How To Organise Your Laundry: My Know, Let Go & Flow Method.
The laundry is a place of labour. It is a place (much like the garage or shed) that many people will close the door to when people come over, because more often than not, it is a room that can become a ‘catch all’ for random items. The laundry doesn’t have to be just about labour, it can be a place that feels like a serene escape when the household gets overwhelming. I know that I have enjoyed the laundry as a place to escape to and light a candle, enjoy a chocolate (to myself) and zone out whilst I listen to music or a podcast and do the laundry. But one major thing that can drastically assist the serene feeling is having a great system in the laundry, thanks to an efficient organisational system. In this blog post I am sharing how to organise the laundry. I am breaking down the steps so that you can follow along to create a beautifully organised laundry that you will love to be in.
During my time as a professional declutterer and organiser, I figured out a process for organising that not only looked aesthetically pleasing, but also created systems that worked for my clients. This is when the ‘Know, Let Go & Flow Method’ was created. I still use this now as a blueprint for my personal decluttering and organising. This method can be used in all areas of life, it is not just for material items. So let’s get started!
The ‘Know’ Phase
This phase is about getting to know how you want your laundry to look, feel, sound and smell like. It is also about getting to know why you want your space to look and feel a certain way, and it is a chance to contemplate which systems will benefit your (and your household’s) unique values, needs, design and lifestyle. When we utilise all of our senses and needs when creating an environment that is going to elevate us, we are more likely to:
Want to spend time in the space,
and want to maintain the quality of the space.
I also recommend creating a budget for your space. This way you will be ready to spend money when it is time to purchase your organising materials because you will know your spending limit. Go ‘window’ shopping and make note of materials that you like and their price. That way when you are at the ‘Dress Rehearsal’ stage of the organising process, you can then create a realistic budget for your space. The places that I love to buy organising materials from are:
Kmart - https://www.kmart.com.au/
Big W - https://www.bigw.com.au/
The Reject Shop - https://www.rejectshop.com.au/
Dollars and Sense - https://www.dollarsense.au/
Recommended Tools For This Project
I recommend the following tools to assist you with this project:
Multipurpose cleaner (appropriate for your surfaces) or hot soapy water in a bucket/sink.
1-2 Cleaning cloths.
A step ladder (depending on the height of your space).
Measuring tape or the ‘Measure’ app on the Iphone.
Drink bottle with water (for hydration).
Protein rich snacks (for energy).
Comfortable and flexible clothes to wear (ones that you don’t mind getting dirty).
A motivational playlist. Here is the link to mine- House Work Playlist.
Boxes and/or garbage bags for sorting unwanted items.
Create a vision for your laundry
If you haven’t been living under a rock, you’ll know what Pinterest is. If you have been living under a rock, it is an app where you can browse images and inspiration that you can ‘Pin to your Pinterest board’. Pinterest is basically a vision board for things that you love. I recommend creating a Pinterest board on how you would love your laundry to look like. It will give you ideas and solutions on how to organise your laundry. Try to draw inspiration from laundry rooms that are similar to your own. Keeping realistic about how your laundry space will look, will help with staying grounded in the process. When we place expectations that unrealistic on a project, we are less likely to finish them. Be aware that Pinterest is addictive (or for me anyway), I can lose hours by scrolling it. lol Though it has been wonderful for bringing my ideas to life. Check out my Pinterest page for an example of a Pinterest board and perhaps some inspiration for your own laundry.
The ‘Let Go’ Phase
This phase is about letting go of items that do not serve you and your space. When we let go of items that no longer serve a purpose:
There is less clutter externally and internally (your mind) and therefore there is less overwhelm.
It creates more space for the items (and systems) that serve a purpose in the space and in your life.
It allows for the magick of balance and alignment to create flow in your life. Less frustration and roadblocks.
Declutter the laundry
Next, I recommend to declutter the laundry space. This way you know exactly what you have left to organise. The laundry is usually a space where you won’t have any (or many) difficult and/or sentimental items to make decisions on. Generally speaking, the laundry consists of products with expiry dates, or refillable products, or reusable (practical) tools and products. Here are some key things to consider when decluttering your laundry:
Make sure that you are keeping items that serve a purpose in the laundry. Things that make sense to be in a laundry. You want to be able to quickly grab the item that you need for use in the laundry.
