Lessons in laundry

Yesterday I got a little shouty (although it was meant to be motivational) about laundry. But that’s not what I am here to talk about on this rainy Tuesday afternoon.

7c7ffcdf1e2ffb37afb3f74348dcfc53

I was putting away the girls washing the other afternoon, I think in Harper’s room because her drawers are particularly full and annoying at the moment. They are stuffed full of clothes that need to be sorted and put into storage and cleared out, but instead of doing all those things (because it’s an annoying job that I LOATHE to do and once I start that I have to do all of Maggie’s clothes too but then that starts a chain reaction of other clothing related tasks and really: NOT BOVVERED), so instead of cleaning out the drawers, I find myself re-wedging. The clothes get wedged on top and then they are the ones that get worn again and then re-wedged in.

Week after week, taken out, washed and then re-wedged.

There’s no doubt a whole lot of other stuff under that wedging that’s good and useful but I can’t get to them because of all that same old stuff and of course, my laziness.

I started thinking about how we do this in lots of different parts of our lives. Not just our drawers, but ourselves. So many things that I know I really should get around to, but you know: not bovvered. So many good things that I could use, or do, so many things to re-discover that I once loved, but can’t seem to get through because there’s so much other stuff in the way.

Reminded me of last week Daisy telling me that she had a stone in her school shoe all day that was “so annoying”. And how I explained she could have just taken that out, stopped and taken the 30 seconds to tip it out, rather than spending a day learning to walk uncomfortably.

Huh.

Laziness and comfort can be such a bloody dangerous thing can’t it? The excuses we give ourselves, I give myself every day because of this or that. Last night I should have gone to bootcamp but instead I sat down and drank a few glasses of pinot and ate a big bowl of sauso pasta. I know that you can replaces the shoulds in your life to a could – that way you are making a CHOICE about doing or not doing something…flip the sentence and see how different it looks…”last night I could have gone to bootcamp but instead I sat down and drank a few glasses of pinot and ate a big bowl of sauso pasta. Probably better right? I totally chose not to, and that takes any guilt out of it because I made the choice.

And that’s fine, but sometimes, we just need to take the time to do that thing. Empty those drawers. Go for that walk. Have that awkward conversation. Take that stone out of our shoe. And you’ll never know just what you might find under that top layer of wedged stuff: a passion or hobby that you forgot all about that makes you happy. That top that you loved that you forgot all about. A new thing discovered that you never even knew you could like.

Huh.

See? Putting away washing can lead to a whole lot more than organised clothes.

What are you wedging stuff back into?

Your emotions?
Your drawers?
A relationship?

Image by Marc Johns

Comments

  1. Did my daughter’s drawer the other day, but the boys’ drawers are ones that will take a few hours to sort, so wedge wedge wedge. I also need to sort MY drawers out… find a cooler top as it has finally dropped below a daytime temp of 22C here!

  2. This is more the case of my own drawers than my children’s. Filled with clothes that will fit in one day soon if I don’t eat for two weeks straight….starting next Monday of course.
    I have to say the best example is, freezing all night long and not getting good sleep I could quickly sit up and pull another blanket over me haha!

  3. michelle says

    Yup. Nailed it.

  4. OMG Beth watched your vid last night and giggled along with the shouty, and seriously, NO LAUNDRY! AND NO IRONING!! All these years and I still suffer from the green eyed monster every time I see your perfectly folded fitted sheets.

  5. Reminds me a little bit of this:
    Instead of saying “I don’t have time” try saying “it’s not a priority”, and see how that feels. Often, that’s a perfectly adequate explanation. I have time to iron my sheets, I just don’t want to. But other things are harder. Try it: “I’m not going to edit your resume, sweetie, because it’s not a priority.” “I don’t go to the doctor because my health is not a priority.” If these phrases don’t sit well, that’s the point. Changing our language reminds us that time is a choice. If we don’t like how we’re spending an hour, we can choose differently. -Unknown
    Skipping out on boot camp every now and then to drink pinot sounds like a wonderful hour well spent. No guilt necessary. Good on you!

  6. Yes yes yes! You are a wise lady. I wanted to punch myself in the neck yesterday when I realised that if I’d just seen an accountant at the end of the last financial year I wouldn’t be stressed and embarrassed at the thought of sorting out my tax at the end of this one!! I have vowed that I will not let myself feel like that again. Ugh.

  7. Priorities. Yes, they have a way of reordering themselves sometimes as I am finding out as an unexpected 5500 mile journey by air and auto has just made an appearance and has become Pri #1 in LyndaLand. When I read your blog I am inspired, motivated and validated, Beth. Thank you.

  8. Lisa Mckenzie says

    Yep we got to get bovered hey Beth Xx

  9. Lisa Aherne says

    I have not much to wedge! I have lost 5 kilos (yay), nothing fits! Can get jeans up and down for the loo without undoing buttons or zips. Need a belt for golf pants to stay put. All good, but need a loan for new wardrobe!

  10. Hey Beth,
    Get your girls to start putting their own washing away. I sort it and leave my daughter’s on her bed for her to put away. Just a small thing but if nothing else they may realise just how much washing gets done by us parents and that it doesn’t happen by magic.

  11. I loved your laundry rant yesterday! In fact I’m watching the U.S. Batchelorette whilst mt deep in washing to fold, on the floor. I need to majorly sort current wardrobe wedge (it’s the worst) as new inserts built in very soon! I think I will drink champagne in there once it’s done, admiring the lack of wedge.

  12. I will totally come and sort out all those clothes and draws for you (I love doing that) if you’ll fold my washing ready to put away while I do it (I hate doing that – to the point that I have 6 laundry baskets).

    I keep wedging the cheap nasty clothes I bought ‘to do” for this season because I am totally losing
    15 kgs of baby weight this season so I will be able to wear all the nice clothes underneath. Still wedging and that baby is 7 next month. Sigh.

  13. So true Beth. So true. You have motivated me to have an “awkward conversation” something that probably should have happened 6 months ago…. staff…. they will be the death of me… that and broken air-conditioners.

Speak Your Mind

*