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Folding Shirts and Socks

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Folding l-AWWWW-ndry!
Does it tempt you to sigh?

Putting away the clean laundry may not be a favorite task. This chore can be time consuming, especially in large families. Here are a few tips and tricks that may lighten your load:

  1. Try not to let things pile up. It's just easier to find 30 minutes in a day to devote to folding and putting away a basket or two of laundry than it is to face a mountain once a week. The dread of tackling it all at once is daunting (and draining).
  2. Realize that you are saving yourself some time in the long run. Neatly sorted drawers allow you to quickly locate items and do a quick inventory of the clothing needs of your family. Additionally, clothing fits into the drawers more easily and saves you the trouble of having to repair furniture that has been overstuffed with items squashed and crammed into the space. Knowing how to fold and put away items will also save you some time later as these will need little or no ironing.
  3. Enlist helpers. Small children just LOVE to be given a little basket all their own to 'help' mama. Give your toddlers a five or six small items to 'fold.' I loved watching mine do this when they were younger. They would try to snap the wrinkles from a washrag or dish towel, then squish it into a ball (their version of folding) and toss it back into their little basket. It kept them busy and bought me some uninterrupted time. They were working with mama and that meant the work was important. Sure, I often ended up having to re-wash a few things that got soiled from being rubbed by dirty hands (or on a dirty floor), but the fellowship made it well worth the price. . . And it kept them out of my larger basket. *wink*
  4. Play fun music or sing your favorite song while folding laundry. Try keeping up with the beat of the songs. This helps things move more quickly.
  5. Focus on the simple pleasures rather than the drudgery. The smell of clean laundry IS pleasant. Enjoy that scent and think about the loved one that wore the garment. This may be a good time to pray for that person.
  6. Greet this time as a well-earned break. Honestly, there isn't much brain-work to folding laundry. This is free time with a purpose. Daydream a little. Train your brain to think about the joys in life. Mama's get so little uninterrupted free time. Folding the laundry provides you with a legitimate reason to sit and rest a while. You might begin to dread finishing . . . It could happen. *smile*

The bits of clothing that have been a great challenge to me have been shirts and socks. I saw a video once where the punishment for evildoers was to sort through a bottomless pile of mismatched clean socks! I COMPLETELY understood that reasoning. *snicker*

Believe it or not, there IS a way to fold socks so that they will fit neatly into that tiny sock drawer, AND you shouldn't have to unfold them to see which socks are which. If you've ever had to find a pair of socks at the last minute, you'll really appreciate having them sorted, folded and ready. Here's a video I found about ONE way to fold socks (although it isn't the ONLY way):



Shirts are also a laundry-folding challenge. Whether you are dealing with stretched-out t-shirts or buttoned shirts, folding them without wrinkles can be difficult . . . That is, UNTIL NOW.

I found this video on how to fold shirts in just seconds. You literally pick up the shirt at two points and lay it back down folded. Your kids will think you are magic and want to try it themselves (really, you SHOULD let them *wink*). Sound impossible? Click on the video below to see how it's done:

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