Help me give up ironing please!!

[Piratepete1]

I waste so many hours each week ironing and rarely get to bed before midnight trying to catch up with house jobs. I have 2 children under 5, 1 of which has a severe speech disorder and needs focused speech work every day and well as ferrying to hospital and speech appointments. Add that to sports clubs and looking after an ailing grandfather and I am exhausted.

Now DH has suddenly been made redundant so I am going to have to find part time work. I cannot imagine fitting anything else in so something will have to go and I hope it can be the ironing.

I've heard tips like hanging to dry on hangers, not over filling the machine, not tumble drying etc.

Has anyone got any advice to stop us all looking crumpled?

Hang it up straight out the machine.
If you tumble dry, use the fabric softener that cuts down ironing as it really does work.
If you do have to iron, only do the bits you can see.
Never do pants, t-towels, sheets and the like.

See if you cant barter your ironing if you cant pay. There are strange people who dont mind doing it.

I tumble dry for about 5 mins then hang it up.

Surely your dh can do it though now he isn't working and you will be.

Just stop doing it. I haven't ironed anything for seven years (except from special occasions), and it's wonderful. Kids clothes are crumpled within ten seconds of them being on anyway.

Sorry about your DH's job - I hope things aren't too stressful.

I don't iron sheets, tea-towels, underwear, pyjamas - as soon as they come out of tumbler, while it's warm, I smooth them, school shirts I just flick them out and hang them on hangers

I can't remember the last time I ironed, husband does his own, daughter does her own, middle son does his and younger son's, older son doesn't bother (he's at uni)

hang up straight out of the machine- yank every thing straight, put as much as possible on the appropriate type of hanger (shirts or trouser/skirt hangers)
I find tumble drying for just a few minutes once the things are dry gets rid of the last few wrinkles but you HAVE to get stuff out while still warm and put on hanger straight away- I admit I rarely do this for many things in one go, usualy as and when something is needed
children's clothes rarely need ironing IMO
also remember the wise words of a friend's DM-
'the heat of your body will get those creases out'
I think you are very wise to give up ironing- your life sounds like hard work and only a mad woman would burden herself with unnecessary tasks

Fold t-shirts with the ninja fold and file them vertically in drawers. People only look at the chest area anyway!

No ironing of underwear, household linen or jumpers. Dresses on hangers and tug into shape. Intelligent hanging of sheets and tablecloths so they pull themselves straight as they dry.

I only iron shirts ( M&S non-iron can get away without but look better with a quick iron) and work outfits.

Just don't iron there is no need with modern fabrics.

You are taking on too much there.

I must say that I rarely iron anyway, just fold things and put away straight from the washing line or tumble dryer. They always seem pretty good to me. If DH does need any more shirts doing, or the creases have dropped out of his trousers then sometimes I do that, or sometimes he does.

Things like towels, bedclothes, socks and underwear are never ironed in this house.

Your DH will presumably be looking for work, but should still be able to find some time here and there to ensure he has a couple of shirts ready.

With my DDs' school uniform, I always found it washed and dried really well without needing ironed.

Call in as much help from the wider family as you can re your grandfather. It shouldn't all fall to you.

Good luck to you. Life can throw such shit at us sometimes. Hopefully the only way is up.

Thank you all. I have just washed my 1st batch and hung straight up. They look creased. Will they drop out as they dry?

Just stop ironing. I haven't ironed in over 5 years and have 3 kids. I dnot have a tumble dryer. I just take clothes off the line and every one has a basket. They don't even make it into the wardrobes. Don't judge me - life for me is too short for this. For work I do tend to buy tops that don't need ironing that's my top tip. An odd time special occasion the iron gets dragged out but otherwise it's gathering dust. Have never noticed any difference except more free time.

Get out of the machine as soon as it's finished and hang it up. I don't iron haven't got my ironing board out for about three years now.

We almost never iron! DH irons some of his work shirts but not all. The only time we need to iron is when our teenagers hang stuff out and just put it on the line any old how.

The secret seems to be to shake/smooth the clothes when you put them on the line/hangers.

Also, some fabrics will always need ironing whereas others won't - think about minimising ironing when you are shopping.

It can be done!

I barely iron anything. all laundry is done at the laundrette and tumbled dry. socks, towels, underwear, sheets etc get thrown into a bag to put away at home, t-shirts and other clothes get folded straight from the machine. nothing usually needs ironed apart from the odd crinkle-prone item or things that have fold creases, so I either iron when needed (like a couple of times a year!) or borrow a hand held steamer in work

I dry either on the line or clothes horse then tumblr for 5 mins. Hang or fold when still warm.

Are you a SAHM OP or do you have to cram work in as well?

Just wondering why you have to stay up until midnight! To put it into perspective, I consider myself to be busy as I work, I have 4 DCs and a dog and a disabled brother that I care for - and I never have to stay up that late to catch up. I probably spend 4 hours a week ironing. Any more than that and I'd go insane.

I'm just wondering if there is anything else you can change? It sounds like you have a lot on...

Side note but I'm tempted to buy cleaning robots - they look amazing, you can buy ones that Hoover and mop the floor! Every little helps.

I also try and tumble dry clothes - around half of the load then doesn't need ironing.

Maybe you could try a cleaner or ironing service too?

Turn the spin speed right down for clothes that might come out creased eg tops, shirts, trousers, etc. These items don't need to be spun into oblivion the only things I put on the top speed spin are towels and sheets or things that don't matter eg pyjamas.
Agree with all other advice. I haven't ironed a thing in aeons!

I just don't do it. I haven't ironed anything for years.

Some things do look a bit crumpled but i just don't worry about it.

I only iron as and when needed so only one or two garments at a time. I only iron when I wear a blouse or shirt which is once i n a blue moon and occasionally ds's school polo shirt.

Today I put a duvet cover on the bed that had got crumpled in the cupboard. It has pleated bits that look odd when creased wrongly. I thought I'd need to iron it but had an idea for a fantastic life hack that really worked. I flicked it with just enough water to cause humidity and put it in the dryer for 5 mins. Sorted and smug!

I never iron anything (I would for special occasion/funeral if item needed it). Life is too short for ironing!
I wash then hang to dry - alway shake out item and reshape before hanging e.g. hold tshirts at shoulder seams and pull the bottom/sleeve to pull any creases out. Then (try) to hang in wadrobe/fold away as soon as dry (doesn't always happen and things get a bit creased when in a pile waiting to be put away- still don't iron!)
To be fair a lot of my clothes are jersey fabric and really don't need ironing and pretty much everything barr jeans and jumpers are hung in wardrobe rather than folded in drawers.

If you must do some ironing, as I think somethings do need ironing ie : work shirts & pants, just do it very very quickly. Don't spend ages getting it right, just do the absolute bare minimum ironing.

Tumble dry for 10 mins then shake and hang on hangers. DH irons his shirts but could get away without it most of the time. I iron name labels onto school clothes and the occasional pair of linen trousers, average 1 minute per week.

I virtually never iron. The warmth of your body tends to sort any residual creases.

But, OP, if you get a part time job and your DH doesn't, surely he can take on a lot of what you are doing now anyway?

Don't wash things any hotter than needed and ensure not overloaded
I hate ironing and probably iron 2-3 items of clothing per month
DS and DD do their own and have done so since age 11

Dryer, shake, fold, put away.
I don't own a washing line so always use the dryer. The only things I iron are DH's work shirts because he is office based.

I've found lenor dryer sheets to be the best for crease free clothing and makes the little I do iron a lot easier.