Don't stress about a few wrinkles. I would guess any wrinkles that are caused by transferring from the car to the house will fall out pretty fast. Although I am not 100% sure of that, my iron has not seen the light of day in probably 9 years. (Oh, I may have take it out once for the Grand-kids to use for an art project we were doing)
If you are working for someone that this is a priority, avoiding wrinkles, I would say pick what is important. Avoiding wrinkles or caring for their loved one. the more time you spend bringing in laundry the less time you spend with the person you are supposed to be caring for.
Iron ?? do people still do that:). After doing my mom's laundry at my home I would hang most of them on hangers. It's easy to carry 10 or so at time. If possible do the ironing at their home. But really don't "press" yourself. A few wringles won't hurt.
I went to your profile to see if I could discover anything about what sort of clothes, how many, how far and so on... And I found your earlier question:
"My mother lives next to me but I do everything for her from hair, groceries, garbage, appointments etc. How do I manage my time better?"
If you are scuttling back and forth worrying about a crease in a blouse, it is perhaps less of a mystery that you sometimes struggle to manage your time efficiently.
Nevertheless. With my Laundress hat on: when you iron the clothes, fold them - as you might see done in higher end stores - but over tissue paper. The paper prevents the creases setting too firmly. You can then pack the garments in a suitcase, and once you're ready to put them away the folds should drop out nicely when you hang the clothes up. If they're going into drawers or on shelves, leave the paper in place. You can buy this type of paper in bulk, just look online, there are loads of suppliers.
Is this something that worries you, or worries your mother more? I am fussy about ironing, when I bother with it at all, and can quite understand that it's annoying to put in the work and then mess it up again; but I have to question your priorities if you won't mind my doing so.
Is she going somewhere so special that she needs her clothes to be ironed? Seems like that in itself is a waste of your time and you could be spending this time more productively. Why not review what you are doing, to give yourself more time for you. Stressing about creased clothes makes me think you are stressed to the max, take care of you, make time to relax.
Our facility has one of those luggage movers like the ones found in hotels, but my LO still manages to look like a runway model in her denim skirts and soft shirts and soft knit straight cut dresses WITHOUT REQUESTING IRONED CLOTHES.
I also use GALLONS of unscented wrinkle releaser in spray bottles. It gives a lovely finish to the soft knits.
If LO were to REQUEST ironed cottons, I’d probably choose to do it for her, but since she’s comfortable and content and looks like a million bucks in what she’s wearing now, I’m continuing with what we’ve been doing.
All of these answers crack me up. I find ironing very therapeutic and I have the satisfaction of seeing my family look neat. Multi purpose is my mantra.
Thank you all for your thoughts on the subject. I just feel that it is bad enough they loose their dignity and everything else and she always prided herself in the way she took care of herself and her clothes.
I go into her room and find her in someone else's clothes. It is very upsetting considering they have lost most things. She had a stroke and I want her to take pride in herself like she always has.
I realize most people do not iron ay longer in this world, but the fact is she and I do. I really appreciate the your suggestions - thanks all!
I really feel that because she has had the stroke and cannot talk - I am her voice and feel for anyone in that situation. You have to understand I have always ironed MY clothes - so why wouldn't I iron hers. Just a thought.
I agree with Isthisrealyreal, just because they can not speak after a stroke doesn't mean they aren't fully aware of their appearance and long for the same style and attention to detail (if that was their thing) as before they were no longer able to do it for themselves or express it. If freshly ironed clothes are the baseline you and mom have always followed I think making sure she still has that is absolutely important enough to take the time to do! I don't often iron I have to admit so I don't really have any tricks for you but a garment rack on wheels (I have seen cars with a rod across the back seat to hang clothes) to hang them all and take them in to her as well as the suggestion to fold with tissue and pack are both good ideas. The other packing trick is to roll clothes because it prevents creases but much of this depends on what clothing articles you are taking to her of course.
At first I was a little stunned about ironing your moms clothes, but your explanation makes perfect sense and seems like a wonderful gift to her. Just wondering if you could take a small portable ironing board to her room (I have a tabletop one that’s only about 2 feet long on tiny legs) and a travel iron, and iron the clothes on site?
Do you hang her clothes or store them in drawers? I think you are doing something incredibly kind & sweet for your mother!
Your mother is in a facility right? This is what I would do, whether you hang or fold her clothes after ironed—invest in a small portable clothes rack. Big box stores (target, Walmart) sell them. I would put everything on hangers & lie the clothing flat in the backseat of the car& hang from the windows as well. Then set up the portable rack in the parking lot, hang everything and wheel it in to moms room in one trip. If your vehicle is big enough, you won’t have to set the rack up and take it down, you can keep it assembled in the back of the car.
cj, that is one of the sweetest things I've read in so long. You are an inspiration and I agree with cali about the clothes rack. For a long time I would iron my brother's shirts and take them to him because I didn't want him to look like a throwaway and always someone would take his clothes. Anyway, on that point I would say something to the mgmnt at the ALF about the clothes disappearing. And if it's possible maybe you could get one of those little portable handheld steamers so that after you hang them up you could steam out the wrinkles. For some reason this touched my heart. You take care of you and rest too. You are in my prayers as is your mom.
I second RBuser's suggestion about a little portable steamer. Years ago I worked at Macy's one Christmas, and found myself sent around the Bedding department steaming all the made-up display beds. It was actually kind of a fun task, and the results were great.
Forgive me, you do have Mom's name in her clothes, correct?
