Reaching into the new LG front loading machine we finally purchased after months of inadequately clean clothes and at least two cycles to dry clothes, I snuggled into the warmth emanating from the dryer toasted towels and took a moment to breathe in the comforting scent. It may or may not have taken me just a bit longer than normal to collect every last bit of fabric from the dryer in one armload, just to have a few more seconds to relish in the amazing world of a freshly cleaned laundry load.
The clothes were actually clean and actually dry. *sigh* I’ve been waiting my whole life for this. *swoons*
It was an art form I’ve mastered over the years to gather every article of clothing from the dryer and transport it across the room to the table in the corner. This table is where those clothes would sit for a few minutes to a few days waiting to be folded and returned to their rightful drawer only to begin the entire cycle again. Wear, wash, dry, fold, wear, wash dry fold, every day and every week the same thing. A routine I both loved and hated.
Laundry. You can’t get out of doing it in some way, shape or form. It’s always there. A never ending cycle, much like the sponsored post I wrote about the growing pile of dirty dishes cluttering up my kitchen sink. But, in this case, I don’t mind doing the laundry. I love the warmth of freshly dried clothes. I love the smell of them as they come out of the dryer. I love the routine I have set up for myself in my little laundry room. I love the alone time I get, which is rare, and I do my best to sneak to the basement undetected in order to wash just one more load in peace.
My routine consists of laundry sorted into lights, darks and towels/linens. I’ll wash a load, dry it, then take it to the special, perfectly smooth table I use to fold laundry. It was an old kitchen table I had years ago, repurposed for the laundry room. From there I have a couple of baskets ready for the folded laundry and a clothes rack with hangers ready to hang up anything that goes in the closet instead of drawers. I also have a drying rack waiting for any garment that needs to be air dried. Once clothes are hung up or folded, it’s time to take care of them, then wait for the cycle to begin again.
I attribute a lot of my love for laundry largely on the space I have set up. I’m not carrying a basket upstairs to sit in front of the TV to fold on the couch. Instead I created an awesome space that flows the way I want it to. I can move freely and I have a designated space. That’s something I learned when I was doing the organizational challenge a couple of years ago. Creating a designated space for anything I want to do and enjoy is a motivational tool that mostly works for me. It does make things easier, that’s for sure!
On occasion the kids want to help out. I love my kids. I love teaching them everything about the world, including how to do the laundry. There are times, however, when I cringe when they gallop down the stairs with eager eyes asking to help me load the washer and dryer or push the buttons to start them. As strange as it may sound, this is my sanctuary. A place that many people do their best to avoid. If someone else volunteers to do the laundry, they’ll gladly accept without question. Me. It’s my me time. A short break from the every day realities to get lost in my routine. An assembly line of clothing that is never ending.
I’ve been told I should start my own laundry business to bring in a little more money. Nope. It’s not my thing. Yes I love doing our laundry and getting an escape, but once it becomes a responsibility outside of my own home that love will go away. I don’t want to have expectations of quality, using special soaps, starching? Do people even starch things anymore? Would I be required to iron? How much would I charge? What if I didn’t feel like doing laundry one day and wanted to skip it for a few days to recharge or heal if I wasn’t feeling good.
The hate I have for laundry is the expectation of staying on top of it. You know how the mounds pile up sometimes. I already mentioned I wouldn’t want the burden of laundry expectation for being responsible for other’s laundry. I also don’t always like the burden of doing our laundry. My motivation in life waxes and wanes. I’m sure yours does too. As much as I love doing laundry, I don’t always have the motivation to do it. Sometimes if I convince myself to go down there and actually do the laundry, I’ll do more than I expected. Sometimes, no matter how much I want or need to get laundry done, there is still that dread. Typically this happens when I get overwhelmed.
Wait, what’s that? You didn’t realize a work from home, homeschooling, military spouse mom would get overwhelmed? Just kidding, I know your struggle with getting overwhelmed is probably similar to my own even if we have our own personal situations and battles. We all go through it every now and then. For me, when I get overwhelmed, I’m not thinking about how much I like doing laundry and when the next time I’ll be able to get down there to get it done. I’m thinking of all of the appointments, errands and deadlines I have coming up and the thought of sitting down and relaxing, or possibly even getting a good nights sleep is on my mind. Not doing my favorite chore around the house.
So, there you have it. It may not be the romance novel you were looking for, but it’s a truth for me. I bet if you think about it, it’s a truth for you. Just substitute something in your life other people don’t like so much that you love, even if that love sometimes becomes a struggle due to life happening all around you.
And now, I have a load of sheets in the wash I need to flip over to the dryer. At the moment, I’ll do it with a smile on my face.
What is your favorite household chore? Share what you have a love hate relationship with in the comments. Let’s all compare notes.
[…] paintings up in my laundry room. It’s my sanctuary since I’m the oddball who actually loves to do laundry. This will only brighten my space and transform my laundry room into the tropics […]