Dear FlyLady,

There are no laundry machines in my apartment and the laundromat is miles away through sometimes crawling traffic — and expensive.

As I live alone, and work at home, with no children, my laundry demands are fairly modest.

Undies and light objects can certainly be done in a bowl and last longer when washed by hand, but “hands” aren’t the only option!

I have a “washing machine” for sturdier items (such as shirts and jeans): a utility bucket with a hole in the lid through which passes the handle of a rubber plunger (used ONLY for laundry).

I fill it while I’m in the shower with water that would otherwise be wasted. Add soap and laundry. A few minutes of plunger action is little different from a real washer except for the useful aerobic exercise.

And at bucket scale, I MUST do (if not “a load a day!”) small loads on a regular basis.

If not, my penance is a long haul to the laundromat with piles of quarters.

The real problem is drying in humid weather, sometimes best achieved by a trip to the big driers, but in winter, drying clothes hung by a radiator just help improve the dry air.

Not for everyone obviously, but an option for me. And in 15 minutes too.

Cheers!
Carol

FlyLady here: Our habit for August is working on Laundry.

A load a day keeps CHAOS away!

Do you have a story or tips that will help other FlyBabies with this habit?