Classification of My Home Laundry System (Inspired By A Lifetime As A Bert Living Among A Household Full of Ernies...)

I often describe myself as a "Bert living in a household full of Ernies." I have to admit that the past few years have worn me down and rather than my “Bertness” converting the "Ernies", I am succumbing to the "Ernie" habits myself. It’s a sad state of affairs. My kitchen has never really been my kitchen, but is rather my husband’s domain. I have to call him at work regularly to ask where things are and he gets thoroughly irritated with me when I mess with his kitchen too much. That being said, I by default am in charge of laundry and everything else. I don’t have a love of laundry, but it is a necessity – and I do hate it when my husband messes with my system. It is terribly backed up since I started grad school, occasionally bordering on mountainous. But at least we have underwear... I figure you're never in dangerous territory until you run out of underwear. So for grad school this term I had to devise a classification system. I thought that a classification system for my laundry might help train some of the "Ernies" into sorting laundry properly thus helping me create a more orderly and happy "Bert" world...

1. List of items in Home Laundry System
10 laundry baskets
1 portable hanging laundry rack with 2 fabric sorting bins
1 laundry sink
1 washing machine
1 drier
3 laundry hampers
2 laundry bags
3 bottles of Melaleuca Melapower unscented laundry detergent
1 bottle of All Free and Clear laundry detergent
1 bottle of Melabrite Color-safe Brightener
3 boxes of Melasoft drier sheets
4 bottles of Pre-spot Laundry stain remover
2 bottles of Sol-u-Mel Cleaner
2 bottles of Revive Wrinkle relaxer
1 bottle of MelaMagic Heavy Duty Cleaner
1 bottle of Shaklee Basic G
1 bag of Shaklee Nature Brite
1 box of 20 Mule Borax
1 bottle bleach
1 small scrub brush
1 sample of Biz stain fighter
1 Dryel system
2 empty spray bottles
2 small sized empty squirt bottles
1 lingerie bag
1 soak bucket
Assortment of hangers
10 clean kitchen dishtowels
1 large clean white flat sheet folded
10 clean white hand towels folded
5 clean white pillowcases folded
10 clean white hand towels folded
1 clean tan hand towel folded
3 clean blue hand towels folded
2 clean salmon hand towels folded
4 clean white washcloths folded
2 clean white bath towels folded
3 clean salmon bath towels folded
1 clean old bath towel folded (the “dirty shoes/dirty pets” towel)
14 clean Mom shirts folded
16 clean Mom shirts hanging
1 clean Luke shirt folded
26 clean Luke shirts hanging
1 clean Luke jacket hanging
1 clean Luke fleece hanging
3 clean Luke sweaters hanging
8 clean Elena sweaters/sweatshirts folded
1 clean Mom cardigan hanging
6 clean Mom fleeces folded
3 clean Mom sweatshirts folded
2 clean Mom sweaters folded
1 clean Mom sweater hanging
2 clean Mom skirts hanging
1 clean Mom velour tracksuit folded
1 clean Mom yoga pant folded
33 clean Elena shirts folded
2 clean Elena shirts hanging
7 clean Elena skirts hanging/folded
10 clean Elena dresses hanging
1 clean Elena shorts folded
15 clean Daddy button-down dress shirts hanging
4 pairs clean Daddy dress pants hanging
6 clean Daddy sweaters/sweatshirts folded
4 clean Daddy sweatpants folded
15 clean Daddy T-shirts folded
8 clean Luke jeans/pants hanging
11 clean Elena jeans/pants folded
7 clean Elena leggings folded
5 clean Mom jeans folded
2 clean Daddy jeans folded
19 clean Luke jammies folded
5 clean Elena jammies folded
8 clean Elena nightgowns folded
7 clean Mom jammies folded
38 clean Mom undies
20 clean Daddy undies
25 clean Luke undies
15 clean Elena undies
30 pairs clean Mom socks
2 single clean Mom socks
6 pairs clean Mom tights
14 pairs clean white Daddy socks
4 single clean white Daddy socks
11 pairs clean dark dress Daddy socks
4 single clean dark dress Daddy socks
28 pairs clean Luke socks
1 single clean Luke sock
18 pairs clean Elena socks
2 single clean Elena socks
15 pairs clean Elena tights
4 clean Elena leotards
2 clean Elena dance skirts
1 large laundry basket of dirty laundry
1 large pile of dirty laundry
1 full hamper of Elena’s dirty laundry
1 half full hamper of Luke’s dirty laundry


