Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Flip

1 2 3 4

Original poster

to not iron?

94 replies

PutTheKettleOn · 26/10/2010 17:42

I was just over at my neighbour's house who I don't know that well but we both have DC very similar ages (2.5 and 4 months). Her baby was sick on a top so she whipped it off and grabbed a top from a pile of clean washing in the kitchen, saying 'sorry, it's not ironed but I can't be bothered to go upstairs, I wouldn't normally put her in something not ironed...' and actually made a bit of a thing about it! I commented, 'don't worry, all my kids clothes look like that, I never iron!' and she said 'oh no, I wouldn't take her out of the house like this, I'd be ashamed'

Surely most people don't iron kids' clothes, right?! They are so small and only worn for 2 secs! I actually don't iron anything, DH does his own work shirts about once a week and if I have anything of mine that needs ironing (v rarely) I might ask him to do it but that's about it, kids' stuff never gets ironed.

AIBU?

OP posts:

ladymarian · 26/10/2010 19:11

YANBU

I haven't ironed since before DD was born and she is nearly 3

My DH doesn't wear shirts to work so that helps but really life is too short to spend hours ironing!

When I do a wash I take it out as soon as it is finished, hang it out/up carefully and put it away as soon as it is dry - job done!

OooeeeoooeeeoooeeEthel · 26/10/2010 19:14

Oh dear i see i am in the minority...

Firawla · 26/10/2010 19:17

i always iron my dc clothes, sometimes i will make an exception for pj or sleep suits if i am feeling lazy and they are not too bad (if they need it and i dont have a huge pile would definitely do it though)
its not that much work just to iron?
i do mine in the early morning or late @ night. have trained 2 yr old to know iron is hot and dont come near when i am doing it and 10 months is still not properly crawling so he cant really come too close either if i sit him further away, so not too much of an issue?
i did put an unironed top on ds1 today as he came in from garden and was dirty, but did not want to disturb ds2 sleeping going to get a new one from drawer in bedroom so took from unironed pile downstairs, and i did feel a bit bad but i thought oh well not going out today anyway as we are all a bit ill, otherwise would not have done so and wouldnt have took him out like that
so pretty much i am exactly the same as the neighbour in ur op and i dont think anything weird about what she is doing?

NonBlondGirl · 26/10/2010 19:18

I had comments about not always ironing DD1 uniform at a particularly difficult time for us - DH very ill and me coping with no support and three young DC.

There I was keeping up with everything else - but not the ironing. Had not realised we were being so judged - now iron most things that are seen.

Can not shake the feeling that I let DD1 down even though she would not have known or cared and probably still does not notice.

NonBlondGirl · 26/10/2010 19:19

When I do a wash I take it out as soon as it is finished, hang it out/up carefully and put it away as soon as it is dry - job done!

I thought that - but no it was noticed.

OhCobblers · 26/10/2010 19:20

i despise ironing.
my cleaner irons DH's shirts.
i iron my stuff that NEEDS it only.
i iron my DC stuff that NEEDS it only.
i do love crisp, ironed bedding but that takes sooooo long that i've given up.

oh and i'm a SAHM too but have always thought that life is too short for such mind numbingly dull work, frankly i'd rather clean the loo

AnnieLoBOOseder · 26/10/2010 19:24

YADNBU. Our iron is rusting somewhere in our shed. If you fold clothes neatly straight off the line/out of the tumble drier, they're lovely and non-wrinkly. It's chucking them in the basket unfolded that makes the wrinkles, and then you just have to iron them out. Totally pointless!

I have many, many other better things to do with my time!

AnnieLoBOOseder · 26/10/2010 19:29

NonBlondGirl - do you mind if I ask why it bothers you so much what people think?

People probably think we sometimes look a bit scruffy, but I don't think I could care less if I tried!

Personally, I judge people who put too much stock in appearances and not enough stock in what's really important.

Life's too short!

NonBlondGirl · 26/10/2010 19:40

NonBlondGirl - do you mind if I ask why it bothers you so much what people think?