I recommend doing your washing first, before beginning to declutter. This will free up more space for decluttering and will reduce the clutter overwhelm that decluttering can bring.
Remove EVERY item from the cupboards, shelves or space. It depends on your space and time. You may like to work on one shelf or cupboard at a time or do the whole room in one go. Whichever works for you, but you must remove every item from the zone, space or room that you have chosen. Each item needs to be reassessed.
Think of decluttering like it’s a party you are hosting. Only the items that you love, use (regularly) or need are given an invite to your laundry room party. Not all items deserve a place in your laundry.
As you declutter, try to group multiples of items together and even ‘like-minded’ items. For example, Bathroom Cleaning Products. This way you can clearly see how many categories you will have, and then start to look at what organising materials would benefit each category. See further on in the post for recommended organising materials for the laundry.
This is a no brainer but get rid of expired products. Make sure to Google how to appropriately get rid of cleaning products. There is usually a hazardous collection point in your local area that you can take these to.
It is OK to get rid of something that you haven’t used. A lot of the time, people keep items out of guilt because they either spent money on the item and never used it or the item was gifted to them and they feel bad for getting rid of a gift. You are not doing yourself or anyone a favour if you keep any item that invokes the feeling of guilt or shame in you. Let it go.
If your laundry is a place for your linen, ask yourself (and be realistic) how many sets of linen do you keep, and are they really all necessary to keep? Linen takes up a tonne of space. Only keep what you use.
Separate your items that you are getting rid of into categories. These categories may be ‘Repair’ (if you intend to get it repaired otherwise get rid of it), ‘Donate’ (if the item is in good nick), ‘Bin’ (to go in the appropriate disposing system). Make sure to action each of these categories within a week of decluttering. This is to make sure that it doesn’t end up somewhere random in your house for items to creep back into your space. I have been there!
The ‘Flow’ Phase
This phase is about creating systems to allow for flow to enter into your space and life. It is about working with balance and alignment so that your space and life can:
Shift from feeling and looking overwhelming to simplified and easier.
Have a blueprint and a guide for future growth and expansion.
Measure your space
Before you run off to buy your organising materials for the items that you have left, make sure to measure all of your shelves, cupboards, walls, doors and surfaces that you plan on keeping your products organised. It is easier to measure spaces when you have all of the items already out of the space. I use the 'Measure’ app on my IPhone to measure. Or you can use your faithful measuring tape. Make sure to measure the width, depth and height. Most organising products will show you it’s measurement details on the label. Then you can determine which products will fit (and look aesthetically pleasing) in your space. Write down the measurements. Then write down which products that you think that you will need (based on your Pinterest vision). Your products have to benefit your measurements and the size and function of the items that you have categorised.
Dress rehearsal time
This is when you get to play around with where you would like each item to live in your space. It helps if you have all items removed from the space, but if you are working shelf by shelf or cupboard by cupboard, you can always rearrange the item if you feel it works better in a different zone. Once you are happy with where you have placed your items, I recommend taking photos of where you have placed them. This is so when you shop for your organising materials, you can refer to the photos and your measurements to make sure that the materials that you buy will suit your space. It also helps to have photos because more likely than not, a household member may use an item and place it back somewhere else. If this happens, you will have your photos to refer to so that you can remember where you have placed them.
Buying Your Organising Materials
This is the fun part! Map out some time to go shopping for your organising materials. Make sure to take with you:
Your spending amount.
Your measurements.
The photos of your items in your space.
An open mind - sometimes pivoting and flexibility is required when we can’t find a particular item that we wanted.
Make sure to keep your receipt when you purchase your organising materials, just in case you need to return or swop an item. I recommend buying an extra four of whichever you buy, just in case you need more. You can always return it or use in another area of your home.
Organising Your Space
Now onto the next fun part! Once you have your organising materials, you can begin to place the items that you have kept into the allocated organising materials. You may find that you might rearrange your design a few times until it feels right. This is completely normal. Here are some of my tips on organising your space:
Remove the ugly stickers from the materials. I know it is a pain in the bum to do this, but you’ll be glad that you had. It will look more aesthetically pleasing. Use a hair dryer to heat the sticker so that it removes with more ease. If there is sticky residue, use eucalyptus oil to wipe it off.
