Keeping up with my most-hated chore, the laundry

Yes, it's true. I really hate doing the laundry. I think it's because it's never DONE! And I like things DONE and ticked off the list.

I actually have a friend who told me once that she finds doing laundry therapeutic. I can't fathom this at all but maybe you also love doing the laundry and can relate.

Before the babies arrived I did 2 - 3 loads once a week, usually on a Friday, depending on whether it was hot or cold around these parts. In winter the laundry seems to pile up quicker because we're wearing thicker clothes and layers, lots of layers :)

Of course, now that the babies are here, we have to do 3 - 4 loads of baby laundry every week, in addition to our 2 - 3 loads. They also spit on me all the time despite using burp cloths so that's increased our laundry too!

Fun times!


So here's what I now do:

Preparation

1. I have two big laundry baskets in my laundry, a tiny room just off my kitchen. One is for colours and one for whites. One of these baskets equals a full load in the machine so when the basket is full, I do a load, no matter what day of the week it is :)
   
2. We have a laundry basket in our bedroom which I empty every 1 - 2 days.
   
3. When I empty the bedroom laundry basket, I separate into the colours and whites piles there and then.
4. I keep stain remover, washing powder and fabric softener, right where I use it - next to the washing machine - so that it's not a big schlep actually doing the laundry.
5. Most times, I get the machine ready before the time by filling the washing powder and fabric softener drawers, and setting the dial ready to start. We also have a leaking tap and I hate wasting water so I put a bucket underneath the leak.

Actual doing

1. When one of those baskets is full, all I have to do is toss the laundry into the machine and turn on the tap.
2. If I'm feeling extra clever, I load the machine in the evenings and leave a note for Dion to turn on the machine in the mornings when he wakes.

Drying

1. If the weather's good, which it is 90% of the time in Johannesburg, I like to hang the laundry outside to dry because the air does the job quicker and it saves me money by not having to use the tumble dryer.
2. I hang shirts and tops straight onto hangers and hang the hangers on the washing line. It's quicker than using clothes pegs and easier to bring in quickly if rain threatens as it does during summer time afternoons.
   

Ironing

1. I think if there's anything worse than doing laundry in the machine, it must be the ironing. I absolutely can't stand it. I've been known to wear every single thing in my wardrobe rather than get out the iron and iron something.
2. We have a cleaning lady, Precious, who cleans the house and does our ironing once a week. Heaven! I would do without eating out but I will not do without Precious :)
   

Babies

The babies have a nanny to look after them and part of her responsibilities is to do their laundry while they nap. Aren't I clever? :)

Do you love or hate doing the laundry?

If you're one of those people who love doing the laundry, please share your tips with the rest of us :)

P.S. This is in response to Michelle from British Columbia who wanted to know how to keep the laundry monster at bay :)

Get your home organised in 12 weeks

Ask the organiser about organising garages and sheds

I've got two sheds that need tackling so any outhouse tips would be good :)
Carl Wokingham, Berkshire, United Kingdom

This is some of what I wrote to Carl...

Sheds is where I draw the line – I don’t even go into mine! I told my husband that dirty, outside work is for him :)

But let’s ask the readers and see what they come up with.

So readers, over to you. Today YOU are all the organisers!

Please share your best garage/ shed organising tips with Carl :)

Ask the organiser how to get motivated

smokers in booth at Abu Dhabi airport

Amanda wrote this: "I could use tips for motivation to get up and get things done".

When you battle to get motivated, choose Quick and Easy tasks so that you can build up some momentum and feel good when (not if!) you do finally get some things done.

So what gets you motivated?

Is it MUSIC? Then put on some 80's tunes (or whatever your favourites are) to get yourself energised.

Is it COMPETITION? Then challenge yourself and see how many of the tasks you can accomplish in an hour.

Is it being ACCOUNTABLE? Then post a comment telling me what you're going to do and come back to tell me when it's done!

Is it SOCIAL INTERACTION? Then make a coffee date with a friend, but ONLY once you've done an hour's organising.

Is it reaching a GOAL? Then reward yourself once you've done all the tasks.

Right! So now that we know what motivates you, let's get to it!

IN THE HOME

1. Declutter and sort through all the old magazines. Tear out the articles and toss the rest.
2. Organise your launch pad - that place in your home where you DUMP things when you walk in the door.
3. Collect all the clothes you need to dry-clean, declutter or get mended.
4. Clear off the front of your fridge. Toss the magnets and recipes you're never going to use.
5. Throw away any old food in your fridge and freezer, and give the surfaces a good wipe down.

And now for some...
OFFICE ORGANISING

1. Do your filing.
2. Collect all the bills and invoices from around the home and schedule the payment dates in your planner.
3. Shred any junk mail with your name on it.
4. Organise your desk.
5. Delete 100 emails from your Inbox and Sent Items.

Whatever you do manage to do, give yourself a pat on the back!

