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Sunshine, ice creams, day trips… and a laundry pile that threatens to take over the house. Sound familiar?
Summer brings all the good stuff, but it also brings more outfits, more towels, more swimsuits, more everything. Whether it’s grass-stained shorts from the garden Olympics, soggy swimwear from water fights, or mysterious items that appeared post-camping trip, tackling laundry Mount Everest during summer can feel like a never-ending chore.
Fear not—here’s how to face the mountain with fewer sighs, smarter strategies, and maybe even a small victory dance by the washing line.
👕 1. Accept That Summer = More Laundry
First, let’s acknowledge the seasonal spike. Kids change clothes three times a day. Towels multiply. The paddling pool demands its own laundry cycle. Suddenly everyone’s doing “costume changes” like they’re in a West End show.
The good news? Most summer clothes are lighter, quicker to wash, and often don’t need ironing. Silver linings!
🧺 2. Set a Realistic Routine
Instead of saving it all for Sunday and giving up before breakfast, try a “little and often” approach.
- One load a day keeps the chaos at bay
- Pick a time that works for you—morning wash, afternoon hang-out, evening fold
- Assign certain days for certain things (e.g. Monday = bedding, Friday = towels)
Having a system means less overwhelm—and fewer desperate towel scrambles.
🌞 3. Embrace the Power of the Sun
One of the best things about summer laundry? Line drying!
- Hang outside whenever you can—fresh-smelling, eco-friendly, and budget-savvy
- Use hangers on the line for school shirts and dresses = no peg marks and fewer creases
- Create a mini drying station with a fold-out rack if space is tight
Bonus tip: The sun helps naturally bleach whites. Goodbye mystery grass stains!
🧦 4. Get the Kids Involved
Yes, really. Even toddlers can match socks (sort of).
- Older kids can fold, sort, and deliver clean clothes to bedrooms
- Make it a race, a challenge, or part of their screen time negotiation
- Label drawers so even younger children can help put things away
It won’t be perfect, but it’s one less job for you—and a valuable life skill for them.
🧳 5. Holiday & Day Trip Laundry Hacks
Trips = extra mess. But you can stay ahead:
- Pack a collapsible laundry bag for holidays
- Take a couple of large zip-lock bags for wet swimwear
- Rinse and re-wear where possible (not everything needs a full wash after one use)
- Stick to mix-and-match clothes so outfits can stretch further
If you’ve got a washer at your accommodation—do a load before heading home. You’ll thank yourself later.
🧽 6. Create a “Laundry Launchpad”
Designate one area for sorting, folding, and reloading laundry into wardrobes. If you can’t dedicate a room (a dream!), try:
- A basket system—one for each family member
- A folding station on a table or bed
- Keeping laundry essentials (pegs, stain remover, mesh bags) together in a basket or caddy
Anything that makes the flow easier = less decision fatigue.
🧦 7. Don’t Overthink It
Perfection is overrated. If the socks don’t match, the shorts are wrinkled, or the pile is still halfway up the stairs… it’s fine.
Do what you can, when you can. Some days it’s one load, some days it’s hiding the laundry in a cupboard and pretending it doesn’t exist. That’s balance.
Final Thoughts
Tackling laundry Mount Everest during summer doesn’t require superpowers—just a few clever hacks, realistic expectations, and maybe a family-wide sock amnesty.
Remember, laundry is a bit like parenting: never quite finished, occasionally overwhelming, but ultimately manageable (especially with snacks and a playlist). You’ve got this.
Now if someone could just invent a self-folding towel…