Focus on one zone at a time before moving onto the next. That way if you get interrupted during the process, you can see where you are up to when you come back, and you will feel a sense of accomplishment.
Reassess your items that you have kept again as you are organising them. Decluttering is a continual process. It is normal to edit our life and possessions regularly. We outgrow things when we grow and life changes. The more you can edit, the closer you will get to less overwhelm, more balance, more alignment and increased flow.
Make sure that the items that you use regularly are within easy reach. For example, keep your clothes detergent near your washing machine. This will enhance your washing clothes and linen system to be more efficient. Efficiency gives you more time back. Organising gives you more money back because you can see what you own and you are not buying items that you already have. Efficiency and organising combined, give you more energy back.
Once you are happy with your space, decide if you would like labels on your organising materials. I recommend putting on labels because then it is much clearer to everyone who uses the space as to where the items live. Easy to find and easy to put back. More time and energy gained for doing more things that bring you joy and vitality.
Recommended Organising Materials For The Laundry
Here are my recommended and favourite organising materials for the laundry:
Wipeable materials like plastic. Try to avoid fabric, cane or harder to clean materials in the laundry. Most items kept in the laundry are cleaning products. If there are spills, you want to be able to easily clean there organising material that they come from.
Turntables for regularly used bottles. When we need a cleaning spray, we usually need it quick. I recommend keeping spray or cleaning bottles on wipeable turntables. You can spin the turntable to quickly find your cleaning product to grab and go. It is ok to keep cleaning bottles in tubs, however, it is more effort to pull out a tub to obtain your product.
Organise your cleaning products into cleaning caddies. Some people like to have bathroom cleaning caddies to quickly grab when going to clean the bathroom. I keep an empty caddy with my cleaning products. This way I can design the caddy to fit my current requirements. I place the products that I need in it and then take it with me to the room that I am cleaning. Then when I am done, I will place the items back where I had them.
Use clear tubs for storage. if you can clearly see what is in the tub, you can find what you need easier. For those who are ADHD (like myself), I need to be able to see at a glance where items are. Otherwise it is ‘out of sight, out of mind’.
Use hooks on the inside of your linen cupboard to hang brooms, mops etc. It not only creates more space but it is easier to quickly grab the item when needed. Nothing worse when you are struggling to grab a mop from under the ironing board or broom.
Finishing Touches
To create that added feeling of calm to your laundry, I recommend adding these personal touches:
A beautiful scent soy candle.
A room spray.
Some greenery- a plant.
I personally love the Ali.ve brand trio that includes a hand wash, detergent and surface spray. They look aesthetically pleasing and smell amazing. They are refillable as well. See picture below.
A music speaker. To listen to your favourite podcast or music.
Things To Note
Your laundry won’t always be tidy. There are times when it looks like a bomb as hit my laundry. Especially when we have been sick or busy. But by having an efficiently organised space, you have created a blueprint that will guide you back to calm and order before you know it.
It is normal for organising to feel worse before it gets better. It will take up some of your time, money, space and energy, but it will be worth it I promise you. This is why I wrote this blog post, so that you can follow the steps to hopefully make the process easier for you.
As your needs and lifestyle change, your laundry will need to change with you. If you begin to resent your laundry, this is a sign that you need to reassess if the items and systems are still serving you.
Make sure to show your household members the change that you have made to the laundry. Check in with them and see if the systems that you have in place work for them as well. When you have the household on board with your new system, the upkeep of the system should be easier.
To learn how to keep your space (mostly) clutter free, check out my blog post- ‘How To Keep Your Space (Mostly) Clutter Free And To Your Liking’.
I hope that this blog post helps you to organise your own laundry. Please share this post with family and friends if you feel it will benefit them as well. Thank you for reading this blog post. I appreciate your time and energy spent here.
I look forward to sharing more tips and inspiration on how to live authentically according to your values, needs, design and lifestyle.
Sending you lots of peace, love and good health.
Cassie xo
#decluttering #organisingyourlaundry #howtoorganiseyourlaundry #declutteryourlaundry #systemsforsimplifying #cassieltomesek
