#40 Reduce your laundry load

Oh the dreaded laundry.  Unless you are rich and have a maid, or live in a nudist colony,  you can't really escape it.   The more people in your family, the bigger that pile gets.  Uggghhh!  Not only a lot of work, but a huge energy-consuming task.  So we'll explore some ways to reduce your energy consumption from this task, aside from getting a nice energy star efficient washer and dryer (although I'd love this, it's not in my budget.)  

The first one is: Do less laundry.  Yes, I'm serious.  I know, generally my suggestions promote more laundry (cloth everything, right?)  But does every article of clothing or towels that are used for a short period of time really need to be washed?  In some cases, yes (underwear.)  In other cases, I recommend the sight and smell test.  Before you throw those jeans into the laundry bin, look to see if there are any visible spots on them.  If there are, see if they will wipe off with a damp rag.   If the clothing passes that test, then use your smeller to make sure no icky odors have stuck to the clothing.  And there you have it.  If it passes the test, fold it back up and put it in your drawer or hang it in your closet.  Hang your towels up to dry and reuse them at least a couple of times.  Paying a little attention can save you money and energy in the end.

Pros:  Less laundry to wash, dry, and fold.  Reduce your carbon foot print.  Clothing will last longer when it is washed less frequently.

Cons:  KIDS!  With young kids, not only do they rarely not get something dirty even if it's only worn for 5 minutes, but they cannot tell if something needs washed or not.   It might take a little more effort when you're getting undressed.