to think that all these people who say they 'don't iron' much be walking around looking crumpled and welll.....a bit scruffy?

[VinegarTits]

You must iron some things, like shirts and uniforms?

go on admit it

I think I might take that as my new name: downtrodden at smart occasions - fantastic!

At smart occasions I'm too busy trying to remember not to drop my aitches or scratch my privates to worry about the fact what I am wearing is not ironed.

At least if you were smartly dressed and un-crumpled you might get away with scratching your hairy balls, or else people might think your the hired help, do you get invited back?

Short of inspecting each other's clothes and linen we're never going to find the answer to this... but I'm with VinegarTits.

I know plenty will disagree here but to me ironing is essential in the same way that brushing your hair and filing your nails are i.e. you could survive without it and be perfectly healthy but you'd look a bit rough round the edges...

I don't get people who don't iron at all. I couldn't use my tumle drier alot, would worry about the environmental impact and elec bill to much, love my clothes horses, plus drape things over radiators in winter. Most of my casual stuff doesn't need ironing, neither does bedding, but I like skirts and blouses for work and bloke and son wear shirts and smart trousers, plus daughter's uniform skirts and blouses.
I often do whole wash loads where nothing needs ironing though as all sports stuff and casual trousers, fleeces, underwear etc.

What are these smart occasions at which one risks appearing downtrodden? I think they need defining. I regularly have to meet/socialise with international dignitaries and ironing has never pertained to the success or otherwise of these occasions.

i havent ironed for years and years and definitely not crumpled looking here, nor are my kids

Hopeforthebest no ironed clothes don't crumple when worn, not if they are ironed properly!

Exactly crazycatlady, i dont slave over the iron for hours, i give things a quick rub over when needed, i like this to be pressed, they dont need to be 'flat' just un-creased

I dont iron pjs, underwear, sheets, fleeces etc

but i do iron shirts, t-shirts, trousers etc and the nice expensive clothes i buy for special occasions, why would you pay for something nice and then not iron it, bizarre

i iron about 5 things every 2 weeks.

The rules:
Get the washing out the machine as soon as it finishes (and if you are going to be out, put it on rinse hold)

Give it a bloody good shake

Hang up shirts, smooth down all damp washing as you put it over the airer (bed lined goes over our landing rail which is long enough and is dry overnight.

I promise you ironing will be a thing of the past. I couldn't even FIND my iron the other day Honestly, my bed lined looks pristine and even my tea towels look ironed. My friends do not believe I don't iron.

And i never look crumpled.

i never iron anything - i do look scruffy but ironing probably wouldn't help

But twofalls I do all of the things you list in your rules and this is precisely the reason (as well as the uber iron) why ironing takes so little time and just makes everything look and feel that bit better.

This is meant in the nicest most lighthearted way BTW but just what are your bedsheets and shirts made of that means they are pristine without ironing? I find it so hard to believe! I want to see them!!

No starch, no hopeforthebest, just a good amount of steam.

The fact is, if you're a human being and not a plank of wood, once you've got your clothes on they always crumple, whether ironed or not. Unless you wear shirts and blouses, ironing is such a waste of time and energy.

It's all in the folding. Whether it's out of the tumble drier (only got one this year and only used when washing absolutely can't go outside) or off the line, if you fold it immediately, before it goes in the basket, no creases.

Good lord life's too short to iron!

And no, I don't look at all rumpled.

Unlike poncey people who wear linen, which always looks crumpled whether it's been ironed or not.

Annie, why is wearing linen poncey? Or is it only the poncey linen-wearers that you're referring to?

That said, I've not fitted into my lovely Hennes linen dress for many years so I guess I don't fit into either category!

Oh, and - definitely not crumpled here. No more than an anally-retentive obsessive ironing person, anyway.

i honestly don't know crazycatlady, I think its a washing gene I inherited from my mum (she doesn't iron either). My bed linen honestly looks lovely.

you are more than welcome to come round and inspect. i have no secrets

I have M&S cotton shirts for work - and can honestly say they dont have a single crease when they come out the tumbler. maybe they are anitcrease ones?!

I wear a lot of primark stuff which just doesnt seem to need ironing - and I have some lovely smart dresses from Next for work that dont seem to crease either?

and to me, 3 loads of washing a week (at about 40p a load tumbling) is well worth it to get them dry and crease free in less than 30 minutes. with a 30 minute quick wash I can have my washing done and dried to put away in an hour.

MrsMerry I agree you can't dodge the odd line or two at the back of your knee or crook of your elbow, but crumples are a different matter.

T-shirts, thin knits, skirts, jeans etc always are a dead give away when not ironed. Work shirts, linen trousers etc absolutely must be ironed or look terrible. The rest, well, probably not so noticeable.

Once ironed, clothes always remain looking better than non-ironed clothes!

oh and to me the art of a good looking bed is a silky throw and cushions - covers up the whole bed anyway

Yes a throw can hide a multitude of sins but then you still have to deal with the feeling of a crumpled bed, and the edges of Oxford pillow cases look like elephants ears when they're not ironed. Well mine do anyway

Well not one person has said YABU

Lots of claims to not iron, but i think you all iron in secret and dont let on because you think ironing is a faux par on MN

I cant be arsed with all the folding and stretching and laying things neatly, i bung in the drier, shove in the wardrobe and give a quick rub over with the iron before i wear, much easier than trying to get things crease free when drying

VinegarTits YABU