Clutter-free floors: the neurodiverse laundry guide (part II)
On Friday, Nick's bedroom floor, covered in dirty laundry, was not in shape for visitors. In a rush, Nick scooped up his dirty clothes and tossed them into the washing machine.
“Woah, that’s a lot of clothes. I should use a lot of detergent,” Nick thought.
Satisfied with his progress, Nick scrolled through Instagram until the wash finished. That’s when he realized he made a mistake. When he opened the washing machine, all he could see were sudds. To make matters worse, his clothes were soaking wet.
Defeated and embarrassed, Nick was ready to give up. Have you ever felt like this?
Welcome to Part II of the Neurodiverse Laundry Guide! If you missed Part I (How to Set a Laundry Schedule), start here.
In this blog post, you will learn how to set up a dirty laundry system that you can stick to and exactly how much detergent to use.
Let’s dive in.
How do I keep dirty clothes off my bedroom floor?
The first step to clutter-free floors is to make organizing dirty clothes easy. Organization, one of our executive function skills, can be learned by simplifying systems. Here’s how you can do it:
First, buy 2 bins, one that is black and one that is white. The black bin is for darks and the white bin is for white. Some people have bins for towels and delicates but that isn’t necessary. The goal is to make your system simple.
Second, find a “home” for each bin. It is nice to hide dirty clothes in a closet, but opening a closet to put away dirty clothes is an extra step. Instead, pay attention to where you change clothes most often.
Is it near your bed? By the shower? Wherever you change most often is where your dirty clothes bins should live.
Now that your dirty laundry system is set up, create a rule around organization. Learn to parent yourself. This is difficult. It takes commitment.
Rule #1 for clutter-free floors
When you take off clothes, immediately place them in the correct bin.
Make it a habit. It's a quick action, that takes less than 10 seconds. Following this practice will make your living space more organized and washing clothes easier.
Rule #2 for clutter-free floors
Reward yourself at the end of the week if you do not have any dirty laundry on the floor. Go to the movies, eat dinner with friends, or do anything you enjoy.
My room is a mess. What should I do?
If dirty clothes cover your bedroom floor, start organizing with small steps. Now that you have 2 bins, this will be easy.
Set a timer for 3 minutes and organize your dirty clothes until the timer goes off. Do this every day. Your room will be clean soon!
Pro tip: do less than you think you can do. If you think you can organize all of your dirty clothes, try to pick up only 10. Our brains like to set big goals, leading to a feeling of failure. Start small.
How much detergent should I use?
When it comes to detergent, a common question is about the right amount. 1.5 ounces of detergent is all you need.
Instead of struggling to read the lines on a measuring cup, use a shot glass. To avoid breakages, opt for a plastic one.
Finally, leave the plastic glass next to your washing machine. If you go to a laundromat, keep it next to the laundry supplies you bring.
This little trick simplifies the process and ensures you're using the correct amount of detergent.
Conclusion
Remember Nick? After one month of practice, Nick is not ashamed to invite friends over. His bedroom is free of dirty clothes now that he has two bins sitting next to his closet. He also keeps a plastic shot glass next to his washing machine. This makes it easy to measure the right amount of detergent and avoid a machine full of bubbles.
Small shifts in our systems and the rules we set lead to incredible change. By having bins for darks and whites organizing dirty clothes becomes easier. Place your dirty clothes bins in a location that is easy to access. Set rules about the organization, like placing dirty clothes in a bin immediately after changing. Finally, use a plastic shot glass to make it easy to measure the perfect amount of detergent every time.
Want to talk laundry, executive function skills, and a custom-tailored plan for you? Book a free consult to see if adult executive function coaching is the missing ingredient you've been looking for.
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About the author
Eric Kaufmann, M.Ed is a Professional Educational Therapist and Certified Executive Function Coach. He is the Co-founder of UpSkill Specialists, an online adult executive function coaching company designed to guide adults in overcoming disorganization, procrastination, and productivity roadblocks so they can unlock their potential. Eric is also the founder of Elevate Learning Solutions, an Educational Therapy practice located in San Clemente, CA, that guides students with neurological differences toward becoming independent and confident students and self-leaders.