Ok, so I won't be winning any awards for deep thinking with this post, but I know for a fact that it's a subject close to every Mother's (or Father's) heart. And because I care about you all I'm interested to know your opinions on the subject. To Iron or not to Iron? I, for one, never ever ever ever ever ever (have I said that enough?) iron. Never ever. Despite the fact that I own about 4 irons, I don't think any of them work and I'm not even sure where the ironing board is. But before you stop and berate me for being scruffy and creased, I can assure you that I am nothing of the sort (well my Mother might refute that but then, she does have certain standards)...
As a stay-at-home Mum with two small children I am constantly lamenting the fact that I have no spare time for myself. There are meals to cook, nappies to change, children to dress, noses to wipe, books to read, cuddles to give, dishwashers to load/unload, clothes to wash, more nappies to change and a host of other things I may have forgotten like fiddling around on the computer or gassing on the phone. So when on earth is there time for ironing?? In my book there just isn't time. Only yesterday I popped over to see a friend who has two children and after a quick coffee she waved goodbye to me with the parting words 'Oh, now I've got about three hour's worth or ironing to do'. And then I noticed a blog post from Single Parent Dad that mentioned he too had ironing. And not only that, a couple of Twitter updates from Mothers with, you've guessed it, more ironing.
So, come on....is it really necessary? I'm not suggesting here that we all start to walk around with crumpled clothes. There are other options (apart from paying a laundry service to do them of course). So this is what you do. You hang your clothes on a line in the garden (when it's sunny enough) or on a dryer or radiators when it's not and you make sure that they are lying in such a way that when they dry, they dry with no creases. And then you fold them well and put them away and that is all there is to it. Seriously. And how much time have you saved yoursleves? Oooh, I'd say about three hours a day. That's three hours more to fill with...well, that's up to you... Unless of course you're one of those freaks who actually like ironing. I did once know someone like that. But they're not my friend any more...
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Sunday Thoughts
1 day ago
I wash mine, and then hang them neatly on a clothes horse, which goes outside in better weather. But they still have a lot of creases in, even if left for a few days. I estimate I only need to iron for about 90 minutes every week, which I normally do straight after putting my son to bed. I am not looking forward to my son growing so that I have to iron all the sides of his clothes, rather than doing both sides at the same time.
ReplyDeleteTumble dryer... it's the only way to go in my book. I do not iron and was very surprised at toddlers the other week when littlest girl appeared to be pretend ironing with a toy board and iron! I even commented "well she didn't learn it from me!" Life's too short I say :)
ReplyDeleteThe Americans can't understand why on earth we iron so much. Moving here was liberating for me. I didn't iron everything when I lived in the UK, but I did shirts, t-shirts, trousers, both adults and children. Now I only do cotton shirts, which I think you really have to, or they look so creased. So I've cut down my ironing time, and you know what? I don't miss it at all, and I don't think you would really see any difference.
ReplyDeleteI'll avoid ironing if I can, although I quite enjoy it (it is the only time I really watch TV!) I iron the kids school uniforms each half-term and enjoy putting away all the clothes that don't need ironing at all. The other way to cut down on ironing is to have an Aga ... but sadly not in our house!
ReplyDeleteIm with you Emily completely! No ironing for me!
ReplyDeleteI am so far away from ironing as a household chore, I thought you were talking about chemical peels or other skin flattering measures.
ReplyDeleteMade some painful encounters with the household iron ages ago - ironing my thighs as the board wouldn't come up high enough. I never got over it...
Well I'm not quite as bad as my Mum who, in her youth, tells me she used to iron her tights (maybe they had less Lycra in those days...) and still regularly irons knickers, boxers, bibs and babygros (ie: lots of small, insignificant items that no-one is going to see...or if they do, really wouldn't mind the odd crease).
ReplyDeleteBut I'm afraid that I am one of those sad sad people that does actually like ironing. I find it strangely soothing and almost cathartic to watch the wrinkles magically fall out of my clothes, making them look shiny brand new-ish. I do agree with the I've-got-better-things-to-do-with-my-time thing though and tend to do mine whilst watching a film of an evening. It makes me feel less guilty about taking time out when I should be studying.
