Daily Routines: Laundry

If your home is like mine, there’s always laundry to do.  With small children, the amount of laundry can feel endless and overwhelming. 

Growing up, I watched my mom do multiple loads of laundry every weekend. If she had a spare minute during the week, she would quickly wash the essentials.  As I got older, I was given the task of keeping up with my own laundry to ease her workload.  I did the same with my son, once he could safely reach the dials. 

Now, with only my laundry and my husband's to manage, I still run one load every day. Some days it's clothes and other days it's linens like sheets or towels.  Keeping this simple routine means we rarely run out of clean items. 

One load of laundry a day can do the following:

• Lessens the risk of running out of clean clothes
• Lowers stress levels and reduces the feeling of overwhelm
• Make the "mountain" of laundry on the weekends almost non-existent, freeing you up for other things.

No one enjoys getting up in the morning only to discover they are out of underwear or their favorite shirt isn't clean.

The visual clutter of seeing clothes tumbling out of an overflowing laundry basket adds to your stress. And having to postpone fun outings-- or give up your weekend-- just to catch up on laundry is the worst.

Instead, grab the basket and toss in a load of whites or towels while you are watching TV or doing other chores.  An hour later, move it to the dryer and go back to what you were doing. Once everything is dry, a quick fold is usually all it takes to keep things under control. 

You can even involve little kids by having them fold washcloths and match up socks. It is a small habit that makes a big difference in keeping the laundry chaos away. 

Doing one load of laundry every day is a simple habit that helps keep laundry from becoming overwhelming. Instead of facing a huge weekend pile, you can stay ahead with small, consistent loads- whether it is clothes, towels, or sheets. This routine reduces stress and prevents last-minute "I am out of clean underwear" moments and frees up your weekends for rest and fun. By involving kids in small tasks like folding small items, you turn laundry into a manageable part of daily life rather than a never-ending chore. 

Good Morning Routines

Early mornings set the stage for success.  Even when my son was young, a low-stress morning routine helped us ease into a smooth and productive day. Now that we're all adults heading off in different directions, these simple habits keep us grounded.

Drink a glass of water. I won’t cite scientific journals, but that first glass helps wake up your digestive system and soothes a dry throat after a night's sleep. After that first glass of water, I like to wake up the house, too. 

Open the windows. 

My grandma opened the windows on the hottest and coldest days of the year. She believed we needed fresh air, even if it was just for a few minutes. She always said that if you only open one window, make sure it’s in the bedroom --- and do it before making the bed.  I still follow her advice.  It feels wonderful to stand by the window and feel the fresh air coming in, knowing the stale air from the previous day is on its way out.  Once the fresh air has a chance to move through, it's time for the final task: making the bed. 

The final task is to make the bed. 

When my son was little and wanted to help me, I told him that the best way he could contribute was by making his own bed. He would lay his blanket flat on his toddler bed and carefully smooth it out. As he grew older, I showed him how to straighten the layers of the sheet and quilt. It wasn’t always perfect, but it always made his room look tidier.  

Every morning, I pull back the sheets and blankets to let the bed breathe. About ten minutes later, I make the bed. Now, whenever I want to rest my eyes, lose myself in a good book, or play a brain game on my tablet, I find peace in my bedroom. Even if the rest of the house is a mess, I know my bed is a calm, tidy place to retreat to. 

Three small tasks can help you start a good day.

And if you add just one more -  give your family a good-morning hug, greet them with a smile, or send someone you love a cheerful good-morning text- you're not just starting the day; you're sharing it.  

What small morning habit makes your day feel calmer or more grounded?