Leave a comment and let me know which of the 5 motivators work best for you.

Well, hello everybody

Thanks to all of you for coming out of lurkdom by commenting and sending me emails :)

I am energised and ready to blog again!

I'll be tackling all the questions I've got so far but don't stop, please continue to ask away.

Talk to you tomorrow :)

You ask, I'll answer

Hello...

Is anyone still reading?

I feel like I'm talking to myself....


Right, so if you're still reading, leave a comment and tell me who you are and where you live (Susan from Sydney, or Jane from Durban, etc.).

I'd also love it if you'll ask me anything - about organising, my life, etc. as I'm fresh out of ideas for blog posts.

P.S. The babies are 16 weeks old today!

Thin jeans - how long have you had them?

These are 3 pairs of jeans I decluttered recently.

I decided to be brave and dedicate 20 minutes to fit on all 8 pairs of jeans that I owned.

I quickly separated them into three piles:

1. jeans that fit and looked okay (I still have to lose 1,5 kg of my pregnancy weight)
2. jeans that would fit once I lose that 1.5 kg (with a small frame, every kg is huge!)
3. "thin" jeans I had no hope of ever looking good in again

This is pile 3, the pile of "thin" jeans :)

I made a note of the date I tried them on and if, in three months' time, pile 2 still doesn't fit, out they go.

How long do you give yourself to get back into your "thin" jeans?

The most important organising step EVER

I've been posting some tiny little organising projects that I've done in my home over the last couple of weeks.

I had a few (very polite :)) comments and emails about how people couldn't see much difference in the two pictures, which actually warmed my heart.

Because it means my house IS still running like a well-oiled machine, despite the madness that is the twins!

So I thought I'd write about the most important organising step ever - maintenance.

This is how you know if you have a problem with maintenance:

• you can get a place looking nice and orderly but within days (or weeks) it's a big mess again
• your space is organised but you can't remember what's actually in there so your stuff starts piling up in other areas
• you're too scared to use the organised space in case it gets messy again
• etc
• etc

Coming back to the posts, actual organising of a space should really only happen once, maybe twice a year, or if circumstances change. Like when we had to convert our guest bedroom to the twins' bedroom. (Now I actually think they need their own bedrooms but that's another story altogether!)

But maintenance of a space happens all the time.

And it should happen more often the more people use the space.

Something like my bookshelf is only used by me so really shouldn't get that disorganised if I'm disciplined enough to keep putting books back where they belong.

And therefore only 5 books were decluttered :)


But a space like my Tupperware cupboard gets small tweaks of about 10 - 20 seconds a time a couple of times a week because 5 people use that space regularly.

Do you see the difference?

I said all that to say this: your system hasn't failed if you have to constantly make small tweaks to your organising.

This week's organising challenge

1. Choose one or two already organised areas in your home (a drawer, surface space, shelf, etc.) and go maintain.
2. It shouldn't take you more than 10 minutes each.

Which areas are you going to work on?


P.S. Remember I was looking for someone to do a button for me? Check out my gorgeous new Organise your Home button here.

Decluttering and organising bookshelves

Do you remember my three desks?

I decided to get rid of the white metal one to make more space in the guest bedroom/ study.

Which meant I had to declutter some of my books yet again.

Before

getting messy - see how I just jammed some books any which way?

After
front

and side views

this bag with 5 books is all that was actually decluttered - the rest is pure organising which goes to show

you don't have to be scared that you have to get rid of your stuff if you want to
organise your home

I'm looking for a graphic designer to make me some buttons

Is this you?

I'm looking for a graphic designer to make about 8 buttons for my products.

I want all my products to look consistent hence the request for an overhaul by one person and one design style.

This is the style I love... - clean, bold, unfussy :)

(the lady who made that button is not taking orders at present and I can't wait - am very impatient...)

I am in a hurry for one of the buttons but the rest can be done whenever you have the time.

Only thing is I don't want to pay in money as my twins are bleeding the bank account dry! Am happy to exchange for any of the aforementioned products or some coaching/ organising.

So is this you? Could be a beautiful win-win situation!

Either leave a comment (it comes through to my email) or email me on marcia AT takechargesolutions.org.

Thank you!

Are you sentimental? Re-use those containers

Laura posted about re-using containers some time back so I decided to show you how I've re-used some in my home.

We received matching souvenir mugs like these from San Antonio, Texas. They're a bit too big to actually use for tea or coffee so I keep my sweetener, different tea bags and coffees, and a chocolate spoon for hot chocolate in here.


When the babies were born, we got tons of flowers. Once I threw out the flowers, I washed out the containers (not all of them, but the nice-looking ones) and re-used.

This one holds bum creme, etc. at the babies' changing table.

and this one is in the bathroom with baby bath toiletries

Not only are these containers now functional, but every time I use them I think of the people who gave them to us.

Are you hanging onto something sentimental? Think about some ways you can re-use it so that it's not just clutter.