Few things make me happier than a clean house. I actually enjoy vacuuming or doing dishes. However, put a can of Pledge and a dust rag in my hand and you’ll have one grumpy lady.
Chores. There’s always vacuuming, mopping and cleaning up to do, and if you have outdoor areas to maintain, snow to shovel and grass to trim. They have to be done whether we like it or not, and everyone has one particular task that they dislike more than the rest.
One task rises above them all as a never-ending cycle: laundry. A recent national survey by Edelman Canada found that almost half of Canadians feel it takes too long to do their laundry, with 32 per cent admitting they’ve delayed their own plans to get it done.
Unlike shovelling snow or yard work, laundry is a task that never goes away throughout the year. It’s also the only task that still adds up even when you’re away from home—even if you cleaned before you left for a vacation, you still have to do all your laundry when you get back.
One of the things that makes laundry such a demanding chore is having to be present to move the load over—otherwise, clothes can get musty, and mildew can build up in the washer. It makes doing a load of laundry two jobs to manage, not just one.
But every household job has a hack somewhere. There are tricks you can use to do your laundry smarter:
- Using a divided hamper and designating different days for different laundry types (towels, sheets, lights, darks) can help cut down on sorting.
- You can reduce drying time by using the “high speed” or “extended spin” setting on your washer to get more water out of the clothes before drying, as well as by cleaning out your lint trap after every load to help airflow.
- Make folding time enjoyable by putting on a favourite show—the session will fly by.
Taking the friction out of household chores
More Canadians are adopting AI-powered appliances because they can make running your home easier. For instance, a smart washer-dryer can automatically set its own settings based on what you’ve loaded into it and provide timer updates via voice or text, even if you’re not home yet.
Smart home appliances can learn your habits and rhythms over time—the idea is to create a home that responds intuitively to you with an ecosystem of smart devices that can coordinate. For example, Samsung’s SmartThings app lets users manage their whole home from one device, even remotely.
When every part of your home works together, it saves you time and reduces the mental load you carry. It’s a practical way technology is making a difference in Canadians’ everyday lives.
