Lighten your laundry load

Productivity coach, Clare Kumar, is on a mission to help people have more fun while getting things done, and laundry is no exception. Read on to find ways to start enjoying this mundane task.

Keep collection easy

Make sure you have an easy way to gather laundry anywhere it collects. Bedrooms or a shared bathroom are ideal spots to keep hampers. A corner unit is fun in a kid’s room. You can make tossing laundry in the hamper a fun way to get kids involved in the process. Hampers now come in a wide range of finishes as well, so you can find something to blend in with your decor. I love the wide variety of options at Neatfreak (neatfreak.com)

Hang darks and delicates to dry

A foldable, yet very sturdy rack in narrower dimensions means you can tuck drying laundry into a smaller space, and possibly even out of sight. This rack from Canadian Tire (canadiantire.ca) is strong enough to hold not only clothes on the bars, but clothes on hangers along the edges as well, increasing drying capacity.

Shift your mindset

Whether it be processing receipts or doing laundry, a task that one finds tedious can be elevated with careful thought. Think of your clothing as a tool to help you do what you want to do and to help you make the impression you want to make in the world. Doing laundry then becomes taking care of the clothes that take care of you. This shift in perspective can elevate laundry from a mundane task to an act of love and honour.

Fit laundry in virtually anywhere

If space is tight, in a spot only 24-inches wide, you can install the ventless, Smart All-In-One Washer and Dryer from Whirlpool (whirlpool.ca), which as it sounds, includes both the washer and the dryer in one machine! Not only does it save space, you don’t have to worry about switching clothes from the washer to the dryer. It also saves you time with its high-capacity dispenser that holds up to 20 loads-worth of laundry detergent. With the new Whirlpool app, you can turn it on from anywhere. This allows you to start a load while waiting for your daughter to hit the ice at hockey practice and track progress while away.

Give yourself a treat

If you’re like me, in the winter months, your skin is dry. Add water, laundry and cleaning to the list, and you have a recipe for dry, cracked skin. Why not have a luxurious salve on hand to use while doing the laundry, especially after any hand-washing, to keep your skin feeling soft and smooth? Made in Canada, from 80 per cent organic ingredients, toxin-free DermaCare Skin Salve from eScential Wellness (escentialwellness.com) will make you feel like you’re pampering yourself after some hard work.

Simplifying the process

Whenever you go into the laundry room, typically your hands are full. What better way to make the laundry process even more seamless than to have a touchless light switch? Just walk into the room, and the light switches on for you. It’s simple things like this that can help ease the chore of this everyday task. The Home Depot Canada (homedepot.ca) has several options from which to choose.