorters are durable and even better - they are FUN! I found a laundry sorter that is just like a pop-up hamper but with 3 sections! Perfect for a teen room or to use in a college dorm room.  You can also get the standard laundry sorter with colored bags - how fun for a kids room?

In my opinion a laundry sorter can go a long way to tackling laundry room organization. With a laundry sorter in the laundry room you can keep the clothes that accumulate in there sorted and ready to go when you do the wash.

Great Laundry Sorter Choices:

	Honey-Can-Do Heavy-Duty Triple Laundry Sorter, Chrome/White

	Deluxe Laundry Hamper - Pop Open Sorter Colors Vary

	Whitmor 6233-986 Pop & Fold Laundry Sorter

Laundry Sink – A MUST!

Okay, so I am not really without a laundry sink. My laundry room is right next to a bathroom and so I have the bathroom sink I can use – or the tub if I really need too. So, really I am fine. But I look at all these beautiful laundry rooms with big laundry sinks and cute laundry room décor and I start wishing.

In all these beautiful laundry rooms that have a laundry sink I have noticed that there is a variety of sinks that people choose. For some reason I always thought that for a laundry room you wanted more of a laundry tub. You know a big deep sink.  Well, if that is what you want then by all means, get a nice deep laundry sink. Think of all the things you can do with a large laundry sink. You can soak big items like sheets or blankets if you want. You can use it to wash big pots and pans or even give the dog a bath. Really, the sink in your laundry room doesn’t have to be reserved for just laundry tasks. It can be a great multipurpose utility sink!

If you don’t have the room for a large laundry sink, then you can always put in something smaller. Many people choose to put in a smaller version of the kitchen sink – but with a single bowl, not double. You can still soak and pretreat clothes in a sink this size.

Maintaining Your Laundry Sink

If you have a sink in your laundry room and you use it a lot, you will want to make sure you maintain it. There really isn’t much to maintaining a sink, but a laundry sink has a good chance of getting a clog in the drain if you use it to rinse dirty clothes much. So be prepared. If possible, run a snake down the drain regularly to make sure that the pipe stays clear. If you wait until there is a clog it is harder work, so keeping it clear is best. You want your sink to drain because otherwise you might have a big mess!

Yes, I want a laundry sink. Maybe someday I will have a beautiful laundry room with a nice sink to rinse clothes and bathe the dog. Until then, I will enjoy the fact that I still have access to a small sink in the bathroom. I guess I really do have a laundry sink.

Find the Perfect Laundry Sink:

	Swanstone PT-1-010 22-Inch by 25-Inch Floor-Standing Single Laundry Tub, White Finish

	Zenith LT2005W ErgoTub Full Featured Freestanding Laundry Tub

	Swan DIT.010 Veritek 25-Inch by 22-Inch Drop-In Laundry Tub

Finding the Perfect Laundry Basket

Personally, I think a laundry basket is so useful! I have several of the white, rectangular plastic variety and I use them to death! For a while I used a wicker laundry basket to keep throw pillows in so they would be close by while we were watching television. However, with young kids in the house a wicker laundry basket on the family room floor did not last a very long time! But I still think a lined wicker basket with a soft blanket in it is the perfect prop for taking newborn pictures.

Okay, getting off track here. What we are looking for is the perfect laundry basket. Like I said before, I like the standard plastic laundry basket that has been around for decades. I like them because they are sturdy and easy to clean if they get dingy. Plus, when you fold clothes, stacks of towels fit nicely in a laundry basket like this which makes it nice so you can easily carry them to the bathroom to put them away.  I do have one plastic laundry basket that isn’t my favorite and for a crazy reason. It is almost too tall to fit under my dryer. I tend to put the basket in front and then open the door. The door doesn’t clear this laundry basket. I know – silly, I can move the basket out of the way. But after doing something a certain way for years it is hard to change.

Those are my preferences when it comes to a laundry basket. But everyone does laundry different so I looked at a few different options and found there are quite a few choices when it comes to finding a good laundry basket. I guess I usually zone in on the type I like when I am buying a laundry basket and don’t even see the others. But I am sure some of the other options could be a perfect laundry basket as well.

What to Look For in a Laundry Basket

So, as I was looking I realize that different types of baskets fit different types of laundry needs. For instance, if you need to take your laundry far to do wash then laundry bags can be a great choice.  You can throw the laundry bag in your car or just sling it over your shoulder and head to the laundry center to do your wash. This would be the perfect laundry basket for college students or even for someone to take to the gym for their sweat cover clothes and towels.

