Let’s face it; laundry hacks for working moms are a lifesaver! I should know, as a working mom myself!
And to be frank, there is nothing like that sinking feeling when you forget to throw that last laundry load in the dryer, only to discover your clothes the next morning have soured. Not to mention how time-consuming it is to wait for a load of laundry to finish so you can get on with your day. Don’t worry; you’re not alone. I hate waiting too!
That’s why I’m super excited to share 17 laundry hacks for busy moms I have tried and collected over the years. These are my favorite laundry hacks that make the entire laundry process easier, especially for a working mom.
Keep reading to learn my time-saving hacks. You’ll want to share them with a friend or even your own mom-I promise!
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17 Best Laundry Hacks Of all Time
Do you hate chores? Hey, the more time-saving laundry hacks, the better in my book! These hacks will make your laundry routine and life easier.
And yes, there are even laundry tips every family member can benefit from! Following my methods, you won’t be drowning in a ton of stuff to wash all week long.
1: Buy Larger Appliances
If it’s taking a while to whittle that huge laundry pile down to a manageable size, you may want to consider investing in a larger washing machine or dryer.
A washer and dryer with a larger capacity will enable you to consolidate laundry piles and complete the family laundry routine faster without so many trips to the laundry room.
2: Don’t Pair Socks
I hate pairing socks! It seems like an ultimate waste of my time, so I finally stopped doing it…for the most part.
One of my tried and true tips; I began buying only solid-colored or just plain white socks. It really cuts down on time it takes to sort all the pairs and match them. If you have kids, this is super easy to accomplish and makes laundry easier.
3: Wear Less Clothing
I know, sometimes buying clothes is unavoidable. But there’s really nothing wrong with wearing the same clothes a few times before washing. Especially if you only wore that sweater for a few hours.
I hang items that weren’t stained or soiled back in the closet when I can. Obviously, you don’t want to reuse really dirty clothes, like socks and underwear. But outwear like jackets, sweaters, and even hats don’t need to be washed after every use. You’ll have fewer clothes and a smaller load of laundry at the end of the day to deal with.
If you have dry clean-only laundry, here’s a great laundry hack-save these items for one load to take to the dry cleaners in bulk!
4: Fit Laundry Into Your Schedule
Busy moms have enough on their plates. One of the best laundry hacks I can give you is more about “time blocking.”
I schedule laundry according to a tight schedule each week. Also, I make sure I have at least an hour set aside for washing, drying, and folding each load every week.
I’ll talk more about not getting overwhelmed with an overflowing laundry basket but blocking time in your busy schedule to dedicate to a solid laundry schedule works! Not only do I get all the washing and folding done, but I’m able to build a habit within my routine that I can stick to, even with my busy schedule.
5: Set Alarms
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve forgotten to take a bunch of towels out of the washing machine, only to discover I never dried them when I need them. It’s frustrating, and to be honest, it used to drive my family nuts when they didn’t have the clothing they needed.
Setting alarms can help you stay on task with the daily laundry chore. I can set my phone’s alarm or timer for the exact time it takes a load of dirty laundry to go through the wash cycle. Then, I set another alarm once I transfer the laundry to the dryer for how long the drying process will take.
The alarms keep me from getting distracted and forget to complete the laundry. Plus, this works in line with my time blocking. And since I’ve been using this method, my laundry can be done quickly!
6: Complete The Load You Start
There was a time this was easier said than done for me! Let’s be honest; it’s kinda easy to throw dirty laundry in the washer and even the dryer. But the “fold, hang, ironing, and putting away” part of laundry used to drive me nuts!
I would procrastinate so much about the last crucial step in my laundry routine that clean clothes would end up piled in laundry baskets, collecting wrinkles until I found the time and motivation to do something. Even if it were just a basket of my own clothes!
Busy moms are usually multitasking and doing a million things at once. But one of the best laundry hacks for busy moms I can give you is to finish what you start! That means fold the clothes and actually returning them to the closet or dressers where they belong!
You can also recruit the kids to help, which is honestly a great life lesson they gotta learn anyway.
7: Use Split Hampers
Speaking of getting our family on board with the chores, separate baskets are game-changing hacks for busy moms. If you have the room, I highly recommend this idea!
Each member of your family gets their specified laundry basket. You can run one load of laundry for each basket, saving time. Once the load is done, the basket can be refilled with clean laundry and taken back to that room. I also like to use this type of hamper so I can throw in a quick whites wash etc
Another alternative, if you wash similar items together (like a dedicated load of jeans or white towels), is to make separate baskets of just those items. I did this and it saved me a ton of time on sorting laundry!
