It’s National Folding Laundry Day on March 30 every year. Yes, we’re serious. That growing pile of clothes you haven’t folded yet, the one that’s sitting on your chair in the room, on your bed, or that you haven’t even taken it out of the dryer yet — it’s time to iron those clothes, fold them up neatly, and put them back in your closet where they belong. Or if they have not been used in 12 months, pack them up and donate them to charity. Get the whole family involved and let’s fold all our laundry.
History of National Folding Laundry Day
What do you think of when you hear the word ‘laundry’? A washer and dryer? While it’s an accurate mental image, laundry refers to any form of washing and cleaning of clothes and other textiles, along with drying and ironing them. It has been around for as long as clothes have existed. Laundry was first done in flowing water bodies, letting the water carry away the materials, which could cause stains and smells. Agitation also helped remove dirt, so clothes were rubbed, twisted, or slapped against flat rocks. The dirt may have also been beaten out with a wooden implement like a bat or a club.
Wooden or stone scrubbing surfaces set up near a water supply were eventually replaced by portable rub boards and soon by factory-made washboards. The wet clean clothes were then hung up on poles or clotheslines to be dried. Laundry was also done in a communal setting in villages across Europe. These places were called washhouses and the job of doing the laundry was done by women who did it for the whole family. Washerwomen would do the laundry of other people for money. These wash-houses became important cultural places for women who could gather there, meet other women and chat about everything under the sun.
In the modern era of work, work, work, and everyone running to their activities, the laundry often gets washed and then forgotten somewhere in a pile. National Folding Laundry Day is dedicated to this often-hated task. So get the family in on it and get it over and done in a jiffy.
National Folding Laundry Day timeline
Humanity has been washing clothes for as long as they have been wearing them.
The first washing machine is invented by Britain’s H. Sidgier of Great Britain.
One of the first African-American inventors, George T. Sampson, holds a patent for a clothes dryer.
Fisher & Paykel's SmartDrive washing machines use a computer-controlled system to determine load size and to adjust the wash cycle to match.
National Folding Laundry Day FAQs
What is the benefit of folding clothes?
Folding greatly reduces the number of wrinkles and creases in your clothes, so you can always look your best! It also tidies the home.
How can I get better at folding laundry?
You can get a laundry board to make the process easier. You could also assign different family members to do the chore, or you could Netflix and fold as a family.
How long does it take the average person to fold laundry?
For an average load of laundry, it should take a person about 20 minutes to fold clothes.
National Folding Laundry Day Activities
Do your laundry
Do a load of laundry. We all have clothes we’ve been meaning to wash. Remember to separate your whites and delicates!
Fold your laundry
Fold those freshly washed clothes. No more “I’ll do it tomorrow.” Do it. Now.
Switch things up
Experiment with different ways of folding your clothes, so you can save space and get creative. Make it more exciting to do.
5 Facts About Laundering That Will Blow Your Mind
Public baths and washhouses
Some European nations combined washhouses with public baths with the aim of fostering hygiene and reducing epidemic outbreaks.
Men did it too
Laundry was traditionally done by men in India.
The right to dry, denied
Some American communities do not allow residents to dry their clothes outside.
Laundry saved Ulysses
In Homer’s “Odyssey,” Princess Nausicaa and her handmaidens are doing the laundry by the shore when they see and rescue the ship-wrecked Ulysses — proving that laundry saves lives!
Many loads a week
The average American family washes eight to 10 loads of laundry a week.
Why We Love National Folding Laundry Day
Who doesn’t love clean clothes?
What’s better than taking a long shower and slipping into some soft, warm, and freshly ironed clothes? We’ll tell you, nothing is!
Folding your laundry improves your space
Your living space can improve dramatically and look cleaner if all your clothes are neatly folded into your closet. Get folding today.
It has a long history
Christina Hardyment, in her history from the Great Exhibition of 1851, argued that the development of domestic machinery, like washing machines, was an important aspect that would lead to women’s liberation. She was right.
National Folding Laundry Day dates
Year | Date | Day |
---|---|---|
2025 | March 30 | Sunday |
2026 | March 30 | Monday |
2027 | March 30 | Tuesday |
2028 | March 30 | Thursday |
2029 | March 30 | Friday |