Is there any hack/ advice for tackling washing/ironing piles

[pippplop]

Seriously though, I just don't have the hours in the day. I'm working 6 days a week, 2 days are 12 hr shifts. DH is also very busy. We have two small kids and the ironing is insane. I don't know how to keep it tidy and out of the way. Ideally I should iron every day to tackle the load but I'm just so tired and busy that its growing daily. I don't know if I could justify and ironing lady

If you have any tips or advice as to how to keep the ironing under some kind of control or to avoid binning the lot please keep me posted lol

The non ironers- I can spot the creases a mile off, it looks unkempt and really does make a difference.

Underwear and active wear don’t need ironing, bedding doesn’t either unless you are particular about that. No kids here but we iron as we need instead of doing a whole wash load at a time.

I've never used an iron in my life saves a lot of time and hassle!

My theory is that if anyone is old enough to care about ironed clothes or to need ironed clothes then they're also old enough to do it themselves.

The non ironers- I can spot the creases a mile off, it looks unkempt and really does make a difference.

I mean, I really don't care lol.

I'm a dog walker. Whether my clothes are ironed or not is totally irrelevant.

The non ironers- I can spot the creases a mile off, it looks unkempt and really does make a difference.

Makes a difference to what? It really doesn't matter if someone has creases in their clothes. Although how you'd know if they're from lack or ironing or just from wearing the clothes while going about their day to day activities is beyond me.

I don't own anything apart from underwear that doesn't need ironing, but I don't mind doing it too much. I iron in a tiny spare room and have the ironing board quite low so that I can sit down, and watch TV whilst I'm doing it, with a cup of tea and a couple of biscuits. I find it quite therapeutic to take an hour away from work to get through a big pile of ironing.

I rarely iron. I hang things on hangers on the airer to dry them and, if they are a bit creased once they've dried, I pop them in the tumble dryer on the refresh cycle and that generally takes the creases out.

Obviously I dry some things completely in the tumble dryer.

I don’t iron. Only DH work shirts get ironed. DCs’ school shirts are polycotton and don’t crease, thank god.

Yes maybe our cotton t shirts would look a bit smarter if I ironed them but a) after I’ve worn them for 20 minutes the creases disappear and b) jeez, life’s too short.

How small are the kids?
If older than about 3, they can help put their own clothes away.
Yes, it will take time now, but honestly, in a couple of years, they can get a pile dumped on their bed, and it all just goes into the wardrobe/drawers.
See also: small children pairing socks - which is my despised job.

The only things that get ironed in this house are 5 school shirts per child, plus the occasional shirt for DH.

Also, have less clothes. Then there can never be massive piles to put away, because you need to dress from the clean washing pile....

Used to iron loads. Back went, massive spinal surgeries, stopped ironing 95%. Poly bedding not ironed, fold everything and put away once dry, smooth, as you fold. Only iron the odd smart thing, won’t buy linen. 30 years passed all well saved so much time .

If you must iron, set the ironing board up upstairs and hang/fold each item as you do it. Have 3 boxes, one for each kid and one for you & DH and put the clothes in the assigned box as you go along. Only iron once a week; Sunday night after the kids are in bed is a good time.

When you’ve finished, put the stuff on hangers away straight away, and dump the box of folded in the appropriate bedroom. If you get round to putting it away, great but if not, the house isn’t piled high with clean washing.

As others have said, do less washing. Much less. Very few things apart from socks and underwear can only be worn once. If the kids have enough school uniforms to last the week, you really shouldn’t need to wash that often. Even with 4 adults in the house, I can get all my laundry done on a Saturday. I’d far rather do 4 loads in one day than wash 4 times a week.

I've ironed once in 5 years...linen dress....take from dryer and hang up...hand trousers from bottom.
If you need them quick hang on the radiator. Creases drop with wear unless you don't hang straight away

do less washing. Much less. Very few things apart from socks and underwear can only be worn once

Agree in theory but to be fair this depends on the age of the DC - baby and toddler age everything definitely needed washing after one wear, probably up to about age 6 in fact (I have messy kids). Also number of loads per week depends on machine size.

Fair point. I’ve always had a 10kg washer to save time.

What the chuff are you ironing? We're a family of five, one school age DC, two toddlers, two working parents and I've only just unearthed our iron from storage after we moved house in January. I'd just drop it.

And yes, we re-use (clean) clothes where we can.

I will never understand how people don’t iron - our clothes are creased! And I don’t mean one line where it’s been hung to dry, I mean hundreds of tiny creases inside the fabric, I could never get away with not ironing most things we own!

I don't even own an iron or ironing board. We used to, maybe 3-4 years ago, but it really only came out before job interviews or weddings. I buy clothes that don't need ironing.

Otherwise, I sort washing into plastic bins for everyone and then they can take those up to their room and they live fishing the clothes out of the bins until they are gone. Don't even bother hanging things up or putting it away anymore. Life is too short.

I don’t get the non iron brigade either . They can’t wear anything natural or formal. DH has 5 cotton shirts a week. He would look like scruff if he didn’t iron them, no matter if I line dry, shake or whatever. I have a few day dresses that are viscose or similar that I wear for work and are machine washable, they need ironing!

It’s just depends on how your life is. I am WFH with a jumper on, you COULD press wool and cashmere jumpers but it would barely make any difference.

Also, turning your duvet over the end of the bed in the morning to ‘air’ your sheets is a good way of keeping them fresh, very old school but then in times gone by it was extremely difficult and tiring to do washing so people did whatever they could to keep things fresher for longer!

Im saving up to replace my ancient tumble dryer with a fancy one with a steam setting. Sounds life changing!

For something that just needs bad wrinkles taken out but doesn’t need a mega iron, throwing in the tumble dryer with a damp flannel for 10 mins takes most of the worst out.

43 I recommend work dresses made from Ponte jersey, smart and no ironing required!

Tailored suits and trousers get dry cleaned

I've don't think I've ever seen a single person with clothes full of creases. Ever. Your body heat means they drop out after a few minutes and even if they don't, why does it matter if your top is creased?

I genuinely don't understand why people care 🙈

@minipie yes I have a couple but can’t only wear those.

The non ironers- I can spot the creases a mile off, it looks unkempt and really does make a difference.

I am a non ironed but you won't see me or my DC wearing creased clothes. The creases come out in the dryer. DH does iron his jeans and shirts, but for me I don't buy anything that is likely to need ironed.

Not ironing doesn't mean unkempt

@margotrose because it looks better ironed.

A crumpled collar is not a good look. I like clothes, cotton , linen etc. I want to look good and will iron if needs be. For sweatshirts etc o dry flat and fold but I’m not going out in a crumpled white shirt.