Thursday, January 24, 2008

why didn't i think of this sooner?

oh wait, i did!

two weeks ago, while surrounded by yet another 6 loads of clean laundry waiting to be folded and put away, i was wallowing in self-pity. how the heck do 2 adults and three little people create so much laundry?! i knew that something had to be done to change this weekly scenario! i had had enough!

this is when i decided to implement, again, the "if it doesn't stink and there are no visible spots or stains, then you will wear it again until it does" rule. i am happy to report that i just finished folding the last of the 3 loads of laundry from the last 2 weeks. did you notice that i went from 6 loads to 3 loads in two weeks!! hallelujah!

however, there are drawbacks to this rule, which previously became too much for me. hence, i stopped enforcing the rule. what are the drawbacks, you ask? well, every night i must inspect the girls clothes for spots, and i must smell them! if they are deemed clean, then the girls take them upstairs and put them away in their drawer, or on the dresser for me to hang up in the closet.

i know, i know, it really isn't that big of a deal, right? but as most moms know, it is just one more thing to add to the long list of things to do! apparently it was too much for me to handle the first time i set this rule, but i am back again with renewed motivation (remember the 6 loads of laundry!?) and determination!

plus, think of all the time (folding the 6 loads of laundry), energy (not running the washer and dryer as many times, and folding the laundry), water (washer), and money (utility bills) i am saving! hurray for conservation!

viva la "if it doesn't stink and there are no visible spots or stains, then you will wear it again until it does" rule!!

13 comments:

Merilee said...

I love that rule, however my husband does not. So I have to be sneaky when I re-hang his clothes so he doesn't notice it hasn't been washed. To his credit, he does do quite a bit of the laundry in our household.

Becky said...

we have that rule too.
Andrew asking me every night if his oatmeal and grass encrusted jeans are dirty drives me insane though.
Kate is just sneaky and puts everything in her laundry basket. Im glad its not on the floor, but she ends up with three times more laundry then everyone else.

Elizabeth Dimit said...

The worst is the pajamas. Alexis just wears them once and throws them in the laundry basket. This week, however, we're up to two wearings. Yippee!

Anonymous said...

i totally agree! i was feeling the same way about laundry a couple weeks ago, and will now try harder to implement your now famous rule.

Bridget said...

I remember the day when I woke up and thought 'wow, my kids don't spit up and/or throw up everyday so maybe their clothes can be worn twice'

It was quite a revelation. My kids generally through their clohtes in the laundry basket anyway. At least its not on the floor I tell myself. I do have to remind Maren about the PJ thing like you Elizabeth. They can be worn many times!

Becca said...

I am working on that rule too! Mostly just with their pants though. The shirts always seem to be dirty, especially the boys'

Darilyn said...

Heidi does the same thing with her Pj's too! This is definitely my rule and I will even go through their laundry basket and take them out if they are clean.

Katie Smith said...

Yes, my sister and I are on the same page here. I don't have any girls, but Jack's shirts always seem to be dirty. The pants, however, get worn until they are spotty or stinky. It definitely helps because I already think there is NO WAY 2 adults and 1 baby can produce so much laundry!!

Rachael said...

I have tried to keep that as a rule at our house but too have ended up with it seems like tons of clean clothes going through the wash. I have now implemented the "wash you own clothes when you are 13" rule. That really helps solidify the "if it doesn't stink and there are no visible spots or stains, then you will wear it again until it does" rule!! The best laundry thing I have even done is to buy only two kinds of socks for my kids, black and white all the same exact socks. There was ho longer a need for a "I can't find the match" box and everyone knew whose socks were on the floor, I no longer spend time matching up any socks, and when one is lost or worn out, it still has a match which is so economical. I LOVE IT.

Michal said...

i have that rule for pants and pajamas. and i do a minimum of 10 loads of laundry a week (counting towels). i admit that i feel sometimes like my life is ruled by laundry. other times i just appreciate a good excuse to watch oprah or "say yes to the dress" or some other frivolous show because i have a mountain of laundry to fold.
but you don't have a tv. no wonder you have THE RULE!

Elizabeth Dimit said...

I louve it aiexis

Elizabeth Dimit said...

I louve it aiexis

Elizabeth Dimit said...

I louve it aiexis