Well, strike two on remembering to “look pretty” before video blogging. Aye. The only reason I’m even toeing the line on this is because my mom is in another country right now and cannot kill me for being on The Internet without makeup. Not saying she won’t kill me when she gets back, but today? Today I live.
People always talk about vulnerability and authenticity when it comes to blogging. I’m raising that bar today. Because I’m, quite literally, going to air my clean laundry that looks like dirty laundry…
Seriously, how do you motivate yourself to finish laundry all the way to folded/hung-up completion? Please don’t say “Uh, we just don’t like to have our clean clothes crumpled on the floor” because that’s obviously not enough for me.
And, if I can’t move past keeping clothes on the floor, what are some ways to de-wrinkle without ironing? And please don’t say, “Fold and hang your clothes up immediately after drying” because I’m an overgrown teenager who hates laundry. Obviously.
Mentioned: Dorie for ALSO having wedding tiara that she desperately wants to wear again. Rebekah for reminding me of my distaste for all housework apparently ironing. Dr. John Dro-dizzle for inspiring me through Twitter.
I hate laundry too. When you start you may be in a cleaning mood, but by the time the wash is done, you just too tired and don’t feel like ironing or folding. I usually just leave my clean stuff in the drier (rather than the floor). That way when I need something I just turn the drier on for 10 minutes and refluff – it gets rid of wrinkles in most things (not dress pants sorry to say).
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That is exactly what happens! It’s like the wash cycle is exactly the same amount of time as the “I want to clean” feeling and you’re done by the time the clothes are dry… it’s a sad, sad trick God played on us.
And I would so just leave the clothes in the dryer except that we have roomies and I don’t want to be That Kid that can’t get her stuff out of the machines.
And… you can put a clean but wet wash cloth in the drier with the wrinkled clothes. The heat of the dryer helps to steam out the wrinkles – less messy than my other trick below.
You win the prize for the most creative spelling of my last name! Previously, the best was when a student left a note for Dr. Doornail. He failed the class! But I digress.
The tried and true quick de-wrinkling method is the following:
1.Put the clothing on a hanger – I know that is asking a lot Marie, but work with me here.
2. Then hang up the clothing in your bath room – but NOT on the shower curtain rod.
3. Now, shut the bathroom door, turn on the shower on very hot, let the shower run for about 5 minutes or until the bathroom is totally filled with steam. Leave the bathroom after completing this step and be sure to close the door. You can wait in the bathroom during this step if you have wrinkles you want to steam out, too.
4.Then turn off the shower, leave the clothing to steam about 15 minutes with the door closed, and come back to get your wrinkle free clothing.
A video of you practicing these steps would need to be completed sans make-up, so do it while your mother is still of out of the country!
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Ok, so I actually like this idea since it would involve multi-tasking, shower and dewrinkling at the same time! Genius. And I can work with you on the hanging of some clothing
Or you could just buy a steamer…would probably be a lot easier than all that time with the shower.
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This is so funny, and I hesitate to say this here since I don’t know who reads this anymore, but we got a steamer for a wedding gift and I was so excited. I just knew it would solve all of my ironing problems, right? And Mark was like, “Why did we get this? We didn’t register for this.” But “we” kind of did. Because after we got done registering “together” I got online and registered for more stuff. Started this marriage on the right foot, huh? Anyways, the steamer was one of those items that I was sure we needed to have and when we got it it leaked all over the clothes and I was scared that the steam was going to burn me (“Turn it off, Mark! Turn it off!”) So yeah, the steamer didn’t help. But I’m thinking a love seat by the laundry room will do the trick
True…but the steamer is too scary! And then you have another piece of equipment to break and I think Marie is striving for simple, let’s-not-buy-more-stuff, solutions – and there could be something zen like in using the shower for something other than bathing.
Marie, don’t listen to him. A steamer is NOT scary. It takes up a whole lot less space than an ironing board, uses much less water than the shower, and I don’t think even you, would break it!
I sometimes do the shower thing while taking a shower if I need a pair of khakis or skirt fresh out of the dryer.
OR
I am a firm believer in Downey Wrinkle Releaser (http://www.downy.com/en_US/articles/wrinkle_releaser_tips.jsp) I feel a little wrong using it, cause I’m pretty sure it is filled with chemicals and badness and ripping my own person little hole in the ozone (ok, it probably isn’t THAT bad) but MAN that stuff is awesome!
Now if you have advice on how to get dishes done without water torture techniques (haha!) let me know.
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Downey? I’ve never used this stuff. Just to be real, I’m totally cool with harming the ozone. I mean, what’s it really done for me, right? Just kidding.