8: Get The Kids Doing Their Own Laundry
Why not get the kids started doing their own laundry? Older kids need these life skills, and busy moms need the help!
I have my kids go through the entire house, gathering everything they need including laundry products. They wash their clothes, and I supervise the folding and ironing, and eventually, the clean clothes return to their room.
It helps my schedule, and my kids are learning to do their chores. As far as hacks for busy moms go, this one is a must do!
9: Try To Do A Load A Day
Everyone’s routine for chores is different. Especially if you’re a working Mom who normally does laundry according to a work schedule. But hear me out on this hack!
If you can find the time to do just one pile a day, your laundry room won’t be filled to the brim with clothes. Also, the task won’t feel so overwhelming, especially if you naturally hate laundry as it is.
Think about it; if you’re normally washing five loads on wash day (maybe around three hours work of work), you’ll save time in the long run by just doing a quick wash on a regular load at least once a day.
This way you aren’t struggling at the end of the week, and the laundry room itself won’t seem as daunting to walk into!
10: Do Something Fun While Doing Laundry
One of my favorite laundry hacks for busy moms; have fun!
Listen to a podcast or one of your favorite playlists while folding and ironing. I like to use this time to call a Mom friend to talk and catch up, as I can do this with my phone on the speaker (or Bluetooth), and my hands are free to fold yoga pants!
You can even dance around and get those steps in while you’re putting away dishcloths!
Whatever you decide, just make sure you’re having fun while doing it.
11: Iron As Little As Possible
Honestly, not many items fresh out of the dryer (or, even after sitting for a bit) need to be ironed immediately.
You’ll save a lot of time and headaches if you skip the iron and just go straight to hanging shirts, pants, and everything else. Most of the wrinkles fall with time. And if it’s something you know won’t be worn for a while, you can skip the iron until it’s time to dress.
Shirts get wrinkled just sitting in the closet anyway! So wait to iron until you need to.
12: Enjoy Your Laundry Room
The laundry room doesn’t have to be a place to just store laundry products, dryer sheets, and cleaning supplies. Consider making it a space you enjoy being in, with Bluetooth speakers for music and pretty wall art! For ambiance, you can even put some scented candles and indoor plants on shelves.
Creating a space that you actually want to be in is more than just decorating. It’s creating an atmosphere that’s calm and enjoyable. And since you won’t be running for the door to leave as quickly as possible, you may actually find yourself getting more things done (like dusting that shelf the Tide sits on?).
13: Save Time Drying Clothes
If the drying process takes up a lot of time, here’s some tips on reducing it. Clean your lint filter and the attached hose at least once every three months. You can also use a drying rack for things like washcloths and blankets to keep your dryer free of more important items that need to be dried immediately. Also, do you know that woolen dryer balls save tine on drying, these on the ones we use, they definitely cut some time off the drying time!
14: Put Socks In Mesh Laundry Bags
One of the most valuable laundry hacks for busy moms- the mesh bag! A mesh bag for socks will keep all these pesky items together, making pairing much easier. You can also use these mesh bags for delicates, like lingerie or baby clothes!
15: Shake Everything Before It Goes In The Dryer
You’ll discover fewer wrinkles and reduce drying time by shaking items loose before throwing them in the dryer. Tightly bound towels and shirts (usually happens during the spin cycle) will have restricted airflow. Shaking these will help ensure everything is dried in less time (and less money!).
16: Put Hanging Clothes On Hangers Right Out Of The Dryer
Remember how I said I hated putting stuff away? One thing that has helped me is to hang items as soon as I retrieve them from the dryer.
Plus, since the pants and shirts are warm, they’ll sit perfectly on hangers and result in fewer wrinkles, because they haven’t been sitting. Mom win!
17: Treat Stains Immediately
That pile of stained t-shirts? Don’t let them sit! Stains are always worse when not treated right away!
White vinegar is amazing as an eco-friendly stain removal product, and trust me, as many times as I’ve mentioned it in this blog, you know it works! I always carry one of these in my bag too.
Conclusion
I hope these laundry hacks for busy moms (and dads) help make your morning routine, or whenever you choose to start a quick wash, a little easier. Try a few of these ideas for a week, and let me know in the comments if they helped!
Life can get overwhelming when you’re raising children. And when you’re working full time as well? You’re not alone. Most parents feel overwhelmed at the end of the day, and maintaining a household is a job in itself.
Hopefully, these hacks can help you relax a little during your daily chores, create a working wireframe to organize your daily tasks, and make life a little more enjoyable. And if anyone deserves some ease in their daily routine, it’s a busy mom!
Do you know more laundry hacks that weren’t listed? Let me know down below!
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