I have never heard anyone walk past a pile of dirty laundry and say, “Oh good, something fun to do.”

Laundry is one of those household chores that announces itself. The hamper fills. Towels accumulate. A mysterious pile appears on a chair. Before long, you are wondering how two people could possibly dirty this many items.

I particularly dislike seeing laundry piled up. Even when everything else is reasonably tidy, that pile has a way of making the whole house feel unfinished. And doing the laundry isn’t exactly high on my list of favorite ways to spend an afternoon. It is never a fast task.

So, I am always interested in anything that makes the job easier, faster, or less likely to become Mount Laundry.

Here are a few Everyday Genius tricks I have found worth trying:

  • Don’t wait for a mountain. Smaller loads are easier to wash, dry, fold, and put away. One load from beginning to end feels much less overwhelming than spending half a day catching up. I must admit I have yet to do this consistently, but when I have, it does prevent being overwhelmed.
  • Turn clothes right side out before they hit the hamper. Better yet, make this a household rule. The person who takes it off turns it right side out and checks the pockets. The person doing the laundry shouldn’t have to prepare everybody else’s clothes for washing.
  • Use mesh bags for the escape artists. Socks, delicate items, and other small pieces can go into zippered mesh laundry bags. Fewer disappearing socks means less time sorting. This is a truly genius idea for today that works.
  • Treat stains now, not on laundry day. Keep stain remover close to the hamper and treat a spot when you notice it. Once a stain has been washed and dried, it can become much harder to remove. I have now put stain remover pens close by for quick touch-ups.
  • Shake clothes before putting them in the dryer. Separating twisted shirts, sheets and pants before drying helps them dry more evenly and can reduce wrinkles.
  • Try dryer balls. Wool dryer balls can help separate clothing as it tumbles, potentially reducing drying time while eliminating the need for disposable dryer sheets. I had never heard of these, but they are actually a thing and on Amazon. They also help with pet hair and dust bunnies in the dryer and the balls are reusable.
  • Hang wrinkle-prone clothes immediately. Don’t allow that clean shirt to spend three hours crushed beneath a stack of towels. Hang it while it is still warm from the dryer. Another one I regret every week for not doing consistently.
  • Place it where you can’t ignore it. I have learned that a basket of clean clothes tucked into another room can sit there far too long. Put it somewhere you have to deal with it. Sometimes inconvenience is an excellent motivator. I put the basket on the bed because I have to fold them to be able to get into bed.

My favorite laundry hack, however, may be the simplest: Finish the load.

Washed isn’t finished. Dried isn’t finished. Folded isn’t even finished.

Laundry is finished when it is back in the closet or drawer.

That’s the part I sometimes need to remind myself about, because a basket full of beautifully folded clothes is still — unfortunately — a basket full of laundry.

Everyday Genius isn’t always about discovering some amazing new trick. Sometimes it’s about finding small ways to make the jobs we don’t particularly enjoy take up a little less of our time.

Everyday Genius will provide little tricks every week. Big wins.

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