My Grandmother’s Housekeeping Rule That I’ll Never (Ever) Quit

Just keep the laundry going.

can sometimes get the best of us. When that happens, it’s more often than not the household tasks that fall to the wayside. As for the resulting laundry that reached capacity in the hamper days ago and is now spilling over onto the floor below, well, that has always felt to me like a growing reminder that I’m falling short.

Do People Still Sort Laundry?

The Mantra I Live By

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Old-School Cleaning Tricks That Southerners Stand By

Why I Take It Load by Load

, though. There’s something about taking it load by load that resets my brain. “If I can do this one thing, what is one more thing I can do?” it seems to say.

I Tried A 1950s Cleaning Schedule But Learned Something About My Grandmother Instead

and putting a new load in. When it goes off again, it’s move, load, fold—the buzzer acting as a sort of metronome to get me back on beat until I can once again find the tune on my own.

Many would say to just call Mama when all else fails, but if that’s not an option, see if this hand-me-down advice can help get you back on track—one sanity-saving load at a time.

Southern Living