Staying on top of laundry is a huge struggle for most of our clients with ADHD. Here are some tips that we have found over the years to help:
1. One of the reasons the mound of dirty laundry to wash is so large (and will take days to complete) is because the client has too large of a clothing collection. Having lots of clothes seems like a solution because it guarantees that you always have something to wear. But it also allows the client to put off doing laundry for weeks. So pare down that clothing collection to no more than 10 days’ worth of clothing. This means you will need to do laundry once a week. But at least you should be able to get through it in just a couple of loads.
2. Don’t buy clothing that requires extra care. No rayon, no handwash, no extra rinse cycle, no cold wash only, no hanging to dry. These are all very un-ADHD-friendly types of clothing. Stick to clothing that can be run through a regular wash + dry cycle along with all the rest of your clothes.
3. You don’t have to fold your clothes. You can try a stash system, where you sort clothing by category, but just stash it in the drawer or in a bin instead. Don’t like wrinkles? You could also limit your folding to just your shirts, and stash all the rest (e.g. underwear, PJs, pants, etc.)
4. Teach your teens to do their own laundry (including folding + putting away!) If they can operate a smart phone, then they have the capability to operate a washing machine and dryer.
5. When all else fails, consider using a laundry pickup company like Bolt. These companies will pick up your laundry off the front porch and wash it + fold it for you and deliver it back to you usually within 48-72 hours. They charge by the pound, and it can be surprisingly affordable if you live in an urban area.
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