Okay, the AIBU thread got me ironing, and now I have questions for you Iron Everything types

[tortoiseonthehalfshell]

It was a glorious day in the Tortoise household yesterday; intrigued by the long AIBU thread about ironing kids' clothes, I decided to try it on for size. So I dragged out the iron and a basket of clothes, wrestled the remote control from my husband, and spent an hour watching Stephen Fry and ironing.

By bedtime, I had a nice little pile of clothes. Three work shirts for me, two t-shirts for my husband and 5 tops, 2 pairs of pants and a summer dress for my (14 mo)daughter. Oh, they did look all nice and neat, in their little pile.

But the thing is...it was an awfully little pile. I didn't do any bottom halves for the adults in the house. I certainly didn't do any of the invisible clothes (underwear, socks, etc). And my work shirts were all satin or polyester blends, so not difficult to iron at all.

I reckon that to iron three days' worth of outer clothes for three people would have taken two hours. If I'd added in things like sheets, teatowels, underclothes, etc., it'd have taken three. So that's an hour per day to keep up with the ironing.

I don't have an hour a day!

So here are my questions:

Am I just a really shit ironer? How long does it take you to iron a basket of clothes? If you're an Iron Everything person, how much time per day does it take? Are there good ways to make it go faster?

Because, I did so enjoy seeing my little one in an ironed frock for a change this morning.

Clary 6 of us- 3 messy young kids (two not dry at night) plus one leaky (from everywhere it seems) baby. It soon adds up when you have swimming towels, bedding plus accidents etc etc
I try to get them to wear stuff more than once but I have freerange grubs

should say 3 loads a day and as they get older it is less each time. Though dh seems to be adding more to the pile with gym stuff and in summer sailing stuff too

By tortoiseonthehalfshell Tue 09-Feb-10 23:51:50
NonVinagriette, no, it would be 3 shirts for me, 3 shirts for him, probably 5 (t-)shirts for our daughter, plus about 6 pairs of pants of varying sizes. Your calcs are assuming everyone's wearing their clothes for 3 days running.

Arf! No, it was late and I couldn't add up

i iron ds2 and my clothes for school at night dh irons whatever hes wearing in the morning ds1(18) never irons and still manages to look good standing for hours is just unnecessary

Am getting new iron actually as old one is leaking water (not good I feel) so that may speed me up! How exciting (how sad I am).

Will report back.

For various reasons I didn't have a washing machine for about 2mths a couple of years ago (we were trying to sell our house and it broke and you couldn't get it out without destroying a cupboard...) - I was AMAZED at how much less washing I did when I was having to take it round to friend's houses or the laundrette.

Basically if one of the kids spilt something, I actually just wiped it clean there and then, rather than thinking 'I'll just stick it in the wash'. Obviously you can't wipe everything all the time, but with young kids in particular, it saved on masses of washing. And I wore stuff until it was dirty, rather than changing outfits whenever I fancied it.

But obviously as soon as we moved and got a new machine, I was back to washing everything - because, lazy as I am, sometimes it feels easier to throw it in the basket than clean it up there and then....

Right ladies just reviving this to say I have got new iron this one mmmm and it is fabby. Quicker too I suspect.

Am timing ironing and since Tues have done one and a half hours. So will post total on Monday night = a week's worth.

(btw I iron everything except: pants and socks, towels, nylony things (eg footie kit!), jeans (tho do do the DCs') and fitted sheets - decided a while ago it was too hard and anyway barely needed when they are stretched over the bed. Not saying all thsi to boast, just to give OP some ballparlk )

tip : just iron the front.

a good steam iron will get most the back done anyway.

only exception is business shirts and smart trousers.

I iron as I go so on a typical school morning I iron 2 pairs of kids trousers, 2 kids shirts, 2 jumpers and a dress for me and it takes about 5 - 7 mins.

I am a crap ironer though and literally run the iron over them.

Sorry couldn't post last night; but I finished the week's ironing (ie I have been keeping on top of it all week so now there is NONE).

I have spent a total of 3 hrs 50 mins. So less time than I thought but maybe that's because of my super new iron which does seem to be getting creases out more quickly!