The Laundry Fairy

Ever wonder why there is a Tooth Fairy, Easter Bunny, Magical Leprechaun, and Santa Claus, but no Laundry Fairy? Seriously…taking teeth and handing out gifts is easy…give me someone useful.

There are usually clothes strewn about my house in various states of “doneness.” I don’t mind sorting, washing, or drying—it’s the folding, hanging, and putting away part that trips me up. I always begin with ambitious hope to get every piece cleaned and in its proper place, but by that time in the process I’ve completely lost interest and moved on to more interesting projects.

I used to dump the clothes from the dryer on my bed so I’d have to fold them before going to sleep. That didn’t work out well for me. I’d usually end up tossing them all back into baskets to wait for morning. Then we were all frantically scrounging for socks and skivvies from baskets, which sometimes stayed for days. Now I at least try to fold or hang the things that will wrinkle easily, but I’m still left with piles in the laundry room.

Now that the kids are older, they sort the socks and fold the towels, so it’s a little easier. They take their clothes to their rooms, but if they put them away themselves, they end up a jumbled mess in their drawers. When my husband helps, all the clothes end up in the wrong places—but I think he does that on purpose, because he doesn’t like the job any more than I do.

Forget ironing, too. Occasionally I’ll touch up a dress shirt, but for every day items I either spray them with that miracle formula Downy Wrinkle Release (it does work!) or I’ll throw the item back in the dryer for a few minutes with a wet towel. Good enough.

Maybe if I’m really good this year the Laundry Fairy will pay me a visit. Just once I’d love to be able to leave the laundry room door open.