The Chore Race: We Made Laundry a Game

When Laundry Felt Never-Ending 

Laundry used to feel like the one chore that never actually ended. Every time we emptied the basket, more clothes somehow appeared. A sock under the bed. A hoodie in a gym bag. A towel we forgot about. 

It wasn’t hard. It was just always there. 

Since we’re in 7th grade, our days are already busy. Between school, volleyball, Eco Club, Girl Scouts, and garden care, there’s always something we’re thinking about. By the time we get home, homework and upcoming tests are already on our minds. So when we saw the laundry pile, it didn’t feel small. It just felt like one more thing. 

The Bet That Changed Everything 

One afternoon, we were both staring at the basket like it had personally betrayed us. 

That’s when Marsh said, “Bet I can sort faster than you.” 

Mello said, “Bet I can fold better.” 

It started as a joke. But instead of complaining like usual, we actually tried it. And once we started racing, the whole mood changed. 

Speed vs. Precision 

Marsh takes sorting seriously. Lights. Darks. Towels. She moves fast and likes finishing first. 

Mello prefers folding. She smooths sleeves, lines up edges, and stacks everything evenly. She doesn’t rush because she likes it to look neat at the end. 

Marsh is speed. 
Mello is precision. 

We’re identical twins, but we don’t do things the same way. Instead of arguing about that, we kind of turned it into our advantage. We each stuck to what we’re good at. 

Loud Days and Quiet Days 

Some days we get dramatic about it. We time ourselves. We announce winners. We call out crooked folds like referees. 

Other days are quieter. After a long school day or tough practice, we don’t have much energy. On those days, we don’t race. We just fold and sort next to each other. 

Even then, finishing feels good. 

When the basket is empty, there’s always that small moment where we both notice it. It’s not a big celebration. It just feels satisfying. 

It’s Still Just Laundry 

We’re not pretending laundry suddenly became fun. 

It’s still socks. 
Still towels. 
Still someone forgetting to flip something right-side out. 

Larry and Jerry still try to sit on the warm clothes like they own the house. 

But now there’s less complaining and more doing. And that makes it feel lighter. 

Why It Matters (Even a Little) 

We didn’t change the chore. 

We changed how we handled it. 

Instead of letting laundry hang over us all week, we made it something we could finish together. It feels good knowing we did our part, especially during busy weeks. 

It’s small. But small wins count. 

And for two 13-year-old girls in 7th grade, that’s a win we’re happy to take.