Also, final admission, when we were a little more flush than we are currently, Darling Husband (at his most benevolent) bought me one of those whizz, bang Swiss ironing 'systems' that blows steam out from every conceivable surface and sounds like Ivor the Engine at full speed. It takes me roughly 2 minutes to iron one of said husband's shirts and about an hour to get through the week's ironing mountain. Worth every penny I think and, as H says, "keeps the little lady happy". Right, must go and ice some cupcakes...tooddle-loo ;-)
I never understand how you can claim to hang things on the line or on radiators and then they don't need ironing. They're so stiff they can stand up by themselves. I invested in a press a few years back and I'm a new woman! I also try to be there at the dryer when it stops, but that's not always possible. I hate ironing with a passion.
ReplyDeleteHmmm...well yes, they are a little stiff, but with good folding a bit of shaking out, they're good to go. If I use the dryer, creases miraculously appear, so I try to refrain from that, unless it's towels which just have to have a bit of drying action...
ReplyDeleteWow. That is really something. I try not to iron... honestly. And loathe it with deep and abiding hatred. Right. Will try not to iron in future... Thanks!
ReplyDeleteI am so with you on this ironing lark. I can't stand to hear people say (or moan) "I've got a huge pile of ironing". And whose fault may that be? I only really iron for about an hour a month (if that), with a family of four. Most clothes DO NOT NEED IRONING if you hang them from clothes line to airer or tumble if necessary.
ReplyDeleteWhat a popular topic! I don't iron anything apart from the odd dress before a party. I am lucky that I have a wonderful lady who does iron my husband's shirts. I just don't understand why my Mum irons everything, even my Dad's boxer shorts. I have tried telling her but she won't listen. I think she likes it, gives her a reason to hide away and listen to the radio.
ReplyDeleteWith my first baby I ironed everything, including vests & baby grows. Lost a few marbles in the process. 2nd time round, a lot wiser. Still, ironing remains a necessary evil in our house - my uniforms are the worst.
ReplyDeleteLx
I don't iron anything. When you meet me this will become apparent.
ReplyDeleteI used to be a committed non-ironer. The only time I would iron would be for a job interview and, even then, I would pick as many items as possible that don't get creased.
ReplyDeleteAbout a year and a half ago, I think, I suddenly became an ironer. I know when it happened, too. It happened when Chris started putting Rosemary to bed and I had evenings, which had been non-existant since her birth (she never used to go to sleep for the night until 10pm!). The problem was, I couldn't just sit down in front of the TV and relax. I felt hugely, hugely guilty, like I should be scrubbing the kitchen floor or sorting out the spice shelf or something. In fact, I did actually do a few of those things at first. Then I realised that I could watch TV with a clear conscience if I ironed at the same time. And I found it incredibly therapeutic and relaxing. So much so, that I would look forward to my ironing nights (I only usually needed two a week).
At the moment, though, I have given it up for the moment. We're so busy with work that I'm having to work most evenings after Rosemary has gone to bed (at 7.30 now, thankfully) and, on the few evenings when I don't have to, the bump is clearing my conscience enough to sit down with my feet up for the whole evening. And, having been a non-ironer for so long, I can just put them away in the drawers and not worry about the creases (though I notice them far, far more than I used to).
So... there's my ironing tale. This was certainly a popular topic!
no ironing for me either! thank god its not only me! i use the drier with these amazing drier balls that keep away creases and crinkles, as long as you fold the clothes straight away they look great! i recommend them to all of you
ReplyDeleteamy x
Ironing is my second most hated chore, most hated it changing the beds BUT, like the beds I have to do it almost obsessively! Fortunately sig. other does all his and mine and I just do the kids stuff...can handle little clothes. I worked with a guy once who never ironed and told me that fabric has memory and once you start ironing, it you have to continue! Call me gullible but I had to look into this one; I mean I could have potentially started an ironing backlash here...needless to say I was being gulliable...again
ReplyDeleteTasha - know what you mean about feeling guilty when you're not doing anything - and yes I can see why ironing would alleviate that. Have to struggle to get over the guilt when I sit down for 5 minutes sometimes. Still can't bring myself to iron though!
ReplyDeleteI didn't iron before I had kids, so why start now?
ReplyDeleteThe only exception is my stupid habit of buying linen trousers - they look so good in the shop. I just need to remember WHY I shouldn't buy them.
Nothing to do with this post, but thank you for coming to see me at the restaurant today it was such a lovely surprise!!
