Laundry hamper suggestions?

[TwoBees]

If your washer and dryer are on a different floor than your bedrooms, how do you manage/organize the dirty laundry? Previously our washer was on the second floor so I just collected laundry for each load by hand from the hamper in each bedroom and threw it in the machine. I now need to carry the hampers down a flight of stairs, so I need new laundry baskets for each room, something lightweight and easy to carry for a petite person (I'm 5'). Ideally I would like something with a lid so that I can conceal the laundry inside. DD1 has a hamper like this (http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=13360673&cp=2255957.2273443.2256245.2256277&parentPage=family) which works well except there are no handles on the inner bag. I am also considering something like this (http://www.wayfair.com/Redmon-The-Original-Bongo-Bag-Pop-Up-Hamper-6116HPK-RDM1076.html). Do you have a solution that works well for you?

[wendibird22]

We are "old school" with laundry. Basic tall plastic hampers/baskets in each room and a standard rectangular laundry basket for transport. I dump everything in my room and sort by color. Then transport a load downstairs in the laundry basket. We don't do lids in the kids rooms because it's enough of a chore to get them to put dirty clothes IN the basket and I know they'd never put the lid on. I'm 5'2" and the standard rectangular basket works best for me lugging laundry up/down the stairs. Anything long and narrow just bumps along the stairs.

[lizzywednesday]

I have the older, laundry-sorter version of this for myself:

http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/30224046/

I've lined each side with laundry bags from my "take it to the laundromat" days, so the hamper itself never leaves my bedroom. Also, my laundry is rough-sorted - I wash my underwear & socks separately from everything else - so I've already done most of the work before carrying it downstairs.

For DD's room, we have a fabric-lined wicker hamper that was purchased at Target. I use a large, mesh, drawstring laundry bag to take her laundry downstairs.

DH lines his plastic hamper with a laundry bag, but takes the whole shebang downstairs when he does his laundry.

We have 5 laundry baskets that we use to carry clean laundry back to our bedrooms. DD's basket is pink; the others are white. When they're not in use, they "live" on top of the dryer.

[TwoBees]

I have the older, laundry-sorter version of this for myself:

http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/30224046/

I've lined each side with laundry bags from my "take it to the laundromat" days, so the hamper itself never leaves my bedroom. Also, my laundry is rough-sorted - I wash my underwear & socks separately from everything else - so I've already done most of the work before carrying it downstairs.

Do those bags have handles on the side for carrying? It's hard to tell from the picture.

[lizzywednesday]

Do those bags have handles on the side for carrying? It's hard to tell from the picture.

Yes, they have handles on the short sides, but I'm not sure I would use them, personally. I hate doing laundry, so my hampers tend to be very full and very heavy, so it's not practical for me to carry them up & down stairs.

The liner-bag solution is my compromise. Again, the current SKUBB bag is NOT a laundry-sorter like mine is, so this is just a hamper.

[Globetrotter]

I have some solid canvas hampers in each room. I think they are particle board covered with canvas, but they are sturdy and have handles on the sides. I bought them from Crate and barrel in various colors to go with the room decor so they do look good. I can't find them online now, but maybe I'm not searching correctly. They are uncovered so it's easy to toss the clothes in - that is very important, esp. for the kids! I bring the hampers down and sort while I watch TV, but you could sort upstairs and bring it down, if you prefer. I sort INTO the hampers, so lights into one, darks into another. Then I take it back up folded in laundry baskets that are curved on one side where the hip is, to make them easier to carry. I bought them recently from Costco! The laundry explodes all over the first floor when I do it, but it doesn't bother me.

ETA: They look like this but I'm not sure about the material. (these also come in several colors!)
http://www.overstock.com/Home-Garden/Bold-Solid-Orange-Folding-Laundry-Basket/9174068/product.html

[Neatfreak]

We all this tall laundry basket with handles (http://www.notmartha.org/archives/2008/08/26/thing-i-like-a-laundry-basket/) - they tuck into our closets easily, and they are a dream to carry one-handed down to the basement laundry room.