2. Grouping Items Together – Creating a Set of Categories or “Main Classes” and
3. Create Subclasses within the Main Classes



Laundry Supplies –
Laundry Room

Laundry Sorters /Carriers
• 10 laundry baskets SUPPLIES. LAUNDRY.SORT.1
• 3 laundry hampers SUPPLIES. LAUNDRY.SORT.2
• 2 laundry bags SUPPLIES. LAUNDRY.SORT.3
• 1 portable hanging laundry rack with 2 fabric sorting bins SUPPLIES. LAUNDRY.SORT.4
• Assortment of hangers SUPPLIES. LAUNDRY.SORT.5

Machinery
• 1 laundry sink SUPPLIES .LAUNDRY. MACH.1
• 1 washing machine SUPPLIES. LAUNDRY. MACH.2
• 1 drier SUPPLIES. LAUNDRY. MACH.3

Detergents
• 3 bottles of Melaleuca Melapower unscented laundry detergent SUPPLIES .LAUNDRY. SOAP.1

• 1 bottle of All Free and Clear laundry detergent SUPPLIES. LAUNDRY .SOAP.2

Stain solutions
• 4 bottles of Pre-spot Laundry stain remover SUPPLIES. LAUNDRY .STAIN.1
• 2 bottles of Sol-u-Mel Cleaner SUPPLIES. LAUNDRY. STAIN.2
• 1 bottle of Melabrite Color-safe Brightener SUPPLIES. LAUNDRY. STAIN.3
• 1 bottle of MelaMagic Heavy Duty Cleaner SUPPLIES .LAUNDRY .STAIN.4
• 1 bottle of Shaklee Basic G SUPPLIES .LAUNDRY .STAIN.5
• 1 bag of Shaklee Nature Brite SUPPLIES. LAUNDRY. STAIN.6
• 1 box of 20 Mule Borax SUPPLIES .LAUNDRY .STAIN.7
• 1 bottle bleach SUPPLIES. LAUNDRY. STAIN.8
• 1 small scrub brush SUPPLIES. LAUNDRY. STAIN.9
• 1 sample of Biz stain fighter SUPPLIES. LAUNDRY. STAIN.10
• 2 empty spray bottles SUPPLIES. LAUNDRY. STAIN.11
• 2 small-sized empty squirt bottles SUPPLIES. LAUNDRY. STAIN.12
• 1 soak bucket SUPPLIES. LAUNDRY .STAIN.13

Delicate Clothing solutions
• 1 lingerie bag SUPPLIES. LAUNDRY. DEL.1
• 1 Dryel system SUPPLIES .LAUNDRY. DEL.2



Wrinkle solutions
• 2 bottles of Revive Wrinkle relaxer SUPPLIES. LAUNDRY. NOIRON.1

Static solutions
• 3 boxes of Melasoft drier sheets SUPPLIES .LAUNDRY .STAT.1

Clean Laundry--

Kitchen Drawer
Drawer #3
• 10 clean kitchen dishtowels CLEAN .KD.D3.1

Linen Closet
• 1 large clean white flat sheet folded CLEAN .LC.1
• 5 clean white pillowcases folded CLEAN .LC.2

Bathroom Shelf
• 10 clean white hand towels folded CLEAN .BSH.1
• 10 clean white hand towels folded CLEAN .BSH.2
• 1 clean tan hand towel folded CLEAN .BSH.3
• 3 clean blue hand towels folded CLEAN .BSH.4
• 2 clean salmon hand towels folded CLEAN .BSH.5
• 4 clean white washcloths folded CLEAN .BSH.6
• 2 clean white bath towels folded CLEAN .BSH.7
• 3 clean salmon bath towels folded CLEAN .BSH.8

Dad’s closet
• 15 clean Daddy button-down dress shirts hanging CLEAN .DADC.1
• 4 pairs clean Daddy dress pants hanging CLEAN .DADC.2

Dad’s dresser
Drawer #3
• 6 clean Daddy sweaters/sweatshirts folded CLEAN .DADD.D3.1
• 4 clean Daddy sweatpants folded
CLEAN .DADD.D3.2
Drawer #2
• 15 clean Daddy T-shirts folded CLEAN .DADD.D2.1


