How a Professional Organizer Does Laundy

If you are a human who wears clothes and cannot afford a personal assistant/laundry service...you probably do your own laundry. For preeeeeeeeety much all of us, it's a struggle to complete the entire cycle of wash-dry-sort-fold-put away.

Here is what I personally attempt to do on a regular basis. (As I am also a fellow human, and definitely not a robot, there are many occasions when clean laundry just sits in baskets in my bedroom. It's okay. We humans are a work-in-progress.)

Step 1, WASH: Honestly, the easiest step for me..throw the laundry in the washing machine. If you're the type that separates by color and type of clothes, you'll sort based on your preferred categories. If you just need to get it done, you can do it the lazy way and throw everything in on cold/cold.

Listen, I'm not here to tell you how to launder your laundry...just how to make it a streamlined process. Also, this is a judgement-free zone. If you just like throwing everything in on cold/cold every time (HI, IT ME), you do you! I really couldn't care less how you wash or dry your clothes. This is more what happens afterwards.

We only have a little time until these machines become self-aware.

Step 2, DRY: As long as you remember to take them *out* of the washer (HI, IT ME), now it's time to dry. If you didn't remember to switch it over, you could just wash them again. (I DO THIS A LOT. NO SHAME). Dry your clothes in the dryer or hang them on the line, it's your choice. Have your basket or baskets ready for once the load is done. Pull everything out and put it all into a basket.

STEP 3, SORT: This is the part about laundry that I think is KEY. Sort by person, then divide into sub-categories. We have 4 people in our family, so I sort by me, my two kids (I initially group them together), and my husband.

After years of sorting, folding, and putting away my husband's clothes...I've released myself of that burden! (Should I call something husband-related a burden or no? Well, I'm gonna do it here, regardless.) I take all of his clothes and gleefully shove them into a laundry basket.

As long as that basket doesn't interfere with any thing, I'm happy. No longer am I glaring at him, staring pointedly at the pile of neatly folded laundry, then glaring back at him. No, no, those days are long gone. His laundry sits in a basket, hidden away on his side of the closet. It's his issue if he can't find a piece of clothing. And I cackle to myself, happy with my choices.

Great dad. TERRIBLE laundry sorter/folder/put-away-er

Once you sort by person, sub-divide into smaller categories. I find it MUCH less daunting if I tell myself something like, "Okay, fancy lady, just find all of your undies and pull them out." (In this scenario, I am a fancy lady.) Do this until you have separate piles pulled from your entire basket. I like to fold my clothes on a bed that's been made. It gives me a nice, clear work space.

STEP 4, FOLD: Oh, dang it. We need to fold. Almost always, unless it's something that hangs. I just grab a category pile and hammer it out. I separate out everything that will be hung on a hanger. I usually start with undies and fold those. OH, DID YOU THINK A PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZER WOULDN'T HAVE A TIDY UNDERWEAR DRAWER? Think again, gentle reader!

I work my way through clothes until everything is folded and separated into categories still. (I.e. I have a pile of folded shirts, socks, pants, etc.) I honestly think the most important thing to mention here is that I'm usually listening to a dope podcast, like Wine and Crime or watching something I've seen before...like every single episode of Parks and Recreation. It helps me feel like I'm doing less of a chore and I usually look forward to doing it. I've found that when I bundle something I don't love, with something I DO love, it's not as annoying to have to do all of the time.

It's definitely NOT driving me nuts that these daintily folded clothes aren't in a order by color. (NOT)

STEP 5, PUT AWAY I feel like this is self-explanatory...but really, once clothes are folded, it doesn't feel like a major task to put them away. I always put my kids clothes away when they are distracted because my children are young and love to destroy everything. Including freshly folded laundry.

This is NOT an image of my own children "helping" me do laundry.

So! There it is. This is how THIS Professional Organizer, (HI, IT ME), does laundry. Most of the time. Sometimes the laundry is done, but then sits in baskets. Sometimes it's sitting in baskets, BUT it's been sorted. Very rarely is it done, sorted, folded, and not put away. Every once in a while I run out of clean underwear. Anyway...Happy Laundry Day to you!