Ironing Can Be Fun - Eight Ways to Make Ironing Faster, Easier and More Enjoyable
If you don’t enjoy ironing, you are not alone. According to a survey of adults living in the United States, ironing is the least favourite household chore overall with 28% of female respondents and 20% of all respondents agreeing that ironing is the task that they enjoy the least.
The poll, carried out by Opinium Research on behalf of the financial company, Bright Grey, also found that 25% of respondents avoided doing their ironing for at least one week. If your ironing is piling up too, try these ways of making ironing faster, easier and more enjoyable.
Don’t Iron Everything
Iron only the items that really need to be ironed. Don’t waste time ironing such things as towels, underwear, socks, dish cloths, dusters and sheets because it does not matter if they are creased. Many items of clothing also do not have to be ironed if they are hung on a clothesline to dry so that the creases fall out.
If you can reduce your ironing pile to just your work shirts and pants, for example, you will accomplish the task in a fraction of the time that it currently takes you.
Keep Up with the Ironing
Try to iron everything that needs to be ironed as quickly as possible after unloading your washing machine. This makes the task of ironing less daunting than if you avoid it and a huge pile of ironing mounts up. It is also easier to iron damp clothes than to iron dry ones.
Make Ironing Part of Your Weekly Routine
If you always do your ironing on the same day of the week at roughly the same time, you will be less likely to avoid the task of ironing. If you cannot face doing all of your ironing in one session, plan two or more shorter sessions during the week.
Set a Time Limit
If you set a time limit for each ironing session, you are likely to be more productive. You will not be tempted to iron things that really don’t need to be ironed and you will be motivated to get through the ironing in the shortest time possible.
If you have a large pile of ironing that you have been avoiding, setting a time limit for each ironing session is a good way of motivating yourself to reduce your ironing backlog.
Use Scented Ironing Water
Give your sense of smell a treat by using some scented ironing water in your iron. A variety of ironing water fragrance d with jasmine, sandalwood, lavender, green tea and many other scents is available from stores or online. Inhaling a pleasant fragrance will help make ironing a much more pleasurable task – and it will delicately fragrance your clothing, too.
Iron While Listening to Music or Watching Television
Let’s face it – ironing can be dull and boring, so put on some music or switch on the radio to lighten your mood and to give you something to focus on apart from the task in hand. If you prefer, you can position your ironing board in front of the television but don’t get so distracted by the television that you end up burning your clothes!
Give Yourself a Treat after Finishing the Ironing
Tell yourself that you will sit down with a nice cup of coffee and a magazine after you have finished your ironing session. The promise of a reward will motivate you to finish your task as quickly as possible.
Invite a Friend to an Ironing Session
If you have let the ironing pile up and it seems like a daunting task, invite a friend or neighbor to an ironing session. Your friend can bring her ironing and the task will be much pleasanter for you both as you iron and chat while drinking tea or coffee and perhaps treating yourself to cake after you’ve both finished all of your ironing.
Ironing is undoubtedly one of the least popular household tasks. However, all these tips should help make ironing more fun. If, after trying these tips, you still find that you are avoiding your ironing, perhaps it is time to call in the professionals. Look up “ironing services” in your local directory and let someone who enjoys ironing take care of the task for you in return for a reasonable fee.