Do you dread folding laundry? Or is it something that keeps getting pushed down your to-do list until it’s overwhelming? I get it—completely.
Having four kids in less than five years turned laundry into the bane of my existence. It quickly escalated from a few loads a week to what felt like an endless mountain of clean clothes that never seemed to stay put.
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I WAS DROWNING IN LAUNDRY FROM A TINY CREW OF DIRT MAGNETS
My kids are little dirt magnets who routinely use their clothes as napkins. It was baffling and a little depressing—how can so few small bodies produce so much laundry?
Washing wasn’t the issue; starting a load takes just a few seconds. But folding was a different beast. Clean clothes piled into baskets felt like a low-priority chore I could always put off—after all, the clothes were clean.
“Do I know where that shirt is? No. But it’s clean…somewhere in these four overflowing baskets.”
I kept thinking folding was pointless since things would get worn and washed again soon. But living out of clean laundry baskets cost time and sanity. Ten or fifteen minutes searching for a missing shirt became the norm, and the clutter never stopped.
That’s when I realized the real waste was not staying on top of folding. So I set out to build a routine that would make folding manageable—even for someone who absolutely hates it. First I developed a 15-minute-a-day laundry habit, then I discovered three folding hacks that actually get me folding.
Here they are:
1) USE PAIRING
Pairing is a powerful way to get yourself to do things you habitually postpone. The idea is simple: attach an enjoyable activity to the unpleasant one and allow the enjoyable activity only while you’re doing the unpleasant task.
Examples of things to pair with folding:
- Listening to podcasts
- Watching a favorite TV show
- Streaming a movie
- Listening to audiobooks
- Playing favorite music
- Having a movie-and-fold night with your partner where you both fold together
The trick is that you only get the fun activity while folding. It turns a dreaded chore into a more pleasant routine and helps you enjoy your show guilt-free while actually getting work done.
2) SET AN ALARM AND JUST DO IT FOR A FEW MINUTES A DAY
Think of the “rip-the-bandage-off” approach: do the uncomfortable thing quickly and it hurts less. Set a short timer—10 minutes is ideal—and fold whatever you can in that time.
Ten minutes is manageable and surprisingly productive. This method pairs perfectly with a 15-minute-a-day laundry routine and makes folding feel quick and doable instead of endless and dreadful.
3) ENLIST YOUR KIDS
Kids often learn and help out sooner than we expect. I started teaching my older children to fold at about four and five years old, and they took to it eagerly. They’re often more meticulous than I am and genuinely enjoy helping.
Begin with easy, rectangular items—washcloths, dish towels, baby blankets—then move to their own clothes. Not only does this reduce your workload, it teaches them practical skills and gives them responsibility.
Make folding a predictable part of the routine so children know when and how they’re expected to help.
USE THESE FOLDING HACKS TO TAKE BACK YOUR LAUNDRY
No matter how much you dislike folding, these practical techniques make keeping up with laundry far less painful—and sometimes even a little enjoyable. Try one method or combine them: I fold about 10 minutes a day while listening to podcasts and have my kids fold towels, blankets, and most of their clothes.
With a short daily habit, a paired treat, and a little help from the kids, laundry stops being a time drain and becomes a manageable part of the week. You’ve got this.