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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Ironing: lighthearted

202 replies

Ilovejonahsims · 29/04/2023 07:56

Does anyone else iron all their clothes? Not daft things like socks and knickers but everything else including bedding?

i don’t love doing it but I just can’t bear the look of unironed clothes (especially for DC)

is anyone else like this? am I mad?

OP posts:
Jellycatspyjamas · 30/04/2023 08:08

I’ve really annoyed some posters by suggesting I don’t have time to iron regularly during term time.

I think they’re a couple of things possibly. The first is the idea that teachers are busier than everyone else. I’m not saying that’s what you said, but some teachers have a bit of a habit of thinking no one carries a workload like theirs and that can be a bit of a dog whistle for others who also have very busy lives.

I also think there’s something about owning your choices, it’s ok to just no see ironing as an essential task - many folk on this thread have said they just don’t see the point. There’s nothing more or less virtuous about doing/not doing ironing, it’s a personal preference, so own your choices.

Lastly, I wouldn’t be too worried about what anonymous people on an online forum think of the way I run my life, I save that concern for people who know my whole story. Instead of wondering why folk seem to have taken the hump at what you said, consider why it bothers you so much and let it go. You’ll drive yourself to distraction otherwise.

Panickingsomewhat · 30/04/2023 08:13

Is it that surprising that people have different priorities? If I cleaned my bathroom and kitchen or hoovered as often as lots of people on here do I wouldn't have time for ironing. I just chose to prioritise ironing because I prefer it.

I guess it’s also surprising to me, for example, how often some people ‘deep clean’ their kitchen cupboards, for example. They must have even more time on their hands! To me, cleaning the bathroom is a necessary weekly activity- otherwise it’s grim, so I’m clearly going to prioritise that over ironing because, while un-ironed clothes might be less than ideal, they’re not actually disgusting! But all this excess deep cleaning and dusting behind the fridge also fall into the ‘would be nice if I had time’ category, just like most ironing.

So yes, it is about priorities and I guess sometimes other people’s priorities do surprise us. But I am going to venture to say that I suspect most of the ironers have already made sure their bathrooms are clean and there’s food in the fridge etc - (because I’d be very surprised if they were happily setting aside ironing time while their family starved and sat around in squalor) so they perhaps [takes cover] have more time to play with than some other people.

Jellycatspyjamas · 30/04/2023 08:20

But I am going to venture to say that I suspect most of the ironers have already made sure their bathrooms are clean and there’s food in the fridge etc - (because I’d be very surprised if they were happily setting aside ironing time while their family starved and sat around in squalor) so they perhaps [takes cover] have more time to play with than some other people.

Or they have smaller houses, fewer people to clean, cook (and iron) for, partners and older children who do certain tasks, they may employ a cleaner, have fewer extra curricular activities to ferry kids to, family help which frees up time, lower standards generally. There’s a million reasons why someone might make time for one task over another and a million reasons why they have that time available that have little to do with working hours.

yoga4meinthemorning · 30/04/2023 08:20

I havent ironed since the 90s.

The sun still rises.

Maireas · 30/04/2023 08:21

@Panickingsomewhat - I'm genuinely interested - what do you and your husband wear to work?

Maireas · 30/04/2023 08:23

Anyway, there's a lot of people wfh nowadays and from what I understand from threads on here, they wear leggings or joggers or even jammies!
There was one woman who wfh from her bed! Jealous.....

Maireas · 30/04/2023 08:24

yoga4meinthemorning · 30/04/2023 08:20

I havent ironed since the 90s.

The sun still rises.

I iron every day.
The sun still rises.

Maireas · 30/04/2023 08:26

No, we don't have more time than anyone else, @Panickingsomewhat . It's just that we're making different choices with the time that we have.

Panickingsomewhat · 30/04/2023 08:29

There’s a million reasons why someone might make time for one task over another and a million reasons why they have that time available that have little to do with working hours.

Well, exactly. I only gave two details about my life (‘teacher’ and ‘kids who do a lot of sport/activities’) to give a little context - I never claimed that my job was the sole reason I couldn’t iron! MN hates teachers though, so that is the only detail people seized on.

My time restraints are also to do with not being able to afford a cleaner, for example.

When I asked (in my original post) where people found the time, no one was particularly forthcoming with ‘oh, I work part-time’ or ‘I have a cleaner/nanny/retired husband’ - it was instant “We’re all just as busy as you so shut up with your teacher nonsense” (or words to that effect).

So I’d say I’m not the one being defensive in this scenario! Some people won’t ‘own’ that they have more available time than others.

Plus, there is a tiresome sanctimonious tone in some pp - the school of “I Can Tell You Don’t Iron Even Though You Think I Can’t’. Now that’s a wind-up for those of us who are time-poor!

Panickingsomewhat · 30/04/2023 08:30

Maireas · 30/04/2023 08:26

No, we don't have more time than anyone else, @Panickingsomewhat . It's just that we're making different choices with the time that we have.

With respect, how could you possibly know how much available time others on this thread have?

