Laundry Planner for Christmas: (Ideas & Tips)

People are often busy on the auspicious occasion of Christmas with shopping, decorating, enjoying, and hosting guests.

However, there is one thing that worries us the most i.e., the piles of laundry that need cleaning and unfortunately, it can’t be denied or overlooked.

Anyways, if you’re planning to celebrate Christmas with your loved ones in-house or simply at home, then you must be eager to complete your laundry accordingly and well before the celebration begins.

It’s true, the Christmas preparations require a lot of planning and cleaning, as it is one of the biggest occasions for many around the world.

Here are some useful tips for dealing with laundry over Christmas along with proper planning.

This article will help you with the items you need to clean, ways to plan your laundry, along with some useful tips.

Arranging Laundry supplies

Before you proceed with cleaning your laundry make sure to arrange the required supplies because you will be engaged with the cleaning work for longer than usual.

It will also help you save time in searching and running around for laundry accessories and supplies during the course.

Here are some laundry supplies that you need to stock.

Detergent

Get your laundry detergent or soap stocked up along with fabric softeners and pre-treating solutions.

Make sure to arrange detergents of specific types or according to different fabric types.

For Example, Regular detergent for regular loads of laundry, likewise, mild or gentle soap for delicate fabric types, and so on.

Do not forget to stock homemade remedies or solutions such as white vinegar, baking soda, lemon juice, etc., that can be used as alternatives to different cleaning solutions.

Additionally, opt for fabric-safe stain-removing solutions.

Laundry Basket or Hamper

Keep all the laundry baskets available to collect washable items of different load types.

Alternatively, you can use similar baskets or shopping bags as laundry hampers to sort your laundry pile.

You can sort your laundry such as bright with brights and dark with darks, similarly, you can sort light and heavy items to wash them separately.

Finally, separate the delicate items from the entire load of laundry for washing.

Laundry Bags

Using laundry mesh bags is a great way to prevent delicate fabrics during wash especially when you use your washing machine.

Mesh bags can be bought online or at local stores and as an alternative, you can use pillow covers or cases.

Using pillow covers as laundry bags will ensure they get cleaner as you wash your garments inside them.

Water Supplies

It is very important to keep track of the water supply to your laundry room.

Make sure you have stored enough water to launder your items.

If you have a water storage tank or more than one tank installed in your home, you can dedicate the stored water for laundry especially, on such occasions. 

Washer and Dryer

For occasions such as the Christmas festival your washer and dryer will go through a lot of hard work.

Hence it is very important to get them serviced in advance to ensure they are in good working condition.

It will ensure that the laundry machines are well prepared to be used more than they are normally used.

Additionally, keeping the washing machine and dryer serviced will ensure they are clean and free from any clogging.

Hand Wash Supplies

You will need additional accessories and supplies when you do your laundry by hand.

Large Container

To wash garments by hand the major equipment needed is a large container, sink, or bucket.

Rest are similar for both handwashing and machine washing.

You can use either of the available containers to wash your garments by hand.

However, if needed you can buy a large container to wash more items in one attempt.

Safety Gloves

Most people prefer using gloves whilst washing their garments especially if they do it by hand.

Hence, you should also ensure they are available in additional quantities.

Sponge/Brush/Cloth

A sponge or a soft brush is typically used to scrub dirty surfaces of your clothes or when you treat stains on them.

Make sure to include them in the laundry supplies list.

Dry Cleaning Kits

For items that need dry cleaning only, you can buy a dry cleaning kit and use them carefully.

Make sure to follow the instructions mentioned on the package and any specific requirement on your garment’s care label.

If you are not sure to go ahead with the dry cleaning process on any specific item, simply avoid doing it at home and keep it aside to take it to a professional along with similar items.

Drying Supplies

Depending on the types of laundry loads you will need some arrangements to dry them quickly.

Most of your garments can be dried in a tumble dryer, however, if you have too much laundry to dry, it is better to use all the available options.

You can get some additional clotheslines installed around your home or use the spaces in your garage, compound, terrace, etc.