You know what made me pick Moms LTC facility, they had individual closets for the residents. One facility made u share. Just think of the mixup there. I did find Moms clothes in her roommates closet so I put a sign on Moms closet with her name. I also took pictures of every piece of clothing she had. They kept losing the same nightgown. The picture helped in getting it returned. My OCD was putting her clothes together on hangers so Mom matched. I found her one day in gray socks brown pants and blue shoes. She had 3 prs of shoes. Black, brown and blue. Sometimes I'd find her without a bra. A no no because she would break out in a yeast infection when it was skin to skin. Told my RN daughter. She asked me where the bras were. In the drawer with her socks. This is why no bra. Aides dress from the top down. By the time they find the bras, they are already to the feet. So I started putting her bra with the sets on the hanger. My girls thought I was too picky. I told them she had lost enough dignity, at least she could match. Aides never brushed her hair right either. It "was" fine and like cotton. So, I carried a brush and hairspray in my pocketbook and fixed it when I visited.
Now, I only iron when I feel that is the only way something looks nice. If I don't get things out of the dryer right away, then I throw in a damp washcloth, put the dryer on a high setting and tumble for a few minutes. They come out wrinkle free. I do understand your need to iron. My Mom loved to iron. Sort of therapeutic.
Just because we don't iron our clothes dosen't mean we don't care if our family looks neat and tidy. Choose fabrics that are wrinkle fee. IF I remember to get the clothes out of the dryer right away, that cuts down on the wrinkles .If it is theropy for you, go for it(my son-in-law likes to iron. He is a ex-Marine). In the future your mom will need much more demanding help, so take care of yourself and iron for the relaxtion. I loved reading at the tips.
I would guess any wrinkles that are caused by transferring from the car to the house will fall out pretty fast.
Although I am not 100% sure of that, my iron has not seen the light of day in probably 9 years. (Oh, I may have take it out once for the Grand-kids to use for an art project we were doing)
If you are working for someone that this is a priority, avoiding wrinkles, I would say pick what is important. Avoiding wrinkles or caring for their loved one. the more time you spend bringing in laundry the less time you spend with the person you are supposed to be caring for.
"My mother lives next to me but I do everything for her from hair, groceries, garbage, appointments etc. How do I manage my time better?"
If you are scuttling back and forth worrying about a crease in a blouse, it is perhaps less of a mystery that you sometimes struggle to manage your time efficiently.
Nevertheless. With my Laundress hat on: when you iron the clothes, fold them - as you might see done in higher end stores - but over tissue paper. The paper prevents the creases setting too firmly. You can then pack the garments in a suitcase, and once you're ready to put them away the folds should drop out nicely when you hang the clothes up. If they're going into drawers or on shelves, leave the paper in place. You can buy this type of paper in bulk, just look online, there are loads of suppliers.
Is this something that worries you, or worries your mother more? I am fussy about ironing, when I bother with it at all, and can quite understand that it's annoying to put in the work and then mess it up again; but I have to question your priorities if you won't mind my doing so.
I use this when my husband travels and it works great. You can also use the tissue paper multiple times.
I also use GALLONS of unscented wrinkle releaser in spray bottles. It gives a lovely finish to the soft knits.
If LO were to REQUEST ironed cottons, I’d probably choose to do it for her, but since she’s comfortable and content and looks like a million bucks in what she’s wearing now, I’m continuing with what we’ve been doing.
I just feel that it is bad enough they loose their dignity and everything else and she always prided herself in the way she took care of herself and her clothes.
I go into her room and find her in someone else's clothes. It is very upsetting considering they have lost most things. She had a stroke and I want her to take pride in herself like she always has.
I realize most people do not iron ay longer in this world, but the fact is she and I do.
I really appreciate the your suggestions - thanks all!
You have to understand I have always ironed MY clothes - so why wouldn't I iron hers.
Just a thought.
Don't feel bad for taking care of her the way you can. I think it is great that you are concerned about her dignity and giving her this gift.
Kudos to you for doing this.
To minimize lost clothing I found that fewer outfits were better.
I think you are doing something incredibly kind & sweet for your mother!
Your mother is in a facility right? This is what I would do, whether you hang or fold her clothes after ironed—invest in a small portable clothes rack. Big box stores (target, Walmart) sell them. I would put everything on hangers & lie the clothing flat in the backseat of the car& hang from the windows as well. Then set up the portable rack in the parking lot, hang everything and wheel it in to moms room in one trip. If your vehicle is big enough, you won’t have to set the rack up and take it down, you can keep it assembled in the back of the car.
And if it's possible maybe you could get one of those little portable handheld steamers so that after you hang them up you could steam out the wrinkles.
For some reason this touched my heart. You take care of you and rest too. You are in my prayers as is your mom.
How kind you are to your dear mom.
They are very much appreciated.
You know what made me pick Moms LTC facility, they had individual closets for the residents. One facility made u share. Just think of the mixup there. I did find Moms clothes in her roommates closet so I put a sign on Moms closet with her name. I also took pictures of every piece of clothing she had. They kept losing the same nightgown. The picture helped in getting it returned. My OCD was putting her clothes together on hangers so Mom matched. I found her one day in gray socks brown pants and blue shoes. She had 3 prs of shoes. Black, brown and blue. Sometimes I'd find her without a bra. A no no because she would break out in a yeast infection when it was skin to skin. Told my RN daughter. She asked me where the bras were. In the drawer with her socks. This is why no bra. Aides dress from the top down. By the time they find the bras, they are already to the feet. So I started putting her bra with the sets on the hanger. My girls thought I was too picky. I told them she had lost enough dignity, at least she could match. Aides never brushed her hair right either. It "was" fine and like cotton. So, I carried a brush and hairspray in my pocketbook and fixed it when I visited.
Now, I only iron when I feel that is the only way something looks nice. If I don't get things out of the dryer right away, then I throw in a damp washcloth, put the dryer on a high setting and tumble for a few minutes. They come out wrinkle free. I do understand your need to iron. My Mom loved to iron. Sort of therapeutic.