moving to london from the usa...laundry took some adjustment. there was a single slot for a laundry machine in our place. the choice was either a very small machine that does washing or a very small machine that does both washing and drying. (apologies to the non-americans…we americans are spoiled with energy guzzling huge washers and dryers.) we chose the washing-only machine (partly for its cost and partly on advice). this machine's capacity was much smaller than what i'd been used to…plus, i had to allow time for air drying in a very humid environment where it rained every. single. day.
back in new mexico, i'd been used to having a laundry day. one day a week, i would gather the laundry from the baskets in each bedroom. i would dump everything on our bedroom floor and a little helper would assist me in dividing it into loads by color. i would then attempt to do all that laundry and have it folded on my bed and put away by bedtime. most weeks a couple loads would linger on the floor and eventually disappear right before more were dumped out. those days were gone. sarcastic sniff.
in london, we bought 4 small rubbish bins and two sturdy drying racks. each bin was the size of an appropriate washing machine load and designated for whites, lights, brights, or darks. we set these in the hallway between our bedrooms and each person was responsible for putting his/her laundry in the bins. when one filled, i did the load. i also had to throw sheets, duvet covers and towels into the mix during the week. since i had no dryer, i had to have two sets of sheets for each bed…and enough school uniforms to have one dry. it doesn't sound bad, but when you start out one day with absolutely nothing in the way of mattresses (which turn out to be a longer than the sheets you brought from home), table, chairs, dishes, towels, silverware… and you aren't rich to begin with…and you have a house at home that hasn't sold (because you don't yet realize what it means to be trying to sell a house in the usa in 2008)…well, you get the idea. :) laundry made things even more interesting than they were already…but it also taught me a lot! :)
back in new mexico, i'd been used to having a laundry day. one day a week, i would gather the laundry from the baskets in each bedroom. i would dump everything on our bedroom floor and a little helper would assist me in dividing it into loads by color. i would then attempt to do all that laundry and have it folded on my bed and put away by bedtime. most weeks a couple loads would linger on the floor and eventually disappear right before more were dumped out. those days were gone. sarcastic sniff.
in london, we bought 4 small rubbish bins and two sturdy drying racks. each bin was the size of an appropriate washing machine load and designated for whites, lights, brights, or darks. we set these in the hallway between our bedrooms and each person was responsible for putting his/her laundry in the bins. when one filled, i did the load. i also had to throw sheets, duvet covers and towels into the mix during the week. since i had no dryer, i had to have two sets of sheets for each bed…and enough school uniforms to have one dry. it doesn't sound bad, but when you start out one day with absolutely nothing in the way of mattresses (which turn out to be a longer than the sheets you brought from home), table, chairs, dishes, towels, silverware… and you aren't rich to begin with…and you have a house at home that hasn't sold (because you don't yet realize what it means to be trying to sell a house in the usa in 2008)…well, you get the idea. :) laundry made things even more interesting than they were already…but it also taught me a lot! :)
coming back to america unexpectedly, we were suddenly in much the same situation…including having to buy a washer and set up a laundry system in a new way. i decided to take what i liked from london and use it here. we have 4 bins, each the size of a load of laundry. we decided to only buy an energy star rated washing machine. i loved my drying racks so we replaced them. the climate is not so humid here, so the clothes dry faster.
later, some friends were getting rid of their older dryer and asked if we wanted it. we did take it, and it allows me to have only one set of sheets for each bed and one bath towel for each person. sheets + towels are the only things we dry in the dryer. when the dryer dies, i'm not sure we will replace it. i don't have a single designated laundry day, but some mornings take a full bin and put the clothes in the washer. i fold any dry laundry from the drying racks and put it into stacks for each person on the dryer. i put away my laundry. an hour or so later, i hang the clean load up to dry. done for the day. the rest of the tribe puts away their own laundry. mondays, i wash and dry towels. saturdays, i wash and dry sheets and wash rags. someday i'd love to have a clothesline outside, like we did in london. maybe next year. :)
p.s. i don't actually use clothes pins on the drying rack, but they made a good picture. :) (they are for camping.)
any laundry tips or questions? i'd love to hear!
love,
jane
later, some friends were getting rid of their older dryer and asked if we wanted it. we did take it, and it allows me to have only one set of sheets for each bed and one bath towel for each person. sheets + towels are the only things we dry in the dryer. when the dryer dies, i'm not sure we will replace it. i don't have a single designated laundry day, but some mornings take a full bin and put the clothes in the washer. i fold any dry laundry from the drying racks and put it into stacks for each person on the dryer. i put away my laundry. an hour or so later, i hang the clean load up to dry. done for the day. the rest of the tribe puts away their own laundry. mondays, i wash and dry towels. saturdays, i wash and dry sheets and wash rags. someday i'd love to have a clothesline outside, like we did in london. maybe next year. :)
p.s. i don't actually use clothes pins on the drying rack, but they made a good picture. :) (they are for camping.)
any laundry tips or questions? i'd love to hear!
love,
jane
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