From the article: Laundry Tips for Living With Fibromyalgia & Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Have you found some ways to ease the physical strain or laundry, or conserve your energy while getting it done? Share those tips here, so other people can learn from them! Share Your Tips!
Laundry
- I do smaller loads am in the uk so have a front loading machine then throw it in the tumble dryer I have max of three tops a week to iron sometimes not even that ..... Ironing is a thing of the past and that really helps me as the motion of ironing plus the weight of the iron would set my neck spasms off
- —Guest Fattroutt
Laundry Tips
- After my shower, I take all of the clothing in the hamper with me into the laundry room (next door over), I put my clothes from that day in there, along with anything I could find to wash. I start the washer when I go to bed. In the morning I transfer it to the dryer. When the dryer goes off, I take clothing out of the dryer, fold it and put it on a pile on top of the dryer. After everything is folded, during the day as I go by, I take a load and put it away.
- —Guest Lee Ann
Just throw them clothes down the stairs!
- Unfortunately, my washer and dyer are both down stairs and my room is up another flight of steps. Most of the time my husband carries everything for me. But when he can't, I just put all my sorted clothes into a zipper pillow case, zip it up and down they go! This way I can take my time going down the 2 flights and the laundry doesn't' hurt anything being soft clothes. Also, I use a grabber to pull clothes out and put in, so I not bending much at all. I have also used a budgie cord to drag baskets, just get the one with big hooks at the ends they hook better.
- —Guest RAD
OT Therapist was a big help!
- I asked my occupational therapist for some tips. She advised getting a laundry basket with wheels on it so I could just roll the basket across the house to the laundry room. I have top loading washer and front loading dryer. I am short barely 5"1" so use the red reaching thing advertised on tv to help grab wet clothes from the bottom of the washer to transfer to the dryer. I love the idea of the purex sheets that clean, and freshen also the lady with the idea of the tea jar with the spigot which she filled with the laundry detergent. I will definitely have to try that out!
- —dianahuntress
Laundry tips
- I get by with hubby doing most of laundry. I sort. He does the rest. Sometimes I put away. Never iron! Since I broke my leg,(To add to the misery),things are twice as hard to handle. :( In nice weather I still make sure stuff gets hung out in the clean air. Bad weather it gets hung inside or plopped into dryer. What I used to fuss over no longer even exsists. Strange how that works. Called resilience, I guess. Heaven help us all !!!
- —eaglehaslanded
Ironing if you hate ironing
- The weight of an iron filled with water is amazing! I am a seamstress by trade, and spent the $$ for a "tank" iron. The tank sits on a table to the side of the ironing board, holding the water. A "hose" transmits the water to the iron. Then I'm only lifting and moving an empty iron! Best brand: Rowenta.
- —borntosew
laundry
- For the longest time my husband has done all of the laundry. I'm feeling a little better so I try to do very small loads so I don't feel over whelmed. When I take them out of the dryer it is the hardest part. Then when I fold them I put them on my bed that is quite high so I don't have to do all of the bending over. It's helping for now! And I know my husband is appreciating the help. He even told me to stop if it starts making me feel to sore again. I'm truly bleesed!
- —Guest Brenda
Laundry Tips
- I have have purchased a front loading washer and dryer. I also got the elevated stands. The stands are great. I am 5' 2'' and can handle every thing at chest level. The bottom drawers are perfect for storing laundry supplies. Even Clothes hangers can be stored there.
- —mullit
Thank You! Good Info to have!
- Thank you for the great info! I do things very similarly as i have the fibro fatigue and back problems among other issues. I use the lots of smaller baskets at least 1 for each family member and also have my kids put away their own clothes after helping me fold all of it. My 4 kids range in age from 5-11 and are learning a useful skill for later...i already told them i am not going to their houses when they move out and doing their laundry :) They also help with switching loads so I don't have to lift and bend. My husband is the most help and i really appreciate how well he helps me in everything. I believe we all need a good team and support system! With our kids and our spouses.
- —Guest Roberta
Laundry Helps
- My biggest help that I have found, was to get a liquid container from Walmart. It is a container that is normally used for water or ice tea, I use it to store my liquid laundry soap. I have it sitting on my shelf above my washer. All I have to do is flip open the spout, fill up the measuring cup and pour the soap into the washer. I no longer have to lift my soap which was hard for me to do. It was a very inexpensive and wonderful way to take away some of the pain of doing laundry. It can hold two containers of laundry soap so it doesn't need to be refilled very often at all. I hope you find this helpful for you.
- —ccran1
keep shirt button
- Always keep one button done when putting in dirty laundry. It is easier for me to put away when putting away.
- —Guest vicki
DO NOT AVOID LIghtWORK best exercise in
- i HAVE THE OPPOSITE PROBLEM TO MOST OF U HERE Reaching up to the clothes line to peg out clothes I use hangars for my wife's things because she's very fussy.my shoulders started burning whilst reaching up in 1968-1970 working as a mechanic.
- —Guest Dallas
Easing the load!
- I put everything over my shoulder when taking laundry up to the landing, it dries very quickly on the airer there, if I am putting out in the garden then I put it on a plastic garden chair and take it from there. I do not do any ironing at all really unless I absolutely have to!!! I shake things carefully...in case I hurt my shoulders then I fold things carefully as they come off the line or airer... no ironing.
- —Guest heligull
Laundry Tips
- I use those shopping trolley/ bags with wheels that you sometimes see the elderly use to do their shopping! I can cope with pulling or pushing that way more than carrying a basket! Also use them for getting groceries from car to kitchen! I pull my wet clothes out of washing machine with big clothes first so they are at the bottom and smaller stuff on top. Hang everything straight onto hangers and when dry load straight back into wheelie bag, hanger and all to wheel back upstairs to wardrobes. Can't fit as much in because of hangers but still so much easier wheeling not carrying baskets! Dirty laundry goes straight into wheelie trolley. I have wheelies in the garage for groceries , patio for the logs for the fire, the laundry room and bedrooms for dirty clothes! They don't take up much room as they stand upright behind doors! ** love them**
- —Guest Lynn Griffiths- Australia
Drag the basket
- Instead of lifting laundry baskets and carrying them around the house, I put an old belt on it and drag it; then I lift it once and dump into the washer slowly sorting if needed.
- —Guest Vickie
1-15 of 51Next
