Kids’ night accidents?
” I bought a couple of these cool things from Target that lay over the bed. Of course, my [kids] pee ‘down’ most of the time if there’s an accident, but they cover 90% of the width of a twin bed and about 2 ft. in length, so it’s a good area. They’re so easy just to take off and put a new one on after an accident. That way, the sheets don’t typically need washed after every accident.
Other than that? Holy heck! Are the oldest kids old enough to start helping yet? I did my own laundry at 13 (which meant one less load for mom). Now with my own family, we do the same thing for towels. The biggest help I could ask for is to at LEAST get help folding all everything!”
From: jill, Tampa, FL | March 22, 2012 at 04:12 PM
Typical Week of Laundry for This Family of Five
Look at your laundry hampers. You may be surprised to see them full again! Some people wash closthes once each week. Why does the dirty laundry pile grow so quickly? Here are some facts that may be similar to your situation:
1. Underwear: 7 pieces per family member per week (plus a few exta for bath nights and accidents) = about 40 pieces of Undies
2. Bras: Some wear them more than one day except when working out. In this case, there are 5 bras but they get washed more than once so it is almost like having 10 Bras
3. Socks: 7 pairs per family member per week plus extra for bath nights and stepping in wet things = 45 pairs of socks = 90 socks
4. Shirts: 7 shirts per family member per week, PLUS, 5 work shirts = 40 shirts
5. Jeans: Most people try and get everyone to wear their jeans more than one day. But the kids are really bad about this rule = 20 Jeans
6. Pants: Same as above for the jeans except for work pants which come home filthy. = 25 Pants
7. Pajamas: Some wear more than once. Some kids are supposed to wear theirs more than once but that doesn’t happen. Some won’t own up to wearing pajamas so that means 4 people wearing pj’s x 3 changes a week – 12 Pajamas
8. Work-out clothes: They are stinky after a work-out so need to be cleaned = 10 sweat pants, 10 shirts
9. Towels:These have their own sub-categories:
A. Swim towels – Some kids take lessons and after they’ve showered, they use the towels to stand on the ground and get dressed. These towels must be washed after each lesson. Two lessons a week – 3 kids = 6 Towels
B. Bath Towels – Some reuse our bath towels for several days so this a rough estimate = 10 towels. 10 Washcloths
C. Kitchen Towels – Drying dishes, wiping down counters, cleaning up spills, the table, and other items = 10 kitchen rags
10. Bedding: Some people change sheets once a week…but having children, sometimes that means more than once a week depending on accidents (which also means washing blankets and comforters.) = 4 beds x 2 sheets +5 pillowcases = 13 bedding items (on a good day)
11. Miscellaneous: When guests come to visit just add in a whole bunch of more towels, sheets, and other stuff. Also, dog beds, cat beds, towels when the dog gets bathed, rags for cleaning….oh the list goes on. = 50 extra things to wash just because I know they end up in the hamper.
March 22, 2012
Vanderlei
You can get travel tolwes which are made of material which dries really fast. that helps a bit, and I also usually tried to shower at night the day before I left so that my towel would dry overnight. then the rest of the time you’d just hang it up in your room or whatever to dry. and the most comfy backpack I ever had was one I had to hurriedly buy in france to replace my crappy one which broke, so it’s a french brand, la fuma (I think?) but the reason it was comfy was because it had big, wide, padded bits that put all the weight onto your hips, and it was really easy to pull it tight around your hips so the weight really stayed there. I think the main things you want are that the straps are easy to adjust (because if they’re not, you won’t, and then it will definately not be comfortable) and that it takes the weight off your shoulders. I like the ones that open right out, because it’s so much easier to find your stuff that way if you’re in a dorm room and it’s dark etc, but often it seems that most of the really comfy backpacks are top-loading. and top loading is easier to pack in a hurry. my advice would be to go to a specialty camping/travel place and have them fit you for the backpack, because you can do some damage with a badly fitted backpack.