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You Said It: Making Laundry Easier

Arthritis Today readers offer their advice for making laundry easier if you have arthritis.

Laundry is a chore for anyone, but when your hands are stiff and swollen, it can be especially hard. Arthritis Today asked its readers and followers “How do you make doing laundry easier with arthritis?” Here are their answers.

By spacing it out. I only wash a load or two a day.

I bought new pegs for drying clothes that I can open with my hands, instead of just my fingers.

It’s a family effort! I wash, my husband folds, and my kids put it all away.

I don’t let it pile up.

I [converted] my coat closet into shelves so I can [easily access] all my baskets, and there is less bending.

Slipping clothing onto a hanger saves a lot of time and tedious folding. I can cut the process in half by using hangers and my hands are not sore!

I bought front loaders and put them on pedestals to make them easily accessible. I also have a wheeled basket.

I use barbecue tongs with a long handle to take clothes out of the machine it saves me from too much bending.

I taught my husband how to sort his clothes into smaller baskets. I do the same. Keeps it manageable. I buy smaller bottles of detergent which makes it easier to handle.

I get my kids to load and unload everything!

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