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How To Get The Laundry Done and Not Hate Your Life

We talk about big things here. Hard things. Messy things.

Things like chronically ill children and autism and dyslexia and depression and step-families.

And…sometimes, the things that have the greatest impact are the smallest victories. That what makes life easier, are the simple tricks that give us a little room to breathe, a little bit less chaos, and a little bit more sanity.

Y’all, nothing has helped me more in the last few months, with all the very real, very big things we have been dealing with, than figuring out a laundry routine that doesn’t make me want to scream and claw my face every day.

Maybe that makes me shallow.

I am not sure I care, because I am laughing my way to the washer and dryer every day without the feelings of defeat and disgust – washing the same load three times because I forgot to move it to the dryer and we are in a drought and our water bill is too high and what kinda mom has to pull half wet clothes out the dryer to dress her son for camp?

All the laundry shame – gone.

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I know, it sounds too good to be true, but I have to tell you, I actually look forward to laundry these days. (I know, I would’ve rolled my eyes and gagged too a few months ago, but stick with me...)

The secret?

I made the laundry all about me.

I am not kidding.

Every day, at 4:30 PM, I tell my boys that I neeeed to do the laundry. This is very important mommy business that cannot be delayed. They haaaave to find something to do, and media is always an option for laundry hour.

After having placed a load in the washer with my morning coffee, and then moving it to the dryer at lunch, at 4:30PM I grab that laundry from the dryer, take it to my room, close the door and breathe.

And not because of the laundry.

Because of the You Tube videos and/or podcasts I turn on.

Because of the tea I brewed or the glass of wine I poured just for the occasion.

It has changed my entire life.

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Maybe this makes me a pitiful person – that the only way I can get time to myself every day is to blame the laundry. But the truth is, it allows me to breathe for a bit, to have time to myself, and the laundry is done!

Most days, I finish the laundry in about 10 minutes, and then curl up on my bed and watch a few videos, or close my eyes and listen to the encouragement of another mom’s podcast.

Some days, I actually find myself doing an extra load of laundry (or two – I know, who am I?) throughout the day so that I can have more time (clearly I have issues) to myself.

If the boys interrupt, I ask them if they would like to help me fold. They run the other way.

By 5:30, I am a new person. I feel like I just might make it – just might be able to get dinner on the table and just might be able to deal with bedtime routines.

Laundry doesn’t stop. Neither does autism. Neither does motherhood.

The difference is that laundry is simple, controllable, and actually doable (most days).

Somehow this is encouraging to me. The laundry not being a thing, allows me to focus on the other, much more important things.

And the hour to myself every day doesn’t hurt!

How To Get The Laundry Done and Not Hate Your Life


 

My favorite Podcasts:

The Busy Mom

The Simple Show

Sorta Awesome

Homeschool Snapshots

 

My favorite You Tube Channels:

OCD Much

The Daily Connoisseur

Jamerrill Stewart

Debt is Dum


Now, if I could just figure out a way to bring joy to doing the dishes.

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4 Comments

  1. Hey lady. Thanks for the mention for Homeschool Snapshots!

  2. You know I am big fan, Pam! Thank you for all the work you do for mommas just like me.

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