A laundry plan for one person

Short answer: One person manages with one load a week. Wash on a fixed day, use a single basket, and wash almost everything at forty degrees so the whole week's laundry can go in together.

One load a week is enough

One person rarely produces more than a full load in seven days with ordinary habits. That makes laundry easy to plan. Instead of washing a little here and there when something runs out, you gather it all and do it at once. That saves time and avoids half-empty loads. See bamboo sweatshirt for men.

Wash on a fixed day

A fixed washing day means you do not have to think about it. Pick a day when you are home in the evening or have time in the morning, so the clothes can be hung up as soon as the machine finishes. With the day set, you also know how many sets you need to last until the next wash.

One basket is enough for one person

With one load a week there is nothing to sort between. Everything goes in the same basket, and on washing day you empty it straight into the machine. It saves space in a small home and removes a step many skip anyway. When the basket is empty, the week starts over. See men's bamboo sweatshirt.

Forty degrees covers almost everything

A single temperature means everything can go in together. Forty degrees covers underwear, T-shirts and outer layers, so the whole week's laundry fits in one load. Still check the label on new pieces the first time. If something needs a lower temperature, wash everything at that lower setting that week.

Keep new coloured items apart at first

Strongly coloured new pieces can release dye the first few times they are washed. Keep them apart, or with similar colours, until the water no longer takes on colour. After that they can go in the regular load like everything else. It is the only exception worth remembering.

Fill the machine, but not completely

A full load makes the best use of water and power, but clothes need room to move. If the drum is packed, rinsing suffers and creasing increases. A good rule of thumb is that you should be able to fit a hand into the drum above the clothes. Then everything comes out clean and is treated gently.

Hang up straight away

Clothes left wet in the machine can start to smell and crease more. Hang them up as soon as the programme ends, and give each piece a light shake before it goes on the rack. They dry more evenly and faster, and many pieces need no ironing at all.

Put away the same day

Once the clothes are dry, put them away rather than leaving them on the rack. For one person it takes a few minutes and keeps both wardrobe and living room tidy. You also see quickly whether you have enough sets for next week, or whether something will soon need replacing. See the range for men.

Frequently asked questions

How often should one person wash

Once a week. One person rarely produces more than a full load in seven days with ordinary habits.

Do you need to sort when you live alone

Rarely. With one load a week everything can go in together, as long as you keep strongly coloured new items apart the first few times.

What temperature suits everything

Forty degrees. It covers underwear, T-shirts and outer layers, so the whole week's laundry can go in one load.