Thanks. Would you put a bright colors in the darks? How do you separate colored/dark socks and underwear?

I do reds, whites, and blues/blacks.

That's a very patriotic way to sort :)

I do hot water (regardless of colour) separate from anything else, and then everything else is separated by weight: The lighter weight tops and short from the heavier weight jeans and sweats. My hot water loads are sheets, underwear, socks, and towels, and I have not had trouble with colour running.

For sorting my daughter does 1.) Darks, 2.) white/ creams, and 3.) pinks/purples/red. Putting underwear and socks in these categories with netting bags for bras, etc.

I sort clothing by whites, lights/brights, darks. My children’s clothing is generally in the lights/brights category (they’re only 6 and 9 yo and haven’t protested my love of bright colors yet : ) ). Socks and underwear go in with appropriate colors. My darks wash is basically black, navy, gray - so mostly my clothes!

I sort by color and textile type. I always have a black cotton load and a black synthetic/elastic techno load. Those get different detergents and temperatures, Then I sort cottons into whites/lights, mediums and then blacks. Also do a delicate load for wool and lingerie.

I do whites, darks, lights and towels. Sometimes I wash jeans separate.

You are a super sorter. Curious if you have one hamper and then dump and sort or multiple hampers? I'm trying to minimize the dump and sort.

I was only answering what you needed for your children. For them, the three is sufficient. I am assuming they don't have kitchen rags in their room. : ) Although I am sure some kids might!

My children each have one hamper. My husband has a two sided hamper (just whites and then everything else) and I have just one. I combine them all and then go down to the laundry and do the sorting. Works for me as I don't trust anyone else's sorting anyway. Ha! I do have a three bin wheeled sorting trolley in the laundry room. Love it. You could have your children do their sorting and then take it down to the laundry for you. Label the bins - although at this point my 6 and 9 yr olds know which bin is for which colors.

As for laundry loads, I do about 10-12 weekly for a house of 4. The main three (whites, lights/brights, darks), delicates, jeans, bath towels, kitchen towels, cleaning rags, sheets (2-3 loads depending on week). All have different settings on the washer, different detergents used, etc.

We use Elfa drawer system with a label on each drawer. Jeans and towels, To be bleached, Dark, Light, Delicates. Everything is sorted as we take it off and each drawer is easy to carry to the laundry room and makes one load. DH loves it because he can see why he is out of khaki pants so he grabs a basket and does a load. Last night, I noticed the Lights wa full, so I’ m running that laid right now.