Mom’s closet
Rods
• 16 clean Mom shirts hanging CLEAN .MOMC.R.1
• 1 clean Mom cardigan hanging CLEAN .MOMC.R.2
• 1 clean Mom sweater hanging CLEAN .MOMC.R.3
• 2 clean Mom skirts hanging CLEAN .MOMC.R.4
Shelves
• 2 pairs clean Daddy jeans folded CLEAN .MOMC.SH.1
• 3 clean Mom sweatshirts folded CLEAN .MOMC.SH.2
• 6 clean Mom fleeces folded CLEAN .MOMC.SH.3
• 1 clean Mom velour track suit folded
CLEAN .MOMC.SH.4
• 1 clean Mom yoga pant folded CLEAN .MOMC.SH.5
• 5 clean Mom jeans folded
CLEAN .MOMC.SH.6
• 7 clean Mom jammies folded
CLEAN .MOMC.SH.7
Old Towel Shelf
• 1 clean old bath towel folded (the “dirty shoes/dirty pets” towel)
CLEAN .MOMC.OTS.1
Dad’s undie/sock storage unit
• 20 clean Daddy undies CLEAN .MOMC.DADSSD.1
• 14 pairs clean white Daddy socks CLEAN .MOMC.DADSSD.2
• 4 single clean white Daddy socks CLEAN .MOMC.DADSSD.3
• 11 pairs clean dark dress Daddy socks CLEAN .MOMC.DADSSD.4
• 4 single clean dark dress Daddy socks CLEAN .MOMC.DADSSD.5

Mom’s dresser
Drawer #1
• 38 clean Mom undies CLEAN .MOMD.D1.1
Drawer #3
• 14 clean Mom shirts folded CLEAN .MOMD.D3.1
Drawer #4
• 30 pairs clean Mom socks CLEAN .MOMD.D4.1
• 2 single clean Mom socks CLEAN .MOMD.D4.2
• 6 pairs clean Mom tights CLEAN .MOMD.D4.3

Mom’s sweater cedar chest
• 2 clean Mom sweaters folded CLEAN .MOMSCC.1

Elena’s closet
• 2 clean Elena shirts hanging CLEAN .ELENAC.1
• 2 clean Elena skirts hanging CLEAN .ELENAC.2
• 10 clean Elena dresses hanging CLEAN .ELENAC.3

Elena’s short dresser #1
Drawer #1
• 8 clean Elena sweaters/sweatshirts folded CLEAN .ELENAD1.D1.1
Drawer #2
• 5 clean Elena skirts folded CLEAN .ELENAD1.D2.1
• 11 clean Elena jeans/pants folded CLEAN .ELENAD1.D2.2
Drawer #3
• 4 clean Elena leotards CLEAN .ELENAD1.D3.1
• 2 clean Elena dance skirts CLEAN .ELENAD1.D3.2


Elena’s short dresser #2
Drawer #1
• 5 clean Elena jammies folded CLEAN .ELENAD2.D1.1
• 8 clean Elena nightgowns folded CLEAN .ELENAD2.D1.2
Drawer #2
• 1 clean Elena shorts folded CLEAN .ELENAD2.D2.1
Drawer #3
• 33 clean Elena shirts folded CLEAN .ELENAD2.D3.1
• 7 clean Elena leggings folded CLEAN .ELENAD2.D3.2



Elena’s tall dresser
Drawer #1
• 15 pairs clean Elena tights CLEAN .ELENATD.D1.1
Drawer #3
• 18 pairs clean Elena socks CLEAN .ELENATD.D3.1
• 2 single clean Elena socks CLEAN .ELENATD.D3.2
Drawer #5
• 15 clean Elena undies CLEAN .ELENATD.D5.1

Luke’s closet
• 26 clean Luke shirts hanging CLEAN .LUKEC.1
• 1 clean Luke jacket hanging CLEAN .LUKEC.2
• 1 clean Luke fleece hanging CLEAN .LUKEC.3
• 3 clean Luke sweaters hanging CLEAN .LUKEC.4
• 8 clean Luke jeans/pants hanging CLEAN .LUKEC.5

