Laundry.
Last week I skipped the laundry. This week I piled it in the trunk of our Buick and the entire trunk was filled with things to wash. I simply backed the car into my mother’s garage and sorted loads from the trunk as necessary; why bother bringing all of it inside? But the reds and pinks never had a chance at being clean, there were too many loads to do. This in and out of the house, in and out of the garage, in and out of the car calls forth thoughts of a laundry space in my own home. A laundry room that does not require any driving or any real finishing off of the pile. I spent the morning and afternoon dreaming, while washing and folding at my mom’s, about what will make my basement laundry room cozy. I lazily complied a list (of course) of what I would like to join me in my basement on wash day.
But before we really get into the items, the material things that would make me thankful and efficient, let us first discuss why my desire is thus. We must begin by discussing numbers. Currently there are five of us. Five people that wear daily a pair of pants, a shirt, socks, and often a sweater. There are four of us who wear underwear. We do often re-wear shirts and very often re-wear pants. The shortest person in our household is however, too messy most often for any kind of re-wearing, except perhaps of socks. In estimation the weekly numbers look like this: 16 pairs of pants, 25 shirts, 5 sweaters, 32 pairs of socks, and 25 pair of underwear. Also weekly to wash: 10 kitchen wash clothes, 12 kitchen towels, 3 hand towels, and 8 bathroom wash clothes, 1 bib, and 3 babies (night-time snuggling buddies). Bi-weekly: a bra or two. At least monthly, if not bi-weekly: 3 sheets, 9 pillowcases, and 5 blankets. Add it all together and it can not be done in one day. The numbers clearly show that I do a lot of laundry. In our house I will spend even more time doing laundry. Adding a sixth person to our family is going to add approximately two loads of laundry per week. Written out like everyone else: 10 onesies, 5 sleepers, 2 pair of pants, 6 shirts, 2 sweaters, 7 pair of socks, 5 burp clothes, 4 blankets, and anything else that gets puked on that’s machine washable. Do you not agree, that an activity that will clearly consume so much time, should be done in a space that is pleasurable and inviting? Cheers.
Of course all set up it will be, for a moment, just so. With a glass jar for pocket change and things my sons have loaded up, and a basket for socks whose partners have been unfaithful. There will be a tin with a sewing kit, scissors and a sweater shaver, for quick mends, loose strings, and fuzz balls; a drawer converted into a box with all the assorted items that one might use for stain removal (dishwasher soap, basalm & protein shampoo, carbonated water, baking soda, alcohol, an enzyme detergent, peroxide, and a stain stick), with a little jar alongside it all for an eyedropper and a toothbrush. There is room for one long shelf above the washer and dryer, where the aforementioned items will be kept, plus a few other things: economy sized jugs of detergents and softeners, a mopping bucket, the rag basket, and all the household cleaners for cleaning day. On the other wall I will have a counter for folding clothes with room for hampers underneath and the wonderful wash basin sink that served as kitchen sink this summer. On that wall I’ll have a drying rack or two, and some framed art. Probably a shot of our family and some of my daughter’s original water colors. On top of the dryer: a box with everyday stain remover, an easy-to-handle bottle with bleach, dryer sheets, essential oils to freshen things up, and cups to measure out soap. I’ll laminated copies of that stain chart from Martha, and a chart that decodes icons from a Real Simple magazine (sorry I can’t find it for you, it was in the magazine); that will help keep the laundry going without any googling and therefore facebook-ing and RSS reading. The ironing board and the iron will no doubt find themselves a convenient place. And I must have one or two of these to “lay flat to dry,” so many of our sweaters.
There are some things that will seem to have little to do with getting the laundry done. A painted floor, a colorful and cushy rug, a comfortable armchair, an extra light or two. These will simply add to the emotion of my life; they will help me slow down and enjoy what I am doing. Perhaps a cup of tea while I wait for socks to dry fully, or a seat in the middle of the night as I wait for one load of messed-up bedding to finish so I can add another before I go back upstairs. A rug to keep my feet warm on the concrete, to keep my hips from aching after standing on it for a few hours mending, folding, ironing, and loving. Perhaps you will join me someday, in the chair in the basement, as we chat about caring for our families and how many times we have washed our families undies. Oh I would like that, wouldn’t you?
I would love that…I hope it’s soon. You need a laundry spot of your own with all those undies!
This was lovely, and challenged me in my pursuit to find laundry enjoyable. You made it sound artful and calm, loving. These are things I would never relate with my laundry habits…it is the hardest thing for me to do. So I was encouraged much by this.
I hope soon this place will be ready for you and your family!
I love laundry rooms. They are a cozy warm place that smells go, and no one else wants to spend time in.