Some feelings come naturally, almost as if you stepped into this world holding on to those. Such is the case when it comes to my sentiments about laundry. Truth be told, I have hated doing it from the word go. It was during my hostel life that I first collided head-on with the need to engage in this activity and the dislike came almost spontaneously. Up until then laundry and I had been blissfully unaware of each other’s existence.
Mom, I miss having her around to take care of everything. It’s selfish I know. Before leaving home for university and later for chasing this elusive entity called career, I never really had to bother about anything, let alone doing laundry. Yes, I was blissfully unaware of the efforts involved in deciding which clothes need to be washed, dried or ironed for that matter. The answer to all my laundry woes, or any other despair for that matter, was my mom. She still is, just in a different city with not much in her control now.
It was only when I started living alone that I realized Mom couldn’t be present at all times to take care of my petty issues. That’s when I well and truly grew up. Yes, that’s when I purchased a washing machine to absolve myself of all laundry worries. But little did I know then that it only solved a part of the problem, just a teeny tiny part of it!
Did you know there is a very elaborate process involved in doing your own laundry? It goes something like this.
- Keep track of all the clothes that are getting dirty.
- Have a good detergent with you. Apparently, there are separate detergents for different types of clothes.
- Just because you have a washing machine you can’t dump all clothes in at once. If you do, your favorite white t-shirt could end up a very weird shade of red, with yellow streaks too at times.
- If you want to starch your cotton clothes it’s best to wash them separately and not with your woolens.
- It’s probably best not to wash your beach towels along with the other clothes in your machine unless you want sand in everything!
- Apparently, you can’t use the same setting for every kind of load.
- It’s probably not a good idea to wash all your expensive clothes with your pajamas. Yes, even if you have a washing machine!
- You need to hang the clothes to dry or place them in the dryer, the washing machine doesn’t do that for you automatically. You can only wish it did!
- It’s preferable you hang the clothes to dry on the same day that it has been washed.
- And no the washing machine doesn’t iron those washed & dried clothes.
So, you see how laundry is so much more than just a word to me. Every time when I start the washing machine, I’m haunted by the activities to follow; the hanging clothes to dry part and then taking them down to iron and fold. Most of the time I pretend to be busy doing something else to make S take care of that (Well, the cat is out of the bag now but I guess he knew that already). He readily does it too because he knows how lazy I am. God bless him, I say!
With my reluctance to laundry well established, imagine my delight, when this weekend I woke up to all my washing done and hanging in the clothes line to dry. It had to be S for he does that for me most of the time. But he was still napping, so who could it have been?
Mom, yes, who else? Turns out her vacation is actually mine. No wonder moms never have off days. The lazy me though has shamelessly been basking in all the attention and care. Oh the unabashed relief in not having to deal with the washing (even if through washing machine) and drying is inexplicable. In fact, for two more weeks I don’t have to worry about the mundane activities surrounding laundry anymore because, well, Mom’s here.
Tell me do you like doing laundry? Or, are you like me?
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I don't like doing laundry either. Growing up, we didn't have washing machine at home, so me and my sister had to help our mom in washing clothes, as she had back pain, at an early age of around 10. My dislike started from that moment onwards. I used to comment that we should abandon the practice of wearing clothes just to get out of the washing habit. 🙂 But well! 🙂
I hate laundry and even I hate to fold the clothes after they are dried…But, I have to do it because I am the women of the house. 🙁
I do hate laundry, especially the part about hanging clothes to dry and then folding them back. It is a very tedious process and exhausting as well. But weirdly since childhood I have always done my own laundry. Be it at mom's home with the washing machine or at my current place with the washing machine.
I know all the detergents, fabric softeners, fabric perfumes etc etc. I also wash all the whites at home by hand only. It is a sacred ritual to me 🙂
Okay, I just realized how weird I am :/
ahh the laundry troubles… I learnt it the hard way, when my white kurta became a rainbow when I mixed it with coloured clothes … so much for being wise and grown up 😛 Moms are the solution to everything… 🙂
I hate doing laundry.. and it's divided into so many steps.. few I like, few I loathe.. I don't mind folding.. but drying them out after the wash, taking them down and the ironing.. I loathe all of it..
How we wish to have our mothers by our side forever..
Enjoyed reading this one Naba..
Cheers
Very interesting topic indeed! I am on the other end of the continuum as you, Nabanita, as I love doing the laundry and actually find it very therapeutic to put out the clothes to dry 🙂 Most of all love the feeling of freshly starched clothes especially when they've been in the Sun all afternoon. The little pleasures of life 🙂
Not my favorite thing in the world, but I can manage the washing/drying/folding part. It is the ironing that I abhor (yes hate is too mild a word for it). As of now, I just outsource it to my hubby, using the exact same strategy. Too busy with something (anything) else to do it. 😛
I find the worst part of doing the laundry is putting the clothes away after they're washed, dried, folded and ironed. Strangely!
