21 July 2008

I really don't need your help!

I am a control freak. There. I said it. As long as you understand this one little fact about me, we'll be fine. I am especially a control freak about my laundry, so please, don't touch it.

Take my husband, Andy. I know he means well. I know he just wants to help, but please don't touch MY laundry. Yes, I am that territorial about it. He doesn't sort. Granted, most of our clothes have been washed so many times, that the dye doesn't leak, but you never know. Also, he doesn't fold things quite right. Like shirts. I worked in the boutique of our college bookstore. I was taught how to fold shirts VERY neatly. You know, like at the Gap-how they fold them with a clipboard? I don't need a clipboard. Andy, on the other hand, when he folds shirts they are like twice the width of the clipboard.

Another example? I like to see all of my neatly folded piles when I am done. I like to see the fruits of my labors. Andy? He puts away each load as he folds it. I tell him he is doing a lot more work than he has to...Not to mention, again, I LIKE TO SEE ALL OF THE NEAT PILES I HAVE MADE! So, please, don't put them away until I am done.

That brings us to this morning. My sister-in-law and her two kids are staying with us this week. I am watching my niece and nephew while she takes an art class. I got up early so that I would have some time to myself. I decided to get a jump on the laundry. It is just after 9, and I have my fourth and final load in. So, this morning, when I pulled out the load, she offered to help. No, really, I can do it. In fairness, she has no idea how I am about MY laundry. So, she folds...in no way like I do...I sat at the table this morning for an hour with her chatting before she left thinking that I just wanted to re-fold it. (It wasn't put away yet, remember, I like seeing the piles of clothes when I am done.) I started offering out these clothes to my kids to wear so the urge might pass. It didn't. As soon as she left, I refolded the offending items. Whew, I am glad I got that off my chest...

15 comments:

Unknown said...

omGOODNESS... that is so funny. I think I would fall over if my husband ever tried to do a load of laundry... or put it away. Would you like to come over to my house... you can fold it anyway you would like & look at all of the piles... I would LOVE it! Come on...serious!

Sydney said...

umm... i've been known to refold an entire basket full of towels after Craig has "folded" them. Because when I fold them, they all fit just right in the linen closet. When he folds them... well, it just makes me violent.

TheMama said...

Yes, yes, yes.

And I have also refolded a stack of towels. I do the laundry, mostly because I have a preternatural laundry skill, but also because they will not stack right if TheHubby folds them...

Amy said...

I hate doing clothes and I am not that good at it, maybe you could give me lessons :p My ex husband NEVER did clothes. Now my boyfriend, he can fold a mean towel :)

Unknown said...

hey! thanks for stopping by and leaving a comment! i'm glad you found the site! i love yours as well. i, too, am a laundry control freak. there's lots of things around the house i'll ask zack to help with, but laundry is not one of them. too many of my precious clothing has gotten shrunk in the dryer :( and i too love the "fruit of my labor" catorgized, folded neatly stacks!

Kelly said...

Agreeing with Tressa...any of you laundry natzi's are invited at any time...
Hey Therese, ever have one of you boys (in the toddling stage) walk on by and knock the whole darn thing over? I bet that would put you in therapy...:)

Deanna said...

OK, I'm soooo touchy when it comes to my laundry as well....STAY BACK!!! I like to do it just a certain way!!

So you can imagine my flipping out today when my 14yr old son called to tell me he started a load of towels!!!

AHHHHHHHH!!!!

I feel your pain....LOL!!

~Deanna

Gramma 2 Many said...

It must be a female thing. Like Sydney, I have a thing about my towels, how they are folded and how they are put away. I have a color for each of my bathrooms. Do not put the downstairs color in the upstairs closet. Do not mix the two colors in the upstairs closet. The family bath color goes in one pile and the master bath color in another pile. Thank You. He does not put away that often, but when he does I have to go change it. I do not complain though, because if I do he will quit totaly.

Gramma 2 Many said...

Oops, please delete above typo and insert correction. Totally.
Sorry

Shannon said...

Yes, I am this way, too! I loathe doing laundry, but I am the only one who is allowed to do MY laundry.

Anonymous said...

I recently tried to delegate to my oldest the folding duties, but it makes me cringe, to the point where I have to leave the room until everything is done and put away. Out of sight, out of mind.

Sometimes Sophia said...

Very funny... this laundry compulsion. I have it, too, just not as bad. Imagine having four teenage boys who take 2-3 showers a day... I decided that clean was better than mean and any laundry help was better than none.

Sydney said...

oh, and I nominated you for an award. go to my blog and pick it up!

Candid Carrie said...

I am you!

My whites couldn't get any whiter with out looking like they have radio-active power.

And folding? That saying, "nobody puts baby in a corner" ... well if nobody is everybody and the baby is my laundry and the corner is away, well then that saying is my creed.

We should get together and compare our stacks. I do exactly the same thing. I even rotate socks in the drawers so they are equally worn!

Anonymous said...

I think we all have our own way of doing things, especially when we are stay at home moms and THIS IS OUR JOB. No two people can fold things the same way. For instance, I have no clue how to fold fitted sheets. I wad them up in a ball and shove them in the closet, but my mom can fold them perfectly.