During my wife’s recuperation from foot surgery this summer, I had done the vast majority of the laundry. She sorts, I take them down to the basement to wash, I put them in the dryer, and then haul them up so she can fold them.
What I hate is going down the basement stairs. Like many houses of its vintage, nearly a century, the steps are high and the space going down is narrow. It gives me a case of vertigo. Usually, I just toss the basket from the landing to the basement floor, then gather up the clothes. Going up is MUCH easier.
Being unmarried for many years, I got to the point where I didn’t have to wash the clothes for three weeks. That’s because I had at least a couple dozen shirts and sets of undergarments, an amount my wife thought was crazy when we got married. Conversely, I think she has far too few.
Hey, who had a San Diego Padres tee for her school’s sports day? It wasn’t her. I have T-shirts from several movies, from the Coverville music podcast, and from various other occasions, to wear, depending on my mood. Only this year did I buy some solid color (not white) tees.
So I don’t mind running the machines, but doing it every other day or more is boring. In the past, I had gotten used to schlepping clothes to the laundromat. I ran into my friend Alberta recently, and she told me her washing machine died. But instead of buying a new one, she opted to relish the quietude of reading while the laundromat machines chugged along.
This is certainly true of me: it’s difficult to traverse the “mental load” part of household maintenance and the importance of figuring out how to share it.
On Facebook recently, someone said if the washer is on the left and the dryer is right in countries that read left to right, is different in countries where one reads right to left? But almost no one – not us – have a washer on the left. I wish it were so.
For ABC Wednesday
I admit, I hadn’t give much thought to that issue.
My washer is on the right. But the lid opens right to left; it would be easier to transfer a load were the washer on the left.
I am lucky now ! All 3 weeks 2 machines and that’s it. Since the (dirty) son is not here anymore, it’s not necessary to wash more we have enough things to wear. Fortunately the machine is in the kitchen but the drier in the basement, so I also toss it down and fold it in the basement, it’s not so heavy then.
Mine are stacked (one of those “apartment type” units) because I have almost no space in my laundry area. (I am hoping they still make stacked units when the one I have now dies).
My parents have the washer on the left, dryer on the right….the washer lid opens to the back of the machine (hinge is on the rear of the lid), which is similar to my washer.
And yeah, the added mental load of housework is a BIG thing for me; I have no one to share it with and I admit there are weeks I have almost cried over the sheer Tetris-puzzle of making time to get the house at least minimally clean, get my work done, AND go to the evening meetings I have.
How brave you were/are
We don’t have a basement, not many people do…
Our washing equipment is placed in the attick… stairs climbing and going down we do have to do too
Have a splendid ♥-warming ABC-Wednes-day / -week
♫ M e l ☺ d y ♫ (abc-w-team)
http://melodymusic.nl/21-l/
I always figure that the laundry, with modern equipment, is just a mere bagatelle, – don’t have to take it down to the creek with a washboard and a bar of soap these days!!! My washer is on the right…
I am pleased that our house doesn’t have a basement. I don’t like basements.
My ABC WEDNESDAY
to me, doing laundry is the easiest of all household chores
You are a experienced hand.
Now I want to move our washer so it’s on the left, but then that would probably mean moving the water pipes. The Husband should be glad about that. After calling out if anyone is in the hallway, I throw pillowcases of laundry down to the first floor. I like the idea of putting in a pulley system.
Creative post about your doing laundry ~ fun too!
(A ShutterBug Explores)
We have condos so laundry is handy, and they find ways of hiding it in closets. But when it’s running you can’t get away from the noise. – Margy
I’m with Zongrik, the easiest of the chores unfortunately it has to be followed by ironing, not my favourite.
My washer is on the left. I remember my mother going up and down the basement steps to do laundry. I always thought that was pretty inconvenient. We’ve never had a basement so the washer and dryer have always been in a laundry room off the kitchen. However, I’ve always thought it would be so nice to have a basement like we had when I was growing up. Of course, I’d probably keep too much “stuff.” My friend’s house flooded and she’s been going to the laundromat. It’s gotten pretty expensive over the years!!
I feel Laundry,like other household chores, is tough. But,it’s so essential.
That reminds me- I have to fold all the clothes now 🙂
Have a great week!