Friday, January 16, 2009

Laundry Woes

Now I consider myself to be a slightly above average homemaker, in the sense that I enjoy housekeeping and laundry (ironing is another story)! I know I don't hold a candle to the amount of laundry that my mother has waded through during her lifetime, but she had 9 kids! By choice, I might add!
But today, being laundry day, the second this week, I am bothered by a few items that continue to be passed through my laundry cycles. I had all the laundry in the house done on Monday, sheets, area rugs, blankets, clothes, towels, dishtowels, etc. I have a routine that I like to stick to, all the laundry on Mondays and clothes again on Fridays. I have discussed the amount of laundry with my children and some are catching on to the fact that you can wear pj's more than once; jeans, certainly; shirts, usually not when you are under 7; underwear, never no matter what age; socks, another never; towels can be used a few times if they were hung up, etc... well, on Monday after doing 5 loads of laundry I was done with the sheets, blankets, rugs and was starting on clothing. Tate entered my room, where I always fold all the clothes and put them in piles for each child, he surveyed the relatively small amount of clothing on the bed and exclaimed, "well, we sure took it easy on you this week!" Are you kidding me? I had just started the clothes and had 4 loads remaining, but his little eyes only saw one folded load on the bed.
Fast forward to today, I have 5 loads done and one to go. Some may want to blame the extra laundry on having a baby in the house, but honestly she doesn't come close to the amount of clothing that her brothers go through. I just finished all the socks and underwear... Gage - 16 pairs of underwear, 3 pairs of socks! Seriously, how does that work you may ask. Well, let me tell you. The boy wears about 5 pair underwear at a time to be Nacho Libre (thank you Karli and family!). Well, when a two year old has an accident in 5 pairs of underwear all 5 are dirty! The older boys on the other hand, how do they have 5 pairs of pj's to wash, 2 underwear, 12 pair socks, one pair of jeans and one shirt! Grrr, we are going to have to go over this again!

6 comments:

Jana Jensen said...

Dearest, sweetest, most naive sister. Give up already! I have a 5 year old and a 8 year old who never change their shorts, a 10 year old who when asked to shower replies, " why where are we going?" and a 12 almost 13 year old who we expect to wash down the drain anyday because of over showering, is twice a day too much? So I can't win with laundry. I am only warning you now. With deepest Love Jana

TL said...

Seriously you are my laundry hero, I'll have to try the Monday Friday thing. You could have them follow Ty's example then you'd only have to wash one pair of underwear a week because he only wears them to church, but with no underwear you'd be washing more jeans. :) hmmmm not sure which is better! :D Good luck!

Nielson said...

Wow--you really are a laundry queen. And the 15 pairs of underwear? I'm with you--I don't know how they go through so much clothing.

Unknown said...

I liked Jana's comment. I can't imagine all the laundry I someday will have. It already piles up with just one. Yikes!!!!! You are an amazing housekeeper. I could sure learn from you.

Jennie Brown Stephens said...

Laundry only 2 times a week. Holy crap... I do a load or 2 a day!! I just dont like the over load of 6 loads in one day.. thats too much folding and putting away for me to do in one day. You are super mom, seriously

walkinourshoes said...

Hi Kara,
Wow, that is some laundry. I only do laundry on Saturday, and I only do three or four loads. Boys, must be the problem. You and Jana both have little boys. Maybe when Kylee gets older it will be a hassel. I see that you don't have Kylee's blog address. It is www.kyleeville.blogspot.com
Well, hang in there.
Love, Koe