We do iron our clothes in our house. I am lucky that my husband will iron and is quite good at it. I do though have friends who don’t iron any clothes at all. They always look good and not crumpled, but I can’t seem to move out of the mindset that I must iron all our clothes.
With 2 adults and four children this makes quite a lot of work and during busy times the ironing can build up. To cope with this I have implemented a storage system for the ironing, which you can see in the photo.
My preference of course would be to keep up to date with the ironing (and if I didn’t blog so much maybe I would 
). But seeing that this is not always achievable, when I fold the clothes I have a wheeled storage trolley in which to place the clothes.
I have the children’s clothes on the top, then mine, then Mr Infrastructure’s. I find that this works better for us compared to a straight ironing basket, because I can quickly go to the relevant shelf if I am trying to find a particular item of clothing. As the trolley is on wheels, I can easily move it from its home in the laundry to another room if needed.
So what about you? Do you iron the family clothes? If so, what are your tricks for keeping it under control (mine hardly ever is!)? If not, how do you manage to have your clothes not look creased?
15 Comments so far
Leave a comment
I used to iron everything (1hr per week or more)… before I had twins (actually … before I started blogging ) …I worked full time too.
we hang most shirts on hangers straight from the basket and it seems to work most of the time.
14yr old son wear school blazer in winter but in summer DH used to iron them (I think he gave up … I am usually still in bed nursing the babes).
I would still iron for a special occasion.
Trishs last blog post..TGIF ?
By Trish on 05.17.08 10:18 pm | Permalink
we iron some stuff - school/work uniforms - but not much. The basket works for us because it all gets done in one hit, but if there is more than a basket to do I need to give myself a kick up the behind. lol
Bettinas last blog post..Too Splendid
By Bettina on 05.17.08 11:00 pm | Permalink
Yeah, I iron. A lot. I usually try to do it in 15 minute stints. It doesn’t require 15 minutes every day to keep under control. But sometimes it gets the better of me and then I just watch TV or something and try to catch up. Most of the time I don’t actually mind ironing. It doesn’t take too much physical or mental energy. Unlike most of the rest of the housework. I do hate ironing button up shirts though. I’m mighty glad my hubby isn’t a white colour worker.
Lightenings last blog post..Smiley Saturday - Time For Another Swap
By Lightening on 05.17.08 11:23 pm | Permalink
I try hard not to iron much at all. Ironing is one of my least favourite chores and this is reflected in the way i store the items that require ironing (in one basket, shoved out the back room along with the board and the iron.
I like ironing on appliques, does that count???
By tiff on 05.17.08 11:30 pm | Permalink
This is a great idea (as usual). I’ve been trying to think of a way to tame my ironing pile when I’m too busy (blogging) to get it done. I didn’t like the idea of a hamper though, because I wouldn’t be able to see what is in it. And I think the trolly is just the right size - when you can’t fit any more in, it’s time to step away from the computer and do something about it
Journeyers last blog post..My CML Journey - Diagnosis Day
By Journeyer on 05.18.08 8:24 am | Permalink
I buy clothes that don’t need ironing.
I’d much rather be spending time with my kids than houseworking. At least, that sounds like a noble reason, so I’m sticking to it.
Alisons last blog post..Two
By Alison on 05.18.08 9:00 am | Permalink
I have to admit, I hate ironing, and I don’t iron - except for the odd tablecloth when we have that sort of dinner party (which is very rare!). My husband very happily irons his work shirt every morning, but I dry them on hangers so they aren’t too bad to begin with. He’ll also do the odd skirt of mine or dress / skirt of the girls where required, but most of their stuff doesn’t seem to need it. As for how we stay crinkle-free, not sure. I think one tip is that I hang the clothes pretty carefully on the line (and shake them out first), and when I fold to put away, I do this pretty carefully, too, sort of pressing out any creases (quickly mind you, this isn’t a laboured process!) as I fold. I’d like to think we look pretty neat & tidy, or at the very least, not dishevelled.
The girls mostly wear t-shirts and I never wear blouses, so perhaps part of the answer is that we wear mostly things that just don’t require ironing?
By Lisa on 05.18.08 10:59 am | Permalink
Uggh! I hate ironing with a passion but luckily for me my husband doesn’t and is quite content to iron for a couple of hours in front of the tv. So I say we iron most things as he likes everything to be nicely iron. If he brings in the washing he will iron the lot unless I sort it out first.
If I use the dryer, I try to get to it just as it has finished because then I can fold straight from it as I find the clothes don’t need ironing.
I have to be honest, if I’m mad at my husband I always give him additional ironing as my payback!
By Nicole on 05.18.08 11:24 am | Permalink
I iron also. I wait until there are 12 items that need ironing. I set the timer for one hour. done.
Jena: Organizing Mommys last blog post..My kids have a gadget!
By Jena: Organizing Mommy on 05.18.08 11:38 am | Permalink
I don’t have an ironing pile, otherwise I may as well not bother to have a wardrobe. So I put everything away and iron as I need.
jens last blog post..Making tomboy stitch
By jen on 05.18.08 3:57 pm | Permalink
I am anti-ironing. We iron maybe once or twice a year, to put labels on school clothes or an iron on patch on a knee. Usually takes a while to find the iron. Works for us.
By Zoe on 05.19.08 1:42 pm | Permalink
Thanks for insights into you ironing pile or lack there of. I am going to to try allocating a night where I don’t blog (arghhhh!) and iron once a week for a couple of hours and I think that should tame the beast that is our ironing pile.
Here’s hoping!
By PlanningQueen on 05.19.08 9:57 pm | Permalink
Nope I don’t iron.. and the world is a safer place for it!
I implement several unironing techniques.. the great ’shake’ before I hang things up to dry, the ‘hang in the bathroom while you shower’ to steam out a few creases and the ‘don’t buy anything that wrinkles’ technique.
Actually I do iron on occasion, certain clothes and for special occasions (weddings and funerals)… but usually I end up burning a great hole in myself so it really has to be worth it. Not sure how I will go with not ironing school uniforms, but for now I live in unironing bliss…
But if I had to iron I’d want want of those attached to the wall drop down irons… plans for that when we renovate, that and teaching the children to iron!
katefs last blog post..Anyone for Lists? - Organise ‘08
By katef on 05.19.08 9:59 pm | Permalink
I don’t iron–don’t like to iron. Not sure how we stay wrinkle-free–maybe the clothes we have are low maintenance. Usually when we pull out the iron it’s at the last minute b/c the church clothes we want to wear are wrinkly. I can remember growing up, my mom’s never-ending ironing pile. Maybe that’s why I’m anti-iron.
By Melanie on 05.20.08 1:44 am | Permalink
i don’t even own an iron
…but i do have an ironing board?! go figure..
By Kazoo on 05.20.08 1:44 pm | Permalink
Leave a comment