This is a sponsored post in partnership with The American Cleaning Institute. All opinions are my own.
The thing about a job, chore, or responsibility that never stops is that sometimes you can miss the important details. For example, with laundry our family tends to lean towards the efficient rather than what sometimes might be best. It can be easier to just get the laundry done myself rather than teaching (and sometimes badgering) the kids to help, but it’s worth the extra effort now for what is best long term.
This is why we put systems in place for our entire family to help with laundry. Our kids make 90% of it so why shouldn't they give back a little, right? We have done this for a few years now and wanted to share our three tips that can get your kids helping with the daunting laundry task and one area where they absolutely should not help. We would love to know your tips as well!
Three Ways Kids Can Help:
1. Divide the Clothes into Individual Laundry Baskets
With five people in our family we have found that the only way to stay sane is to be able to organize clean clothes well before they even get to the rooms. The first step out of the dryer is to hang the clothes up, or fold them and place them in little stackable bins that are permanently in our laundry room. When it is time for the clothes to go to the individual rooms, they all get placed into larger laundry baskets. There is one laundry basket for each person in the family. This usually happens in the living room to give more space.
1. Divide the Clothes into Individual Laundry Baskets
With five people in our family we have found that the only way to stay sane is to be able to organize clean clothes well before they even get to the rooms. The first step out of the dryer is to hang the clothes up, or fold them and place them in little stackable bins that are permanently in our laundry room. When it is time for the clothes to go to the individual rooms, they all get placed into larger laundry baskets. There is one laundry basket for each person in the family. This usually happens in the living room to give more space.
From our five-year- old to our teenager, everyone can organize the clothes into their individual baskets. It saves time for the adults because we can get moving on other things that need to be done while the kids organize. Sure, they might get something wrong every once in a while, but overall, they are more than up to the task.
2. Fold Socks For Screen Time
One part of the laundry business in our house that always needs to be done is folding socks. In fact, we have a big blue bucket in our laundry room where all the unfolded socks go. Every parent knows that pairing and folding socks out of the dryer is extremely tedious, so why not motivate the kids to do it?
A few times per week we give incentives to our kids to fold socks so our sock hill doesn't grow to be a sock mountain. Do they want to earn more screen time? Fold ten pairs of socks. Is there an extra activity they want to do after school? That will be five pairs of socks. Did they forget to do a different chore? The payment is twenty pairs of socks. This way the socks are regularly folded and organized instead of becoming an unmanageable mess.
3. Put Away Their Own Clothes
This may seem like a no brainer, but how often are you so focused on getting things clean that you just put away your kids' clothes yourself? Giving this responsibility to your kids helps them learn how to take care of their clothes and frees you up to focus on other chores that your children cannot do.
After the laundry baskets are filled, each of our children take their basket to their room to put clothes away. Our youngest will divide his clothes on the floor because he can't reach high enough to hang them up. He puts away what he can and the rest are in easy piles for us adults to hang up in minutes. Our oldest kids can do this job all on their own, and yours can too!
One Way Kids Should Never Help:
While kids can do a tremendous amount when it comes to laundry, it is important to remember what they should never help with. When it comes to liquid laundry packets (and other laundry detergents), the handling, use, and storage of these are always an adult's job. It is up to you to keep them out of reach and put away because kids are naturally curious and accidents can happen.
Because of this, we are partnering with The American Cleaning Institute on their #PacketsUp campaign. When you are a busy family, the details matter, and keeping laundry packets out on the washing machine, or on a low shelf is never a good idea. Proper storage and handling of liquid laundry packets is so important to prevent accidental exposure. Today is a great time to make sure that your laundry packets are stored in their original containers, and in a cabinet out of site and reach of your kids.
Remember to keep laundry packets up and away and if there is ever an accident call The Poison Help Line at 1-800-222-1222. In fact, you can learn more at www.packetsup.com and also receive a free laundry cling (like I have) as a reminder of how serious this can be. We have ours on the inside of our laundry cabinet door and attached to the shelf where we now store our liquid laundry packets.
You can also help spread the word by sharing why you are putting your packets up for your family. It's as easy as finishing this sentence: "I put my #PacketsUp because..." and sharing on your social media. You can also follow #PacketsUp on Facebook and Twitter for the latest in laundry room safety habits.
3. Put Away Their Own Clothes
This may seem like a no brainer, but how often are you so focused on getting things clean that you just put away your kids' clothes yourself? Giving this responsibility to your kids helps them learn how to take care of their clothes and frees you up to focus on other chores that your children cannot do.
After the laundry baskets are filled, each of our children take their basket to their room to put clothes away. Our youngest will divide his clothes on the floor because he can't reach high enough to hang them up. He puts away what he can and the rest are in easy piles for us adults to hang up in minutes. Our oldest kids can do this job all on their own, and yours can too!
One Way Kids Should Never Help:
While kids can do a tremendous amount when it comes to laundry, it is important to remember what they should never help with. When it comes to liquid laundry packets (and other laundry detergents), the handling, use, and storage of these are always an adult's job. It is up to you to keep them out of reach and put away because kids are naturally curious and accidents can happen.
Because of this, we are partnering with The American Cleaning Institute on their #PacketsUp campaign. When you are a busy family, the details matter, and keeping laundry packets out on the washing machine, or on a low shelf is never a good idea. Proper storage and handling of liquid laundry packets is so important to prevent accidental exposure. Today is a great time to make sure that your laundry packets are stored in their original containers, and in a cabinet out of site and reach of your kids.
Remember to keep laundry packets up and away and if there is ever an accident call The Poison Help Line at 1-800-222-1222. In fact, you can learn more at www.packetsup.com and also receive a free laundry cling (like I have) as a reminder of how serious this can be. We have ours on the inside of our laundry cabinet door and attached to the shelf where we now store our liquid laundry packets.
I put my #PacketsUp because I love my kids and never want a preventable accident from happening to them!
You can also help spread the word by sharing why you are putting your packets up for your family. It's as easy as finishing this sentence: "I put my #PacketsUp because..." and sharing on your social media. You can also follow #PacketsUp on Facebook and Twitter for the latest in laundry room safety habits.
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