Ironing

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When I was growing up, a favoured Mother’s Day gift was emptying the ironing basket.  We loved turning wrinkles into crisp cotton smoothness for our very busy mom.

Now I have my own laundry to tend to (for almost a quarter century already!) and occasionally the ironing is not such a treat.  Still, it is the one job I rarely share with my children.  It’s a task that connects me to so many other women:  my mom, my mother-in-law, sisters, and former neighbours.  They’ve all blessed me with tips to simplify and speed up the job.  Here are some of them:

1. If you use a dryer, take clothing out as soon as it stops.
2. Hang up (on hangers) all laundry that needs to be ironed.  Do not put it in a basket.
3. Just do it.  Don’t ignore all those shirts and frilly dresses, hoping they will go away.  They won’t.
4. Get a good, non-wobbly ironing board.
5. Use a steam iron, not a dry iron, whenever possible.
6. Buy a spray bottle from the dollar store and spray the clothes before you iron.  (Yes, even when you use a steam iron.)
7. Occasionally pray for the wearer of the shirt or dress you’re ironing…unless you’re busy discussing life, supervising phonics, or helping someone with a recipe.
8. If, sitting in church after a very busy week, you notice a child in a wrinkled shirt or dress, squint. All the wrinkles will blur into smoothness.  Then concentrate on praising God for His goodness rather than worrying about unfinished work.

For more inspiring tips, visit Tightwad Tuesday , Tuesday’s Tip Jar, Works for Me Wednesday, Thrifty Thursday, Frugal Friday, and Finer Things Friday.