Laundry day—a time of the week most of us dread. What an inconvenience it can be to visit the laundromat, clean and dry your clothes and then transport them back home without wrinkling. In total, the whole ordeal can take upwards of two hours.

But does it have to be this way?

No. In fact, by taking a few extra precautions during the week, you can save yourself tons of time when laundry day rolls around next.

Sort During the Week

Rather than sifting through your dirty clothes on laundry day, keep your light and dark discards separate with different hampers. If you’ve got the space, sort by fabric type and weight too. By splitting as you go, you’ll also end up with more manageable load sizes.

Treat Your Stains as They Happen

Leaving stain treatment until the day of your wash is a bad idea. Firstly, locating those stains in a heap of clothes will take time. Secondly, stain treatment needs to settle, so applying it on the day you wash your clothes may make your efforts less effective. It’s best just to leave your stain removal solution by your hampers and dab the spots as needed.

Wash Your Clothes Often

You’d be surprised how many clean clothes go into the wash every week. We tend to think that an item worn once needs cleaning, but that’s not always the case.

For instance, a pair of jeans can get at least three uses of them. Unless you spill on or sweat profusely in them, then refrain from throwing them into the hamper on day one. Sweaters are another example with a multi-day lifespan.

That said, the clothing closest to the body’s sweat glands (i.e. undergarments and undershirts) needs washing regularly. Same with athletic apparel.

Arrange Your Clothes Strategically

Putting clothes away after a wash sometimes takes the most time. Instead of stacking your clothes in piles, try lining them from front to back in the drawer. Doing so makes it easier to find things—like a filing cabinet.