Luke’s dresser
Drawer #1
• 19 clean Luke jammies folded CLEAN .LUKED.D1.1
• 25 clean Luke undies CLEAN .LUKED.D1.2
Drawer #2
• 1 clean Luke shirt folded CLEAN .LUKED.D2.1
Left Side Drawer
• 28 pairs clean Luke socks CLEAN .LUKED.LSD.1
• 1 single clean Luke sock CLEAN .LUKED.LSD.2

Dirty Laundry—
Laundry Room
• 1 large pile of dirty laundry
o whites/lights
o darks
o colors
o jeans
Mom’s Closet
• 1 large laundry basket of dirty laundry
o whites/lights
o darks
o colors
o jeans
Elena’s Room
• 1 full hamper of Elena’s dirty laundry
o whites/lights
o darks
o colors
o jeans
Luke’s Room
• 1 half full hamper of Luke’s dirty laundry
o whites/lights
o darks
o colors
o jeans

4. Order your Arrangement, with Characteristics of Subdivision and the Citation Order in Mind. Identify the Characteristics of Subdivision and the Citation Order Used.

The “Main Classes” within the laundry system were Laundry Supplies, Clean Laundry, and Dirty Laundry. Subclasses were picked to reflect location of items, ownership, characteristics of use within the laundry system, and color. The citation order is from broad to narrow. For example, Clean Laundry --
Luke’s dresser
Drawer #1
• 19 clean Luke jammies folded


5. Assign Notation to the Main Classes and to the Subclasses within Two of Your Main Classes.

Notation System
Laundry Supplies SUPPLIES
Laundry Room LAUNDRY
Laundry Sorters /Carriers SORT
Machinery MACH
Detergents SOAP
Stain solutions STAIN
Delicate Clothing solutions DEL
Wrinkle solutions NOIRON
Static solutions STAT
Clean Laundry CLEAN
Kitchen Drawer KD
Drawer #3 D3
Linen Closet LC
Bathroom Shelf BSH
Dad’s closet DADC
Dad’s dresser DADD
Drawer #3 D1
Drawer #2 D2
Mom’s closet MOMC
Rods R
Shelves SH
Old Towel Shelf OTS
Dad’s undie/ DADSSD
sock storage unit
Mom’s dresser MOMD
Drawer #1 D1
Drawer #3 D3
Drawer #4 D4
Mom’s sweater cedar chest MOMSCC
Elena’s closet ELENAC
Elena’s short dresser #1 ELENASD#1
Drawer #1 D1
Drawer #2 D2
Drawer #3 D3
Elena’s short dresser #2 ELENASD#2
Drawer #1 D1
Drawer #2 D2
Drawer #3 D3
Elena’s tall dresser ELENATD
Drawer #1 D1
Drawer #3 D3
Drawer #5 D5
Luke’s closet LUKEC
Luke’s dresser LUKED
Drawer #1 D1
Drawer #2 D2
Drawer #3 D3
Left Side Drawer LSD
Dirty Laundry DIRTY
whites/lights W
darks D
colors C
jeans J
Laundry Room LAUNDRY Mom’s Closet MOMC
Elena’s Room ELENAR
Luke’s Room LUKER

Final line of order is numeric.


6. Reflect.
One of my greatest pet peeves when my husband gets involved with the laundry around our house is that he is so disorganized. He doesn’t sort anything and therefore socks get lost, clothes remain stained, and it takes eons to put everything away for the entire family. I, on the other hand, have a system down where I am constantly sorting and organizing the laundry so that it ends up not only cleaner but also in the proper place in the fastest time possible. I’d love to take my Laundry Classification Scheme and somehow tag all of our laundry so that even the most laundry inept among our crew could sort the dirty properly, funnel it through the laundry system (the easiest part in my opinion!), and get it sorted and put away in it’s proper space rather than claiming ignorance and leaving it to MOM.

The system that I’ve constructed follows all of the basic rules of classification. It is USEFUL. Even Ernie can use it! The categories are clear and precise, they are easy enough for an elementary school student to understand. There is plenty of room to add to the system if the family grows or more laundry is added. You would think after all of that clean laundry came through the system during the construction of this project and was neatly put away in its proper place of order that the amount of dirty laundry would be in a reasonable state of affairs in the Josef household…but alas, the laundry till is full to the brim again. Ah well. Such is life in a household full of Ernies.