Laundry Woes! Please Help?

Question

I am a single mother of a 1 year old boy and doing my laundry has always been a very difficult chore because my apartment complex has a laundry room that I have to walk to in order to get my laundry done. I have NO ONE to watch my son, so up until about a week ago, I had a baby carrier that I used to strap him to me, and that is what I have done for the last year..and it worked out well. BUT he has since grown out of it, and is too heavy for the maximum safe weight to be carried in the snugli carrier. What am I supposed to do? I always have lots of laundry, and I can not take him with me along with all the clothes, soap, and everything..I am really confused, and do not have help. I am a student, trying to finish my degree, and I am worried about leaving my son in my apartment even for 3 minutes to put clothes in and out of the machines. ANY advice, please?? What do you all as single moms/dads do??

Answer 1

This is really tough and these definitely aren't the best answers since you'd have to leave him alone but...I'm trying to think outside the box!



Can you do laundry when he's asleep in his crib for the night or put him in a playpen (I really don't like this one) during the day? Also thought about using a stroller/buggy as a rolling laundry basket (lol), but the steps sent that one out the window. Maybe just go to the laundromat and you both spend some quality time together?



Dunno - just tryin to help!

Answer 2

Well if hes not walking yet he will be soon. Of course going down the stairs wont be possible for a while you will have to help him w that but he should be able to walk and go up the stairs soon. You could get one of those backpack leash things if you cant hold his hand and the laundry,



Another option, get a backpack and put one load in there with a small container of detergent. And do one load at a time.



I have also seen portable washing machines for dorms but Im not sure how much they cost or how well they work.



Also maybe a double stroller. You might be able to find one on freecycle.com. If its only four stairs you might be able to take the stroller down backwards(I dont know how steep they are) and put the basket/ bag in the other seat.



Dont leave him alone for even 3 minutes anything can happen and also it is illegal of course.

Answer 3

I did some research and I found a baby carrier that I think might be suitable for your baby!! It's for babies 6mos to 3 1/2 yrs!! It's kind of like a snuggli but you carry your baby on the side, kind of like right at the hip. So that might be a solution and it's a safe way of keeping your child with you.

Going 4 stairs with a young child will get harder as your child gets older unfortunately, till they're old enough to go up and down the stairs- but I wouldnt leave him alone, it's too far and you'd hate yourself if something happened to him while you were out doing laundry.

Here you have the carrier I was telling you about!! It looks pretty good and not expensive!!



http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=10463746#Features+%26+Specifications



Target has it even cheaper!!

http://www.target.com/Infantino-SideRider-Sling-Black/dp/B0010B8T2Y/qid=1231552838/ref=br_1_7/181-6009549-7349057?ie=UTF8&node=3145041&frombrowse=1&pricerange=&index=tgt-mf-mv&field-browse=3145041&rank=pmrank&rh=&page=4



Blessings and Good Luck!!

Answer 4

Get a different type of laundry basket and only carry small qty's of soap.



I also found this to be a juggling event. I found a mesh folding double basket that had straps long enough for me to put on one shoulder, I used small tupperware to portion out soap, I put the soap on top of the laundry, carry the laundry on my right and carry baby with my left.

Answer 5

This is tough I had the same situation when my daughter was little, I know this will get a lot of thumbs down but I use to do the wash when she was asleep, I would carry the baby monitor with me (the laundry was only 20 feet away) I felt guilty about it but when you have a baby and are a single mom you have to do what you have to do!!



Don't worry, keep your head up it will get easier!!

Answer 6

I used to put the car seat on top of the laundry basket and carry my oldest with me.



Is it possible to simply carry a load of laundry at a time in a laundry bag over your shoulder while carrying your son? You could measure the soap in your apartment so you don't need to lug the big bottles?

Answer 7

This is really tough. Are you friends with anyone in the complex? If you are let one of them watch your tot. If not, strap 'em in the car and drive to family to do washing.