How To Stop and Take Your Laundry Out of the Dryer
It’s been in there too long. Now is the time. You’ve got this. Here to help.
I don’t know about you, but I always sink at the idea of doing laundry.
I have the added spice of being neurodivergent, so sensory overload when it comes to touching hot clothing.
But once I get the clothes inside the washing machine, I feel like a friggin’ champion. Like, okay, the process has begun, the machine is working, and I can get back to what I was doing before I was interrupted.
But then…
The machine sings its refrain. I sigh out of annoyance, on the verge of ignoring my duties until I realize that if I move my clothes now, I can leave them in the dryer until the unforeseeable future.
Perfect. Mission almost complete. And mission-almost-complete, is sometimes, well, good enough. Until it’s not.
And there, the pile remains for a few days or even a week.
Sound like you too, huh? Some folks say, just do it. But I know how easy, yet so difficult, doing the laundry can be.
This all started as a pep-talk for myself, but I had a strong feeling it could help if you’re someone like me who tends to avoid the completion of the laundry.
The following tips are not absolutes. Rather, they’re meant to inspire you to explore routines that align with your lifestyle. Embrace your unique laundry adventure in the land that is laundry.
Time to trick the mind! Let’s get after it.
Tip 1: Baby Steps 👶
If you know there are a couple of outfits in the dryer that you desperately wanted yesterday, dig for them first. Then, only put those items away.
Things are now looking up. At the very least, you have what you’re hoping to wear in the next few days. On with the rest of your day!
Oh, and why not put that on your list of “tasks” and check it off? Feels good, yeah? Yeahhh! Routine building, here we come.
Tip 2: Get amped 📻
Set a reminder on your phone, cue up a podcast, an album, or an audiobook, and turn laundry duty into a mini entertainment session. Folding is now a backdrop activity to your favorite tunes or stories. Maybe, just maybe, you save the next episode of your favorite podcast for the next time you do a load of laundry.
Just throwin’ stuff out there, making it up as we go along!
P.S. I just found the YouTube channel LILICAY. Was listening to her video JAZZ HOUSE FOR YOUR TAXES | LILICAY | CHILL MUSIC MIX while writing this morning. Or, you can type “music for doing laundry” in the search.
Tip 3: Start with the Small Stuff 🍤
Hate the folding part the most? I do.
Start with the easy stuff: socks, underwear — anything that doesn’t require origami-level skills. Dump those black socks straight into the drawer and toss towels onto racks. And stop there if you need to. Remember, you’re simply working on a laundry routine that suits you.
Tip 4: Task Tetris 🏁
If you enjoy a good challenge, try turning laundry into a game. Fold as many items as you can before the water boils for your pasta or during commercial breaks.
Who knows, you might find laundry—dare I say— fun and rewarding.
Tip 5: Moisturize 💧
Now, this tip is for me and others who have sensory issues.
If you had to do a 13-minute quick dry for the fifth time, then the clothes will be hot.
You can wait and open the door for them to cool down a bit, or if it’s a now-or-never situation, you may want to put on moisturizer to turn down the sensory dial.
Touching hot clothing for me is similar to hearing fingernails on a chalkboard. I cringe just thinking about it. If that’s you, I hope this one saves you like it saved me.
Take one or two of these tips and have fun with them.
So, the next time you find yourself locked in a battle of wills with your dryer, you’ve got a backup plan.
Until next time! ✌️