ReplyDeleteAnd actually I have something too say about ironing : I think that I've never been very good at it but now, thanks to you, it doesn't matter because I've an other solution!! Well... only if I have a few radiators around me... which is not the case now that I left you but never mind!!
xxx
From one Emily to another - big NO to ironing. Hang well, shake,fold and wonder if anyone really notices? The kids have inevitably spilled something down their tops before we've left the house, so there is more than the odd crease to worry about. If husband wants ironed shirts he knows where the iron is. Although I do agree with Beta Mum - must remember that linen doesn't always look like it does in the shop...
ReplyDeleteYou did hit a nerve here Emily! Look at all these comments!
ReplyDeleteStrangely like Anna Po, I really enjoy ironing. I even received a fancy steam iron machine for one christmas. The problem is that I don't have the time for it... Every time I try to iron I end up too stressed out: Elliott is fascinated by the dragon noise "The Machine" does and tries to come close to see the steam comes out. So I end up spending more time pushing him away than ironing. I could do it in the evening but I don't want to. At weekends I want to enjoy the family fun...
I reverted to folding straight out of the tumble drier and the stuff that needs ironing end up in a laundry basket... The problem is that my laundry basket gets so full, the backlog is humongous! The last time my mum came to visit, she took pity and ironed all of it. I found at the bottom of the pile some of my summer clothes and it was January... told you it was bad!
I know - what does it say about us all when my most popular post is about ironing?!! I think my next one will have to be about making beds or something equally as exciting. Btw - Amy - I might take your advice and try out those dryer balls - anything to help a non-ironing Mum...
ReplyDeleteI'm with you on this one. I used to iron, but then i discovered blogging! No seriously, i am an ironer in denial. I have the ironing board and iron in place, pile beneath...then, well nothing. Boy Rubgy's clothes don't need ironing, most of mine really don't (dryer, line - as you say) and the girls, if theirs do need a quick once over, well how do you expect them to earn their pocket money? Hubby does his own shirts these days, so no. Life is short, fabrics are easier to look after these days and there is only so much time in the day for guilt.
ReplyDeleteThere is a little award for you at my place today x
I'm with you on the folding - I had a brilliant cleaning lady Abroad who showed me how. I used to iron the treasures' party dresses but now it's all lycra so I don't have to bother ...TL's shirts are a problem intermittently ....very intermittently ....
ReplyDeleteDD - yeah shirts are a huge problem - luckily my husband never wears shirts. Hee hee...
ReplyDeleteReasons to be Cheerful - I love you!!! It's my first award and you have made me very happy - I wear it with pride. Thank you xxxxx
I NEVER iron, unless I am going out with Husband somewhere and he pulls out a shirt that looks so shameful I won't be seen with him. Then we barter for favours (I will iron his shirt if he does something I don't want to do).
ReplyDeleteOtherwise, all things ironable are ironed by my cleaning lady which is the best money I spend all week. Quite prepared not to eat or to have dirty toilets in order to have her do this.
If I did not have her to do it, we would wear crumpled clothes. Just want to clear that up.
I NEVER iron. I hate it with a passion, plus I don't see the point in ironing kids clothes either. Like what is the point? They are only tiny and they are manky within minutes of them being dressed anyway. With my own clothes I dry them in the way that stops them from creasing, and if I have something that really must be ironed then I just look helplessly at someone for help. Terrible I know, but ah well, at least I save so much time :-)
ReplyDeleteI also really, really, can't be doing with listening to people that go on and on about their ironing pile. And often wish that they would realise that the clothes are actually getting creased by sitting in said pile.
My sentiments exactly! Do not put clothes in an ironing pile - it is the kiss of death. Do not have an ironing pile. Fold them before...
ReplyDeleteNever iron, and despair of people who say they find ironing relaxing - Want to scream, in fact...
ReplyDeleteYes, we all look remotely crumpled, but that would happen anyway on your drive in to work, creased up in the car! Do have lovely linen bits and pieces, but again, they crease just by looking at them...
I am a slattern, but I'm so okay with that!
I used to like ironing in the 'dark ages' before the internet arrived....how sad I was.
ReplyDeleteNow I don't have any kind of relationship with my iron, it's been banished to the dark corners of the cupboard along with the soda stream and electric carving knife.
AWoNI - yes we look crumpled anyway, so what's the point in ironing? I try not to buy linen for that very reason...
ReplyDeleteml - Ha ha I remember the soda stream. A friend used to have one and I was very jealous. Don't think she ever used it though - even then!