Alternatives to Ironing

Ironing is beyond my capabilities. My mother loved to iron. I think she felt "grounded" when she was pressing something. "The only good ironing is dry ironing," she would say when I had an overly dampened and limp piece of clothing on the board. Well, dry ironing doesn't work either. I guess I never got the hang of it.

Although I usually farm my ironing out to my cleaning lady, if I use too many items that need ironing, the pile witll grow to a daunting height. Therefore, first of all I avoid clothing that needs ironing. Prioritize. A crisp white cotton shirt - yes. It has to be cotton, and it has to be ironed. But when choosing shirts to go under jackets, jackets themselves, or pants, my firts option is to choose knits. Knits rarely need ironing; if they are made of rayon or have some nylon reinforcement, they will hold ltheir shape well with air drying or machine drying on low temperature. Knit suits also pack well, so you avoid the dreaded travel ironing experience.

Another secret is to use dryer sheets. Use two, and try to take the clothes out of the dryer right away. If you possibly can, invest in a one of the newer dryers that will stop when the clothes are dry, and therefore won't re-wrinkle them. It makes a huge difference. Also, don't overstuff the dyer. If clothes have more room, they are less likely to be wrinkled. Finally, as you take each item out, shake it before folding.

If things are still wrinkled, try hanging for a few hours first before trying to iron them. Usually, most of the wrinkles will fall out. Use gravity, too, by hanging pants from the cuffs, so the weight of the waistband helps them to stretch out.

Finally, relax your standards. I know people who iron their jeans and their underwear. It's not necessary!