Hi, I wonder how you take laundry up and down the stairs, if this is something you do? I try to have my significant other do this as much as possible, but I want/need to be self-sufficient. I'm hoping to stay in my 2 story home for a long time (who knows how long?) and am thinking about laundry. I occasionally throw laundry down the steps, but I'd like a better method. Carrying the basket up or down the stairs is becoming more tricky/uncertain for me.
I see some carts with wheels on Amazon (some are even electronic), but am wondering what you use or how you handle this matter? Any thoughts or advice are appreciated. thank you 🙂
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Elizt3
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I put my stuff in garbage bags and roll them down the steps. Coming up isn't quite as easy, but I use a soft-sided upright hamper and just lift it one step at a time. Normal baskets have become too awkward for me. I also keep extra baskets in the cellar. If it's a day when I'm not moving well, I'll leave half the clean stuff downstairs for another day.
Also see about non-slip tape strips if your steps are wood. I don't have any yet, but that's next on my shopping list.
Thank you. Garbage bags seem like a good way to get items up and down stairs. I should be using the 1 step at a time approach (but haven't been patient enough yet - I'll work on that).
Can you store your clothes on the same level as the washer/dryer? We have a dresser and clothing rack in a spare bedroom so I don't have to haul it upstairs. Everything we wear regularly is downstairs. Dress clothes and such are in the closet upstairs.
Thank you. That's a great idea. My laundry area on the first floor is quite small, but I'll have to think about possible use of the closet that is next to it - thanks for your thoughts. Much appreciated.
Our laundry area is small too. We don't have a perfect set up, but it works. Laundry goes on the spare bed until I get it hung up. Sometimes it takes a couple days, but it's better than leaving it in a basket upstairs. If it gets wrinkled, I can just stick it back in the dryer for a few minutes.We also have a hamper (on wheels) downstairs and change all of our clothes downstairs. There's no dirty clothes upstairs to haul down, ever. Bedding is easy enough to throw down the stairs.
I have everything in a laundry bag if I want to go up or down. There is a long rack that my husband installed and I can hang clothes in there and put them on down there. We do have a stairlift since we have a 2 story house. I use as dumb waiter. We had one installed when I had a contracture in knee. But I hardly use it; I need the exercise. However, in case I can't climb the stairs for whatever reason, is there. We have one to the basement too. My husband and I use it to bring heavy things up or down. It has seat belt so nothing will fall off the seat and including a person. My mom used it when she was with use
The stairs can be a challenge. I am good at throwing the big stuff like bedding and towels. I ball it up, stand at the top landing, and throw it to the bottom landing. Once it's down there, I kick it across the floor to my laundry room. Kills two birds with one stone🤣. I dust the floors with the sheets and bath towels before they go into the washer! As for the clothes, I have a mesh laundry bag upstairs that all the clothes go into. The bag gets tied closed and thrown down the stairs. After the laundry is done, I fold everything and pile it up on the washer and dryer. I take small batches in several trips up the stairs and only what I can carry in one arm. I must have one hand on the banister. I don't rush it, and sometimes it takes a day or two to get all the folded laundry upstairs. Yes, it takes me a while, but eventually it all gets done. It works for me. 🤗😀
I have extremely narrow steps going into the basement. In 2016 I put a washer and dryer in a bathroom on the main floor. I’m so grateful that it was an option since in Nov. 2016 I broke my shoulder and couldn’t go anywhere near the basement. In fact, my mobility hasn’t allowed me to go down stairs in years.
I like the suggestions of throwing a bag of dirty clothes down the stairs. Perhaps your significant other could bring the clean laundry upstairs for you ( aka divide and conquer)! Good luck 😊
I use my stairlift. So, to bring the washing down, I'd just put the whole hamper on the seat by itself and use the remote to bring it down. Going back up, the washing is in a different basket, so I sit on the stairlift, put the basket on my lap, and use the control on the seat. But that's only when hubby isn't at home on weekends (hardly ever), but he still gets a bit lazy when bringing the washing downstairs 🤷♀️
Thank you. I'm thinking that a stairlift might possibly be in my future - so, that will be a good way to get laundry up and down the stairs - thanks for your thoughts
When I was a kid, we moved into this 2 story house that had been built in the late 1800's. It had a dumb waiter that went from the second story all the way down to the basement. My dad closed it off so my sisters and I wouldn't play in it. The ropes were really old, probably original to the house, and he didn't want to go to the trouble of replacing them. Is there a way that you could have a dumb waiter added to your house?
that would be good!! Maybe there's a way - I'll keep that in mind. The home I grew up in had a chute that went down into the laundry room (pretty sure we used that for laundry, not trash? that was back before 3rd grade and my memory is fuzzy 😆)
I don't live on a 2 story but I do have stairs outside. I use a small fold up grocery cart with wheels to carry stuff in the house. I also use it to carry my laundry to the washer which is on TBE other end of our house.