Usually I am not but I do not want to make life harder for DC by having people - other parents- make assumptions/judgments. They are a very hard lot to get to know round here and the DC are shy like their parents so already have hurdles to over come.

Probably also because the comments came at a particularly bad time for us with me feeling emotionally vulnerable and were from some of the friendliest people here.

AnnieLoBOOseder · 26/10/2010 19:45

OK, fair enough if you already feel vulnerable. And I know how it can feel to struggle making friends. But really, do you want people as friends who would judge you for not having a crisp press-line down your DC's trousers?

I'm sure you're amazing, believe in yourself a little more!

Effjay · 26/10/2010 19:49

I iron and am proud of it

pinkyp · 26/10/2010 19:57

YANBU!! The only thing i iron is school uniform as my ds has started going to nursery since sept, occasionally i iron my own stuff if its creased alot. I think if you have a dryer then alot of stuff isnt too bad!

NonBlondGirl · 26/10/2010 19:59

But really, do you want people as friends who would judge you for not having a crisp press-line down your DC's trousers?

I not that fussed - but do not want DC 'left out'.

It is one of those places where people are all related and have know each other since birth. If ironing clothes makes the DC more socially acceptable then so be it.

I know it is daft, petty and slightly bonkers - but there you are that is nowt as queer as folk.

NonBlondGirl · 26/10/2010 20:00

there not that - pressed to soon.

woopsidaisy · 26/10/2010 20:02

I iron everything except underwear-I do vests -and towels.All my siblings do too.My mum is a stickler for ironed clothes. I would be embarrassed to send DSs to school in non-ironed clothes. However,I'm sure alot of the boys are in non-ironed stuff,and they all look the same.I certainly wouldn't judge someone for not ironing! I'd be jealous and wish I wasn't so anal!

lady007pink · 26/10/2010 20:03

YANBU

I only iron my work clothes, nothing else. Thankfully my husband works in a concrete plant so only wears raggedy clothes - otherwise he'd have to iron his shirts

PinkIceQueen · 26/10/2010 20:10

YADNBU I hate ironing, always have. Complete waste of time and energy :)

Irishchic · 26/10/2010 20:10

I thought mothers who ironed their childrens underwear were an urban myth...

Rosettaroo · 26/10/2010 20:13

I am trying to think of the last time I ironed something and I can't remember.I shake stuff out and hang up straight away. My Mum used to iron everything, including underwear.

pointythings · 26/10/2010 20:22

I haven't ironed anything for over 10 years. If DD starts complaining about her clothes when she is at secondary, I will show her where the iron is and how to use it, and then I will go back to enjoying my life. I did the whole peer pressure thing once in my life with potty training and have learned my lesson - there really are times when I know what's best for me.

MrsKarpet · 26/10/2010 20:33

I take things off the line/out of the drier, put them in the basket then leave them for about a week. What's all this folding malarkey? Sounds like ironing by stealth to me.....

pumpkinretention · 26/10/2010 20:53

An iron is what you stick hama beads together with...

Isn't it?

Have I been missing something all these years? [hshock]

Meglet · 26/10/2010 21:01

yanbu.

I only recently started ironing after 4 years getting away with it. I have 3 work shirts that need a quick iron and thats it.

I would need to be heavily drugged to start ironing kids clothes. Will probably have to do a bit more once the dc's start school though.

Crazycatlady · 26/10/2010 21:01

Oh ha ha, we're doing ironing again are we? .

Well then, YANBU to think your friend was being weird because she was, but YABU to never iron. Some things just need it IMO.

Ninks · 26/10/2010 21:03

I don't iron much these days but I didn't at all when I was young.

Years ago when I was on holiday in Spain with a mate in a rental house I was a bit peturbed about the state of my white shift dress. I genuinely didn't know what was wrong with it only that it didn't look right.

Mate said, "you know Ninks - there is an iron. For the ironing of the clothes"

Flip

1 2 3 4