And Elisa, I think you’ve picked my next Domesticate Me question. We need to shed light on the tragedy that is dish washing.
Ok I vote for the Downy Wrinkle Releaser the added plus is it smell so good. Sure beats using all the hot water not to mention the added cost to heat it….. anyway I like the Downey. But then a spray water bottle then a few seconds in the dryer works wonders on most things. Or you could move here and hire some one to clean and iron for you and save all that frustration, I don’t but all my friends do and they say they can’t live without help.
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The spray water bottle is something Mark does all the time. It took a while for me to realize that pretty much any spray bottle in our house, no matter what label was on it, only contained water. Because that’s how he irons. Heh.
Added note…. Just watched your video and if that is what you look like without makeup You have nothing to fret about you look great!!!!!!
Folding clothes is never fun I will often toss them in a basket and draw out what I need when I need it, so go get two baskets one for you and one for Mark, just think clean clothes will be off the floor.
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Aw, you’re so sweet. And I think the basket idea has LOTS of potential. It’s at least a little bit better than the floor.
Ironing… ugh! I detest it. My husband used to do the hang-in-the-bathroom-while-showering trick. Or he would wet his hands and swipe it down his clothing after he put them on…
They are very few and far between!
I vote for leaving them in the dryer and throwing in the wet cloth. I’ve never tried the Downy Wrinkle Release, but it might be worth a try. My mother always had someone do her ironing, but I’m a cheapskate so I just suck it up and wait for a motivated day.
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I don’t think I’ve ever considered getting help, it’s always seemed like such an extravagance, but you and my mom-in-law (Connie) suggested it. I wonder how Mark would feel about getting rid of cable…hmmm 
Crystal! You stopped by
And that’s too funny about your hubby and wetting his hands. I’ve done that before, but I always get my hands too wet and then start patting myself down at my boobs so I end up with just wet hand prints on my chest. Yeah. It looks awesome. Ha.
I hope you know I was kidding about the steamer. Just do like I do. Have a loveseat (or table) near your dryer and hangers always handy. As soon as the dryer stops, hang the clothes on the door frame, fold the clothes and put them on the loveseat. If I leave them in the dryer, a quick toss usually does the trick, or if it’s 1 item I need, I hang it in the bathroom while I take a hot shower. If I take them out of the dryer and throw them on the loveseat to get really wrinkled, I will toss them a few at a time with the next wet dryer loads.
And the Downy works great if you can remember to buy it.
I know. It’s an art. Something we perfect in time. And do you really read all these??
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That would be really smart to fold/hang at the dryer. I always just carry an armful of clothes to the bedroom, drop them on the bed, leave, go to bed later that night, and push the clothes on to the floor. I’m going to have to try not letting them out of the dryer unhung/folded. I like it.
And the comments are honestly my favorite part! I’d put pictures of vegetables up if I thought you guys would comment
My husband irons. I got out of it once by badly ironing shirt. He was in the Navy so he’s particular.
Um…unrelated, just as you started your biz blog, I started my personal blog! Whoop whoop! http://happyhippler.blogspot.com I really wish there was somewhere on blogs where people could leave a general non-post related comment. That’d be cool.
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Oh, having to do laundry for a Navy man? I do NOT envy you
And yay for a personal blog! Bloggers are a narcissistic bunch, and we need a place to talk about ourselves
I’ll be checking it out soon!
I iron very infrequently. Thomas is SUPER picky about his clothes. I’m blind to them. (What wrinkles? I see no wrinkles. It looks fine…) He will just put them back in the laundry for me to wash and dry again. I really don’t like that since it’s wasting energy and water. (I sound really green but am actually really cheap. Don’t want my bills to go up!)
As for washing dishes…yeah, I don’t buy it if it can’t go in the dishwasher. I will put it in there anyway. If it messes up, then I don’t need it. I seriously almost put my fine china in there. It was after Thanksgiving at my house. My mom about had a stroke when I told her that I was just going to put them in the dishwasher. She recruited Thomas and they hand washed all of my dishes. I would like to take the credit of tricking them into hand washing my dishes, but I seriously was going to put them in the dishwasher. LOL!
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Ha, and life would be so much easier if people would choose to ignore wrinkles like we do!
I bet Thomas LOVED you that Thanksgiving, huh?
YES! YES! A global tiara project! YEEEESSS! I have to get my friend, Keri, from LA involved. She was one of my bridesmaids and titled herself, “Chief Princess Bridesmaid” and wore a tiara and carried a wand. Oh, yes. I love the tiara idea.
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