I love doing the washing! It's a job where you do x, y, z (sort, wash, hang on the airer, fold and put away) and you have brought order to chaos. Almost everything else I do is a lot less predictable : )
Buy a semi-automatic washing machine and see how the 'to-dos' in your laundry list increase manifolds. Then the list will have somewhere near step number 2 or 3 – run the clothes in the tub with appropriate detergent, once cycle is completed transfer that load to the drier, repeat the same steps with all the subsequent loads. Buy the time you finish laundry, you will turn insane.
I have done this blunder in my life and please Nabanita raise a flag through your blog post so that no one who hates doing laundry ends up with a semi-automatic washing machine.
I hate laundry. I always forget that I started the washing machine and then a load will sit overnight getting all mildewy. And, much like you, I cringe at all the other activities that come after the washing part is done. In our house, my DH ends up doing the bulk of the laundry. Id rather clean the bathroom!
I too hate doing laundry 🙁 🙁 especially folding and ironing ..
http://thetalesofatraveler.com/2015/08/08/day-trip-from-bangalore-to-kotilingeshwara-temple/
I am not a fan of laundry, BUT I love when it is clean and folded and put away, so I try to focus on that and just do it. But my mum has sometimes done our laundry as a treat and it is so nice to have it washed and folded.
Haha well that could have been a solution no? 🙂 Well, I was ( still am) very lazy with these chores, washing or cooking, I could never do these..Ofcourse, how long could I escape and they all caught up to me..Now, I enjoy everytime Mom's here 🙂
Ahh get everyone in the house to do it..My philisophy is if you can weat them, you can wash them too, even if you are men 🙂
Haha well what's a white kurta that hasn't been ruined by other colours eh? And yes moms are the solution to everything!
I can't help but agree with all the things about washing that you loathe 🙂 Glad you liked it!
Hehe well see we balance out things 🙂 and how wonderfully you have put it too !
Haha love it no? If you don't like doing it, just outsource it 😉
Oh because they are the worst parts actually! You would think your work is over when you load the washing machine but no there's a whole bunch of boring & tedious tasks to follow!
Wow I love how you put that..It surely is predictable, more than anything else we do!
Oh God that's a devil of a machine! Why would anyone make it semi automatic, that's plain sadistic! I see your woes Anamika and I feel it too!
Oh that happens a lot with me too! Sometimes I soak clothes & forget about them , the end result quite the opposite of what I wanted!
Cheers to the dislike I say 🙂
I love the clean & folded part too but not the process to get there 🙂
Great tips! But I hate doing laundry….and when Mom comes over, she instinctively takes over the laundry like it is the most natural thing to do!! Moms..I tell you!
I don't mind doing laundry with the washing machine. Of course, I take care of the color-fast and not color-fast garments. Now, it has become a habit.
hehe yes Moms I tell you! 😀
Ahh..I wonder when it will become a habit for me 🙂
I hate laundry and I do hate every other house hold chore. You name it and I will raise my hand. Like S, VT also helps in laundry. Like he puts them to wash, we lay them out on the stand together. I fold cos he does a bad job but then it's good to have help!
Gosh! why so these things exist?
I hate doing laundry, too! But can I be shameless here and tell you that after marriage my husband has taken up that chore? In the washing machine, I mean. In fact, I dont even know how those buttons work! And yes, whenever my mom is 'vacationing' with us, I return home to find everything gleaming!
Oh I'm still looking for that answer parul! Wonder why these exist 🙂
Haha nothing to term you shameless for that..if guys can wear clothes, It's perfectly alright that they be responsible for laundry too 🙂
I doubt if anybody would love doing laundry. I don't. But I do. And yes, Moms are the best blessings se have. Enjoy your time with Mom. 🙂
Thanks Rekha 🙂
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Hate the drying time it takes here in Bangalore.
No matter what I have to do the laundry of hubby n son who love to play outside (yes, its both of them). And I do feel its the most boring thing in the world…sometimes i feel mundane and when that feeling connotes, i do end up at my mom's place and she has (god bless them) MAIDS.
Strangely I love doing laundry. I find something therapeutic about washing clothes, hanging them out to dry and folding them in different piles. As for ironing – it is a great stress buster. Am I weird or what?
I have not liked laundry particularly but it's just one of those things that just have to do done, dont they 🙂 Thankfully I have a maid who does it for me now. Washing vessels too was in the same mold till recently. I started enjoying washing vessels after I read a book on Mindfulness ! I dont know if I will enjoy doing the laundry as well now 🙂
Can relate this to it very well. Nabanita.. even I am sick of drying and ironing part 🙁
Doing laundry doesn't thrill me either. 😛 I only iron things as needed and not all at once, because it's not enjoyable either. Alas, hubby doesn't do laundry, but he usually vacuums, because that's a chore I really hate!
Have a lovely visit with your Mom. ☺
Oh is it?
haha well Moms what would we do without them?
Not at all…I think there are many others who feel the same way as you 🙂 And it's good that it is an activity that relaxes you !
Ahh…well as long as you enjoy it, I think it works perfectly…Trouble begins when you don't enjoy doing it but still have to..:)
Looks like we are on the same boat eh?
hehe me too I don't do it all at once 🙂 And thanks Debbie, I'm hoping I do !