Hubby Chris will confirm – I have high standards and I like things to look their best.
But I also value my time and energy so low maintenance is what I prefer.
The best of both worlds.
Can the two exist simultaneously?
I’ll let you know when I have a conclusive answer to that.
Remember last year’s home improvement project that led to a larger bed, and new bedding among other things?
It also led to more frequent washing (and ironing) of the cotton duvet cover.
Did I mention I am also particular about my bedding – you can call me the Snow White of bed linens.
I can read your thoughts… white cotton? Why do I make things harder for myself than necessary? I ask myself that a lot too. I’ve concluded some things are just worth the effort but what that is varies by individual. Thank goodness we are unique.
I find myself cursing (both out loud and in my head) when it comes time to iron the very large duvet cover. It’s awkward and hard to handle.
I lost my ironing board when my first marriage ended decades ago. An ironing board isn’t top of mind in the division of marital property. Too bad. It was a decent one.
I replaced it with whatever I could find at the time but like the marriage, it didn’t really work out.
Remember when an ironing board was “just” an ironing board? A standard sized flat surface to tackle any items that need to be pressed?
No problem I thought. I’ll do the planet a favour and find one for sale on Facebook Marketplace. I found two that looked suitable but days passed and there was no response to my message. Finally after about a week, I noticed both ads were marked sold. I never did get a reply.
Not off to a great start but I kept looking.
When I asked about dimensions and got a frustrated reply from another seller stating “it’s a standard ironing board,” I explained my dilemma and that there is no such thing. The seller was empathetic but unfortunately her board didn’t work either.
Okay. Brand new it is.
Have you checked out ironing boards lately? Not so long ago, if you saw one, you saw them all right? I was shocked to discover the selection a national Canadian retailer had – the gambit of widths and lengths. Will I find a cover that fits when I need to replace it?
Those covers aren’t built to endure years of ironing.
Is that by design? Of course it is!
If I can’t find a cover for my odd sized ironing board, I’ll have no choice but to buy a new board.
At this point, you might be rolling your eyes thinking that I’m obsessed with wrinkles. Or that I’m a picky shopper. The second part is true for sure and I make no apologies.
While I share some of my adventures to voice my frustrations and perhaps leave you with something to think about, I have another agenda.
The stories I share aren’t really about me. I trust you are beginning to see it’s part of the human experience. Climate anxiety is a real concern. And with the price of everything as high as it is, no one wants to waste money on a poor quality item.
There are those in this world who are determined to pit us against one another. To convince us we have no shared common ground.
That’s simply not true.
As one who’s always looked at the bigger picture, I think critically about our world, and often question my actions and reactions. Moreso than ever lately.
Sometimes, I highlight serious problems in our capitalist driven society – in this case, consumerism, poor quality and far too much choice. We’ve been persuaded to consume, consume, consume as the path to contentment and because nothing is built to last, consume we must!
There will always be the latest and greatest, the next best thing, even when it comes to the humble ironing board.
If we demanded better quality and less variety from manufacturers, could we make a difference for our planet and our wallets? I like to think so.
Until that day comes, the duvet cover may remain slightly wrinkled and I will remain forever unimpressed.
This song has nothing to do with ironing but still a fun start to the day from Shania. Proudly Canadian 🍁
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