Laundry is one of those recurring adult tasks that you either love to do or are the bane of your existence. Either way, you won’t avoid doing it, so figuring out how to make laundry easier can save you frustration and time in the short and long run. Read our laundry tips for your everyday items and what to do with seasonal items you may have in storage.
How Long Does It Take To Do Laundry?
How long it takes to do laundry depends on four main factors: the types of clothing you’re washing, the dirtiness of the clothes, the amount of clothes, and the method you use to put your laundry away. The average amount of time it takes to wash, dry, and fold an average load of laundry is about two hours. The time by step is as follows (give or take 15 minutes depending on your equipment and folding methods):
- Washing your clothes: 45 minutes
- Drying your clothes: 45 minutes
- Putting away your clothes: 30 minutes
Smaller loads that require less folding can be done in about an hour, while particularly large or dirty loads can take up to three hours from start to finish.
Laundry Tips
There’s a nearly infinite amount of detail you can get into for how to wash individual items. Thankfully, there are plenty of universal steps that you can take to make your laundry process easier. Here are a few laundry tips:
- Keep to a laundry schedule. A laundry routine is nearly as important as doing it in the first place. Keeping a standard laundry schedule helps keep your loads reasonably sized and builds a routine for your chores.
- Avoid the common laundry mistakes. Put white and light clothing in their own load. Don’t use hot water and high heat on 100% cotton. Don’t overload your washer or dryer with big loads, which helps you avoid wrinkles. These tips are universal.
- Take advantage of your equipment. Washers and dryers tend to have more options than most people use. They’re designed to help with certain kinds of loads, so don’t be afraid to try them!
Washing and Storing Seasonal Clothes
All of the above tips are for items that you wear regularly. But what about those coats, sweaters, and other items that you may keep stored for a long time before breaking them out again? Do you need to wash seasonal clothes?
The best way to keep seasonal clothing items fresh and ready to wear is actually to wash them before putting them in storage.
Dirt and stains can damage clothes left in that condition for a long time, so properly washing and drying your seasonal items assures that you won’t accidentally leave a sweater in storage with a ketchup stain on the elbow.
If you’re looking for additional storage space for your clothes, look no further than Compass Self Storage. We have storage units all over the country and sell wardrobe boxes and other supplies at our facilities, too. Rent your storage unit today and declutter your closet for the items that you wear regularly.
