5 Laundry Tips For College Students

The first time I did laundry in college, I had absolutely no idea what I was doing. I'll admit that I wasn't exactly the best at doing my laundry at home either, but at school there is no other option but to brave the laundry room in the basement of my dorm building. After finishing my freshman year of college, there are some words of wisdom in regards to laundry I would like to pass on to those who are about to embark on the college journey. 

1. Keep dirty clothes in one place

It's easy to drop dirty clothes everywhere and anywhere. Because dorm rooms are already so small, any loose piece of clothing will make your dorm room look much more messy. It is essential to invest in a hamper before college. If you are feeling especially organized, I have found that hampers with two compartments to separate lights and darks are very helpful in speeding up the laundry process. 

2. Wash your sheets

First semester I definitely did not wash my sheets enough, mostly because it was a huge pain. However, I began to realize how dirty my sheets must be because my friends and I would hang out in my room all the time. This is where QuickZip comes in: sheets that zip on and off are infinitely easier to change than a normal fitted sheet and encouraged me to wash my sheets more often. Also, anytime you do a load of laundry throw in your pillowcases even if you don't want to wash all of your bedding.  

3. Don't wait until the last minute

I quickly learned that there is a limited supply of washers and dryers in college, especially on Sundays. Always stay ahead and try to do your laundry before you are down to your last t-shirt. It is not uncommon for machines to be unavailable right when you need to do a load of laundry the most. 

4. Bring extra undergarments 

Socks and underwear have a special way of disappearing in college. Whether I forgot a sock in a washer, dropped a pair of underwear in transit, or found a tank top behind my drawer the day I moved out, I realized having a solid undergarment collection is a must. 

5. Time your washer and dryer cycle 

Again, due to the limited supply of washing machines, people are not exactly patient. More than once I came down to the laundry room just 5-10 minutes after the cycle had ended to find my wet clothes tossed on top of the dusty machine. It's always better to be early than late! 

Hopefully these tips will help you have better luck with laundry in college than I did at first!