If space allows you can use foldable drying racks or simply install the hanging or wall-mounted drying racks.

Items to Launder

During occasions like the Christmas Fest people usually clean their entire house and surroundings including the washable items.

Let us look into the items you may want to launder before the Christmas holidays begin.

Regular Loads

You can wash your small regular loads as usual, however, make sure to minimize the regular loads and utilize most of your time enjoying the occasion.

You can store some items to wash after the holidays, however, store the washable garments in a well-ventilated container or a mesh bag.

Additionally, avoid storing your clothes or washable items if they have become wet.

Curtains

Curtains add a lot of warmth, texture, and comfort, to your room. Further, enhances the overall aesthetics and looks of your room.

Curtains are usually hung near windows, doors, room entrances, bathrooms, etc., and come in various sizes and designs.

Washing the curtains can be a great idea to make your room appear brighter and clean.

However, you will need to be very careful as you wash them because some curtains will need dry cleaning and others can be washed in a machine or by hand.

It is always better to refer to the care label to understand the right wash instructions.

When washing curtains in a washing machine, be sure the cotton and linen aren’t lined.

For polyester and nylon curtains, you should machine-wash them as they may not be able to withstand the chemicals used in the dry cleaning process.

When you wash your curtains in your washing machine, use the gentle cycle and set the cold temperature.

Do not overload your washing machine and use large mesh bags to prevent them from tangling during the wash.

Mattress covers and Bedsheets

Mattress covers and bedsheets also add to the overall appearance of your home.

Clean and bright mattress covers and bedsheets will always create a positive impression on your guests.

It will add light to the overall decoration and theme for the Christmas festival.

Cleaning them is also important as they protect mattresses from stains, spills, dust, yellowing, etc.

You should pretreat the stains first, then wash them using warm or cold water. To prevent shrinkage avoid using hot water during the wash and pre-treatment process.

Use the right settings as per the care label and it is always better to let them air-dry completely before putting it back on the mattress.

Carpets and Mats

Carpets and mats are placed all around the floor to keep the home cozy, especially during the winter.

Carpets make your space comfortable to sit, play, and work.

Additionally, it gives your room an overall warmer feeling and can be matched with your room’s theme to enhance the overall appearance.

Carpets are used for many purposes so does the mats.

Keeping them clean during occasions such as the Christmas festival will always add warmth as you welcome your guests.

Not all mats and carpets can be washed in a washer and hence will need some physical effort.

The best way to clean them is by vacuuming their surface to extract excess dirt and dust.

You can wash large carpets and mats under running water for better results after applying detergent.

Soaking them can be challenging if you do not have a large container and hence you can use your bathroom space.

Simply, lay them flat and pour some water mixed with detergent.

If you have a soft brush scrub the surface gently and leave them to settle for about 10 to 15 minutes before rinsing with clean water.

Finally, use a flat surface or a drying rack to lay them flat for air drying.

Some carpets will need dry cleaning or should be taken to the local laundromat for machine washing in commercial washers.

Tips to plan your laundry

• Wash large items such as curtains, carpets, mattress covers, and bedsheets well in advance so that they dry evenly.
• Divide your laundry tasks and other cleaning work with your family members or with your close ones.
• Walk to the nearby laundromats to get the larger items washed and cleaned using commercial washers.
• Do not overload your washers and dryers at any given point of time and avoid overusing them to complete your task quickly.
• Wash some garments by hand when your washer is busy washing a load of laundry. It will help you complete the laundry a bit early.
• Make sure to dry the laundered items evenly before storing or using them.
• Damp curtains can be hung to their places to dry completely.

Final Thoughts

Curtains, mattress covers, bed sheets, pillow covers, and carpets should be washed well in advance to avoid the last-moment hassle.

To complete your laundry task more quickly you can simultaneously wash some of your items by hand after you run the washer with some load of laundry.

You can always seek help from your family members or your partner and divide some laundry tasks among them.

If you are dealing with a lot of laundry items and don’t have enough time, simply get some of the laundry done by a professional laundromat.