You can also find a laundry basket that combines the standard plastic laundry basket with the convenience of a laundry bag. These laundry baskets are more like a tote with handles. They would be nice because since they are more rigid you can put your clothes and laundry soap in them. A laundry basket like this would also make a great beach tote – like I said before, you can use a laundry basket for almost anything!

For someone who wants to be able to sort their laundry as they go, then laundry carts might be the best choice. As I have looked, these carts are awesome! You can sort your clothes into different bins so they are ready for the laundry. There are even ones that have different colored canvas bins so you can teach your kids how to sort their own laundry as well.

One of the coolest laundry room projects I have seen lately is one where they take a deep shelf unit and arrange the shelves to a laundry basket fits perfectly on each one. So it is like having a laundry sorter right in the laundry room. I like this idea because the baskets are there for you to put everyone’s laundry in when it is folded and then they can take their laundry basket and put everything away.

Just a note - if you want to find great laundry room ideas, and ideas for just about anything you can think of, check out Pinterest. Oh yeah, my new addiction! The nice thing about Pinterest is you feel crafty and like you have accomplished so much just from pinning stuff to your boards - lol!

Okay – so we have established that everyone needs a laundry basket. Maybe you won’t use your actual laundry basket for carrying laundry, but I am sure you will find a handy use for it!

Find the Perfect Laundry Basket:

	Bajer Design 5234 EZFOLDR Laundry Basket

	Rubbermaid Home 299787-WHT Laundry Basket

	United Solutions Rectangular Plastic Laundry Basket, 125-Bushel Capacity, White

What Type of Laundry Hamper to Get?

What laundry hamper? There are so many choices and I think I have tried a bunch of them! I was always looking for the perfect solution to getting my family to put their clothes in the laundry hamper. After the kids were grown I finally realized the laundry hamper wasn’t to blame, it was the fact that they were kids and then teenagers!

One laundry hamper I tried was a basic mesh laundry bag. The bags I tried had plastic hooks that you hung over the door so the bag was out of the way. I think in theory this was a great idea, but I found that if your laundry hamper is hanging up behind the door you aren’t going to make much effort to get the clothes there. But this type of laundry hamper is perfect for college students because they can collect all their dirty clothes in it and then just take the bag to the Laundromat to do their wash.

In my opinion laundry bags as a laundry hamper works – just not for little kids. Kids need something that is more rigid so they can get the clothes in it. One thing I did try is to put the laundry bag in a round trash can with the top of the bag rolled over the edge of the trash can. That way it was like a standing laundry hamper, but I could still just pull the bag out when it was time to do wash the clothes. Now they have pop-up laundry bags, so it is like a rigid laundry hamper, but still a bag you can carry easily.

So, the laundry bag worked if I put it in another container. Like I said, a bag is perfect for college kids so if you have children going to college pick up a laundry bag for them. But for home use, I still like a standard laundry hamper for each room. Make sure you get a laundry hamper that has ventilation so your laundry doesn’t get smelly. Very important for teenager rooms!

Laundry Hamper for the Laundry Room

Of course you will want a laundry hamper in your laundry room for all those things that end up in there. A laundry cart that has sorting bins would be perfect for your laundry space.  You can use it to sort your laundry as you are washing. If you have laundry cabinets or are thinking about having some put in, you can have a built in laundry hamper or sorter.  I like the idea of having some shelves that fit laundry baskets perfectly. You can use the baskets to sort, to put folded laundry in, or whatever you need them for. I like the idea of using them to put the folded laundry in and then each person comes and gets the basket with their clothes in it and puts them away.

Where to Buy a Great Laundry Hamper

You can buy a laundry hamper at just about any department store. I like to shop online so I usually buy mine from Amazon.com. You can get free shipping if you spend over $25 on most items so it beats fighting crowds or running to six different stores to find the perfect laundry hamper.

Another favorite option is Ikea. I LOVE their stuff and it is usually pretty inexpensive. If you don’t have an Ikea store near you, they have a website as well. Although I think their website is a little hard to navigate and their shipping can be expensive.

Who knows, you may happen across the perfect laundry hamper when you aren’t even shopping for one. That is how it always happens for me. If I am searching for a laundry hamper there won’t be one I like, but as soon as I am not looking there will be 10 I fall in love with!