I don't have a problem inside, but I have to get feed into my storage shed. It has 5 steps. Until recently, I was able to lift and thump 50# feed sacks from step to step, then drag them to the feed cans and use a similar lift system ( using a child's footstool) to get the sacks high enough to tip them into the can (pretty much exhausting myself and my knowledge of physics). Now I use the same system for feed sacks as for hay bales. I have a large plastic saucer (a little like a snow saucer) with a tow rope attached. I toss it down to the bottom, lift and drop a sack or bale on it, then go into the shed, grab the tow rope handle and pull it up. This is also the way I can move outside planters in the summer: I life the pot just high enough to get it above the rim that keeps it from slipping off, then drag the saucer across the grass to wherever I want. If I weren't able to do this, I wouldn't be able to stay here because it's impossible to find anyone willing to help (even for pay)..
Sorry you can't find anyone to help - sounds like you have come up with a very creative solution. Glad you can continue taking care your yard and farm(?). Thank you 🙂
We moved to a ranch house because of the MS. I fell down the stairs too many times to stay there. It broke my heart because I designed that house and had it built. It was on 4 acres and we had all kinds of wildlife around.
In the house we bought, after looking at 45 houses(!) the laundry is still in the basement. I told my husband that we had to have a laundry chute. After looking and figuring out where things would land in the basement, we found a great place. We put a large bin on wheels with a handle at the bottom. I roll it around the corner where the washer and dryer are. After things are dry, I have several laundry baskets there, one for each person. I fold the clothes and put them in the baskets. If someone runs out of clothes, they either didn't throw them down or they didn't empty their basket.
Our first house didn't have a laundry chute and my husband put one in there. There was not a good place for the door on the first floor. I had him put it higher up and had him put a "piano hinge" on the side. I would open the picture (think wall safe) and toss the laundry in. It worked great!
If you have a wall where there are furnace hot air metal things (can't remember what they're called) there is room for a laundry chute.
Great ideas - thank you! Sorry you had to leave your home - it sounds like you found a new one that is now your home!?! I'm hoping to stay in my home for as long as possible. Haven't slid down the stairs in a few years b/c I've learned my lesson, hold on, and go slowly (but I know something will happen at some point - fingers crossed it's not anytime soon). I'll have to see where a laundry chute could work - thanks for the suggestions. 🙂
Actually, laundry chutes are illegal in many areas since they are fire hazard. A fire in your basement could go up trhe chute ands start the next floor up on fire. They are very convenient, though.
I didn't want a chute when we first moved to our house because our children were small. I was afraid what would happen if they figured how to access it when they are older. I could see non- clothes in the chute. Two boys. As teens they had to do their own laundry except towels/wash clothes. I like my stairlift so I don't have to leave our home yet and use it as a dumb waiter. It is so slow. So I still tie my laundry bag and throw it down stairs . I have sat with the laundry a few times.
25 years ago when moving into this 1950s split level house with my MS , we had a laundry chute put in the back of the upstairs (bedroom level) hall closet; it empties through a 14" aluminum HVAC -type elbow duct onto a wheeled cart, of the type you would find in a laundromat, at basement level,that we bought for the purpose. We also had the front loading washer and dryer elevated to the cart's height by having a rectangular cement riser cast, about 2 1/3' high,. This method is great for all but bringing the clean laundry upstairs.
Looks like you have a good set up - thank you for the photo. Glad you have a chute available, as well as front-loading equipment. My washer is top loading and I can use it so far. Never know what is ahead??! thank you😃
I go down the stairs on my butt with the basket of clothes alongside of me, slowly and one step at a time. I wish there were an easier way, but we all need to adjust our lives to the reality of MS.
Thank you. Yes, we need to be willing to adjust and be creative in the ways we do that. I took things for granted for so many years, but I see that adjustments are going to be more and more important. 🙂
Elizt3, sorry for the late reply. I use my stair lift, as it has been mentioned. That chair is a blessing from God! 😁 We have a senior dog who also rides the chair (in our lap). I recommend Acorn stair lift, if you go that route. Best wishes!
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The Danger of Falls and the warning signs and equipment to prevent them.
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