This week’s mission is to organize and simplify laundry duty in 5 simple steps: sort, wash, dry, fold, and put away.

1. Sort: Keep your 3-bin laundry sorter (or multiple laundry hampers) wherever you change into your “jammies” at bedtime. Drop your dirty clothes into their respective bins—darks, whites, and colors.
2. Wash: First thing in the morning, put a load of laundry into the washer—towels and/or sheets.
3. Dry: After you’ve gone through your morning routine, and before you head out the door for the day, transfer the load of laundry from the washer to the dryer.
4. Fold: When you arrive home in the late afternoon or early evening, unload the dryer. (You won’t have to fold this load…)
5. Put Away: Hang up your clean towels in the bathroom, and put the clean sheets on your bed. Done!

Additional Tips:

• For any laundry that you don’t want to leave sitting in the dryer all day long, set a timer when you load the washer. If you’re not certain how long your washer’s normal cycle lasts, start with 1 hour and adjust up or down as needed. When the timer goes off, put the clothes into the dryer, and add a new load to the washer. Reset the timer. When the timer goes off again, repeat the process.
• Keep a trash can nearby so you can easily throw away anything collected by your dryer’s lint trap. When you unload the dryer, fold everything immediately! Instant Bonuses: You’ll reduce (if not eliminate) the wrinkles. You won’t have as much ironing to do. You’ll feel great because you just plain got the job done!
• Little ones afoot? Get them involved! Get out a footstool so your child can reach to put dirty clothes into the washer. As you empty the washer, give your child one or two wet items to add to the dryer while you toss in a couple handfuls. Toddlers can also empty the dryer, match up socks, fold washcloths and towels, or even fold shirts and pants. Instant Bonuses: You’re spending quality time with your child. You’re teaching your child important life skills. You’re actually getting the laundry done!

So, what about you? What are your favorite laundry tips? How do you keep laundry duty organized? I’d love to hear from you! Please leave a comment below to share your tried-and-true laundry strategies.

Courtesy of Jan Hayner from OrganizingAndCleaning.com:

The rule for cleaning a room is that if you can do a particular job in less than 2 minutes, get it done! It will be one thing that you won’t have to do later. After all, what is 2 minutes?

What jobs can you do in under 2 minutes?

1. Wipe the sink and faucet
2. Sweep the floor
3. Take out the garbage
4. Make the bed
5. Throw dirty clothes into the hamper
6. Unload the dishwasher
7. Pick up the newspapers
8. Do a fast clutter pick up
9. Put things away in the bathroom
10. Clean the mirror
11. Hang up your jacket
12. Sort the mail
13. Check your calendar
14. Pick out clothes for the next day
15. Throw a load of laundry into the washer

The ideas are endless! Sure if you do more than one project, it is going to increase time, but look at all of the things you could do with 10 minutes to make your life easier.