Buy a Laundry Hamper:

	Rubbermaid 4D06 Configurations 23-Inch Foldable Laundry Hamper, Natural

	Household Essentials Hanging Cotton Canvas Laundry Hamper Bag

	Household Essentials Double Hamper Laundry Sorter with Magnetic Lid Closure, Coffee Linen

Making Laundry Fun!

Okay, maybe we can’t make laundry fun, but we can make it more pleasant! That is what this site is all about – making laundry something you don’t dread. We will provide great laundry tips, ideas for organizing your laundry room, and even check out some great laundry products – there seems to be a lot of those around. Most of all we will take the drudgery out of picking up the laundry hamper.

So where to start? First of all let’s think about your laundry space. Is it dark and dingy? I remember helping my mom and my grandma do their laundry. They both had laundry rooms in dark, unfinished basements. You really couldn’t even call them laundry rooms, just a spot against the cement wall where the washer and dryer sat. As a kid I thought it was pretty creepy. I would dread my mother asking me to take a laundry basket and go get the laundry out of the dryer. Maybe that is where my aversion to laundry first came from, going down those steep stairs into the dark and scary basement.

Looking back that is how all the laundry rooms were in that era. They were tucked away in a corner of the basement or on a utility porch. Today’s homes usually have a place for the washer and dryer that is close to the living areas. Often it is a separate room with cabinets and even a laundry sink. We have come a long way about how we define our laundry space!

Make Your Laundry Space Unique

Even if you don’t have a designated laundry room, you can make your laundry space more appealing by adding some pictures or vinyl lettering, some organization products such as a laundry sorter or some shelves. At the very least you can add a coat of paint and put down some throw rugs to make your laundry space a little more cozy an inviting.

Some people like adding a stool or a chair to the laundry room so they can fold clothes, do mending, and other tasks. It is a good idea to add a rack to hang clothes that need to air dry as you pull them out of the washer. You can paint your accessories a bright color to make your laundry room fun and a happy place to be. Add bright colored curtains or whimsical wall hangings and your laundry room will be perfect no matter what size it is!

Make Time for Laundry

I know, you have heard it before but here it is again, schedule time for doing tasks such as laundry. If you have a set day, or days, of the week to do laundry it will become a habit. You can even incorporate your laundry day into a family schedule. For instance, all hampers need to be in the laundry room by 7 am Monday morning or they will not have clean clothes. This is a good way to teach kids to be responsible for their own laundry and it is one of the steps toward teaching them how to do it themselves.

You could schedule different types of laundry to be done on different days. For example, whites on Monday, jeans and sweats on Tuesday, towels on Wednesday, etc. You can put a laundry sorter in each bedroom so all you have to do is get the appropriate laundry bag out of the sorter for that day’s laundry.

Get Your Family Involved with Laundry

Small children can do little things like put their clothes in the hamper and as they get older they can put their folded clothes away. Eventually you will be able to teach them how to sort clothes by color or fabric. Before long you will have teenagers who can run the washer and dryer like pros!

If you introduce your kids to laundry tasks as you go along they won’t end up like my college roommate. Her mother did all her wash for her. She had never even turned the washer on before. As a result she arrived at college without a clue how to wash her clothes. Unfortunately she ruined a few things because she thought the best way to get things clean was to wash them on hot. Now, I am sure her mother thought she was doing what was best for her daughter, but she really needed to understand how to do laundry before she moved away from home!

Use the Right Laundry Products

There are so many laundry products to choose from and all of them claim to be the beat all end all product for perfect laundry. Hmm – really? I think that all laundry products serve their purpose and everyone has their favorites. That being said, I will be sharing some of my favorite laundry products with you on this site. But, remember you need to use the products that work for you. That doesn’t always mean you need to buy the expensive name brand products, often store brands are just as effective.

It has been my experience that many things factor into your laundry – the products you use, the quality of your water, temperature, and of course how dirty your clothes are! Even in your own laundry room, some stains will come out with one product but not another. Sometimes it is just try and try again. But we will look at some innovative stain removal ideas and ways to boost the cleanliness of your laundry.

Laundry does not have to be a dreaded task. It can be downright enjoyable – for some people. But no matter if you are a laundry lover or you just want to get it done, we will help you do it right!