17 July 2010

In Which Groovy Mulls Over the Mundane



Reading other blogs, I have gathered that many women have an intense dislike for doing laundry. They've posted amazing pictures of their piles to be washed and mounds to be folded and lamented how it all never ends and the stains didn't come out and only one sock of a treasured pair is missing.




I've never quite understood this because I LIKE doing laundry. It's one chore that doesn't overwhelm me or make me cranky. Of course, the BHE (Best Hubby Ever, remember?) does help me by doing the laundry for me on Mondays. But even when he can't help, I don't mind doing it at all.

On Mondays we wash all the towels and washcloths from the kitchen and bathrooms as well as whatever goodies ended up in the hamper. On Thursdays we wash all the sheets and jammies as well as the hamper contents. With four of us here, we usually only have 4 loads a week unless we've been camping or farm sitting or something like that.

The BHE and I like to hang our laundry whenever possible. In the winter, we hang them on the clotheslines in our basement. The air is nice and crisp and dry from the furnace, so they usually dry within 24 hours.



In the summer, we hang them out here on my much loved pulley clothesline.



There are pulleys for two lines, but BHE didn't get the second one strung up this year. We have to take the lines down in the winter because the snow falls off the roof in incredibly powerful avalanches and breaks them if we don't remove them.

(Note: Our neighbor said that the first time he heard an avalanche off our steep, high roof, he thought we were having an earthquake! See how steep it is?)




The lines are so long that they can sag quite a bit, so we bought one of these for each line to ratchet up the slack:
And one of these spacers to keep the bottom line from drooping too much.


By the way, my FAVORITE place to shop for laundry accoutrements is Lehman's. I love that place - we're talking 3 thumbs up! (and I only have 2 thumbs!)

At any rate, I miss having two lines this year. It slows things down considerably!

Naturally we do have an electric dryer, but we only use it in ultra humid or inclement weather.


I use all natural, unscented laundry soap and a very little bit of unscented liquid fabric softener. I absolutely DESPISE scented laundry items. *shudder* When someone is kind enough to give me their freshly washed hand-me-downs, I usually have to wash them 2 or 3 times to remove all the smell before I can wear them. Ironically, my mother-in-law, who shares our laundry facilities with us, ADORES highly scented detergents and softeners and air fresheners. It is my least favorite part of sharing the house with her. (Which says alot. She's a tremendously wonderful lady and if the only complaints I have are scent related, then I am one seriously blessed daughter-in-law!)

Neither am I a fan of stinky laundry in my hamper, so I took a nylon knee-high stocking and filled it with about a cup and a half of baking soda. Then I tied a knot in it and put it inside another, slightly thicker knee-high and tied another knot. It sits in the bottom of the hamper and keeps it fresh smelling for months! Of course, the first time I put it in there the BHE almost washed it... ;-)

As for folding the laundry, the girlies do most of that. When they don't I just quickly fold each piece as it comes off the line or out of the dryer, then put it all away immediately so it doesn't sit out forever.

All done - Easy Peasy.

And that's how Groovy deals with her laundry. Just DON'T ask me about sheets.

*shudder*

For while I enjoy doing laundry, I loathe making the bed. Not the making of the bed where one makes it look nice and pretty each morning - I don't mind that at all - but the bed making where one has to put on all new sheets and pillow cases. It's not hard to do and it doesn't take long and oh-how-wonderful clean sheets smell and feel, but I can't stand doing it. I will actually throw the clean sheets atop the bed and then ignore them completely until I am very tired and want to crawl in bed but can't because I never made it. It totally makes no sense.

Oh well, what's your favorite housework chore? Surely there's one (or more) that gives you a pleasant sense of accomplishment...

8 comments:

Marianne Arkins said...

I love to vacuum. There's something about looking at the gunk in the cannister that's no longer on my floor that gives me a thrill.

I don't mind doing laundry, or even folding it. But I HATE putting it away, and it tends to linger in the basket in my bedroom for a few days before I finally do that. LOL...

WildIrishRose33 said...

Doing laundry used to be my favorite chore. Hated FOLDING the clothes, loved washing them. Now with the apartment I live in and the fact that I have to PAY to clean my clothes, I can't stand it. Stupid spider infested basement. Alas, I now have no favorite chores.

Sue Guiney said...

I also like doing laundry although folding fitted sheets is the absolute bane of my experience. But my favourite chore of all is unpacking and putting away groceries. The sense of order, the calm, that feeling of everything has it's place and all's right with the world.....

Sans Pantaloons said...

I don't mind washing dishes. I only have one plate, one knife, and two forks.

notcon4med said...

Ooooohhhh! Thanks so much for the link to the old fashioned site for laundry stuff! In our new house I will finally have a clothesline! I know, weird, but I'm excited! Also, I see quite a few things I think we'll get for Jessie and Abeni to take back to Ethiopia with them. They will be so much better than what's available there and make their lives easier...at least a little.

As for chores: I love doing laundry too, and I'm really fond of taking care of my floors - sweeping, swiffering, mopping - I love clean floors! But, I HATE (contrary to Sue G) putting away the groceries! I'm also not fond of cleaning the shower or tub.

Ms. Kathleen said...

Groovy dear? Am I abnormal? I have NEVER posted pics of piles of laundry, clean or dirty. I have never even thought of it. I miss hanging my laundry outside. Why don't I do it here? Cold weather, pine pollen, cold weather, rain, pine pollen.... Can't wait to move!

Dawn said...

I mind laundry less than most other chores - I just have a had time getting everything put away before it's time to do it all again - I have a lot of kiddo clothes to do every day or so. I have to say I'm really not fond of much of any housework at this point in my life. Don't know why!

Unknown said...

well I don't despise doing laundry, I enjoy it actually. I do like Downy though, don't hate me.
I really like the tip of putting baking soda in a stocking for a deoderizer! Will do that!

I do HATE,DESPISE,PUT-OFF putting clean sheets on my bed; at least you and I have that in common!