MaryJean87 · 30/04/2023 08:31

I iron anything which gets creased, which is mainly the kid's clothes, their school uniform and my husband's work uniform. I don't bother with bed sheets and elasticated type tops and jeans that hold their shape.

Bayleaf25 · 30/04/2023 08:32

I iron everything (not underwear), I’m not even a particularly good ‘housewife’ (lighthearted) but somehow my Mum and Nan did a great job of brainwashing me on the ironing front 🤣.

Maireas · 30/04/2023 08:32

I'm still interested in what you wear to work, @Panickingsomewhat ! I think it's just been said that people make different choices, don't they? It's not a criticism one way or another, just what you choose. I'd rather have my teeth drilled than go to a gym, but some people love it.
To paraphrase a pp, it doesn't impact the solar system either way.

Panickingsomewhat · 30/04/2023 08:35

Maireas · 30/04/2023 08:21

@Panickingsomewhat - I'm genuinely interested - what do you and your husband wear to work?

Don’t think I’ve mentioned a husband…

My partner and I are both female. Suits for work are dry clean only, so no ironing there. Tops are generally the stretchy kind that can be easily tumble dried.

Kids’ school shirts are the non-iron tumble-dry ones. Sure they’d look better ironed but… 🤷‍♀️

Maireas · 30/04/2023 08:35

Panickingsomewhat · 30/04/2023 08:30

With respect, how could you possibly know how much available time others on this thread have?

Show quote history

Oh dear me. I do not know how much time you or anybody else has. I'm a teacher as well and this morning have to mark yr10 essays, among other things. My point is this. Everyone is busy in their own way. It's really not a judgement whether you iron or not! It's a choice! Your choice is not to. It's all fine, really.

Maireas · 30/04/2023 08:37

Also, @Panickingsomewhat , I am sorry that I assumed you had a husband. My bad, as the kids say 😊

Panickingsomewhat · 30/04/2023 08:38

Maireas · 30/04/2023 08:35

Oh dear me. I do not know how much time you or anybody else has. I'm a teacher as well and this morning have to mark yr10 essays, among other things. My point is this. Everyone is busy in their own way. It's really not a judgement whether you iron or not! It's a choice! Your choice is not to. It's all fine, really.

Show quote history

Can’t really argue with any of this - but it does contradict what you claimed previously!

We are all busy in our own way, of course - but are you really suggesting that we’re all exactly equally busy? Really?

Maireas · 30/04/2023 08:41

Oh lordy, @Panickingsomewhat . No. You're definitely busier than me.
Anyway, I'm going to do some marking now and then... probably ironing! NB I also waste time on the internet and rubbish tv, so.....

Panickingsomewhat · 30/04/2023 08:55

Yes, I should probably get on with something now… otherwise I’ll waste the bank holiday bonus time.

Not having a go at anyone - I just don’t like nonsense! It’s patently untrue that we’re all equally busy. You might be much busier than me if you have to care for an elderly relative, say. Some people are less busy. It’s just a fact.

Jellycatspyjamas · 30/04/2023 08:58

MN hates teachers though, so that is the only detail people seized on.

No, MN tends to dislike teachers who go on about how heavy their workload is, as if no one else has a busy job. It’s not a competition, it’s a discussion about ironing habits which I find quite interesting as away to pass the time.

Of course everyone isn’t exactly the same amount of busy, even in the same professions. And folk who do have a spare hour might choose to have a cup of tea and smell the flowers rather do ironing. It’s all good.

Panickingsomewhat · 30/04/2023 09:02

No, MN tends to dislike teachers who go on about how heavy their workload is, as if no one else has a busy job.

Not sure I did that? Just mentioned as an aside that that’s the type of job we have. It’s a very inflexible job - that’s just the way it is. Still interesting that literally no-one picked up on the other detail I mentioned about my life.

Anyway, must get on…

Fansandblankets · 30/04/2023 09:02

I iron about 50% of our clothes. A lot of stuff comes out of the dryer fine. With bedding I always buy a higher thread count and duvet covers fit over the bannister to dry or on the line if it’s dry and don’t need ironing. I do do pillowcases though. I bought my daughter a cotton duvet set once that had about a million creases after washing, drove me mad .

I used to iron absolutely everything even t towels but can’t be arsed with that anymore.

HappiestSleeping · 30/04/2023 09:03

Chasingsquirrels · 29/04/2023 07:57

I used to iron all clothes.
I now iron nothing.

This 👆 (apart from work shirts.)

Enko · 30/04/2023 09:48

Panickingsomewhat · 30/04/2023 08:55

Yes, I should probably get on with something now… otherwise I’ll waste the bank holiday bonus time.

Not having a go at anyone - I just don’t like nonsense! It’s patently untrue that we’re all equally busy. You might be much busier than me if you have to care for an elderly relative, say. Some people are less busy. It’s just a fact.

The other side of that equally you are unlikely to be the busiest person in the world.

It simply is about what you prioritise. To you ironing is not high enough to prioritise to others is it. Some of those people will be busier than you. Others won't be.

It still comes down to priorities.

CallieQ · 30/04/2023 10:00

Fandabedodgy · 30/04/2023 01:32

I iron everything including socks and knickers.

Waste of time!