Since most light and dark fabrics can be washed together in cold water these days, a lot of the sorting we used to think was necessary isn't, and it is reasonable to have a child wash a load of his own clothes as soon as it accumulates. Fortunately, wet dollar bills do dry and are none the worse for inadvertant washings. Post a stain removal chart in a convenient place, and urge the kids to remove stains as soon as possible. Help avoid widowed socks by reminding kids to pin the pairs together as they take them off. They can be stored that way in drawers too, or have them wash and dry all socks in a zippered pillow case and prepare them for storage by stuffing one sock into its mate.
Most parents expect their kids to fold and put away their own clothes.
The Parenting Resource Center on the Web.