Stories Collected While Living in France

French la Vie

French Battle Ground, Picking up my Iron and Steaming Through

                              

I am a clean freak.

I come from a long line of clean freaks.

My Mom is the cleanest freak of all, surely when she dies and goes to heaven, they will find her with a dust rag in her hand, cleaning the pearly gates before she enters!!

My home is spotless; Dust bunnies have no chance, dishes done, floors mopped, beds made, cupboards organized, everything has a place.

My two teenagers and Frenchhusband, are more anal than I am, Oui!

Though with that said…the ironing is my enemy, it is my downfall, with its heaping mountains, and rivers of socks running around without partners! It is my constant battle, that and remembering to buy toilet paper!

Diana, the napkins are on top, vintage 1900s set of 8 or maybe a few more, who knows there is such a heap of ironing it is hard to keep track!

Comments

44 responses to “French Battle Ground, Picking up my Iron and Steaming Through”

  1. Britt-Arnhild

    Of course ironing beautiful vintage linen napkins, lace table cloths and Oliviedo (?) patterned fabric is one thing, mismatched socks and worn underware something completely different. Ironing can be a good way of finding some inner peace in a caotic everyday life though…..
    By the way – I would love to busy my hands in the vintage fabrics of your aunt Frannie 🙂

    Reply
  2. meredith

    Oh my, I think I may be your opposite. The dust bunnies have built condos chez moi and the ironing pile looks like an erupting mountain 🙂

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  3. kit

    Wow – such a picturesque pile of ironing – in my house it would be left in place as an art installation.
    I confess to being your opposite in the clean freak stakes, I’m quite capable of ignoring all the dust for long periods of time, though I do try to keep up with the dishes and clothes washing, I’d much rather bake than clean though…in order to eat cake!

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  4. Jeanne

    Cleanliness is next to Godliness dear one, but Ironing is not my forte either……
    Big hugs
    Love and kisses
    “Oh, the comfort, the inexpressible comfort of feeling safe with a person; having neither to weigh thoughts nor measure words, but to pour them out, chaff and grain together, knowing that a faithful hand will take and sift them, keep what is worth keeping, and then, with the breath of kindness, blow the rest away.” ~ Dinah Mulock Craik, A Life for a Life, 1859

    Reply
  5. naturegirl

    I prefer gardening to house work..cleaning lady takes care of that!! One of my blessings!
    I dry and fold immediately with hardly any ironing!I DO always IRON my pillow cases sprayed with lavender water ahhhh…mmmm!!!

    Reply
  6. Shannon Lewis

    Haha, everything has a chance in my house. I just don’t have the clean gene…my mom was opposite of neat freak.

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  7. GoGo

    I am just now coming into an appreciation for cleaning, having lived the opposite life. My mother loves clutter…lots and lots of clutter. I am learning that I simply don’t, preferring a very clean home too. Its relaxing too, if you don’t get hung up on the image or what it means if a dust bunny is roaming free under the bed.

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  8. blackbird

    While dust may linger at my home, the ironing is always done. And done well.
    I’ll tell you what – send it to me and I will press it all to perfection.
    You’ll barely notice the occasional missing items.

    Reply
  9. susan@artesprit

    oh to be a clean freak naturally! when my oldest daughter was 8 i was working on a quilt for the first time in front of her. i took out the ironing board and started to press a square and she said, mama what is that?
    so, to say the very least, i. don’t. iron… much.

    Reply
  10. Penny

    My ironing board is used only for preparing my artwork — I have successfully finagled our wardrobes to include nothing that needs ironing. I do remember the days when I ironed pillow cases and even sheets – shudder!!!

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  11. diana

    Ooooh La LA !The napkins on top are wonderful ! I am a sister clean freak… or OCD as my family loingly calls me … but they sure do love coming home to their clean house even the college princess !

    Reply
  12. mary ann

    corey, you would be aghast to see the furballs & dustbunnies at our house…they’re the bain of my existence!
    & my dh, poor dear, is i’m afraid, a messy cook! i’m forever on him to clean up after himself in the kitchen area as i am tired of doing it!!!!
    our house may look tidy, but it is not dust/pet-hair free {with 5 kitties, that’s nearly impossible}… & i only iron when i absolutely have to!!!
    🙂 mary ann

    Reply
  13. Dawn

    Okay, Corey…I will go iron those two shirts that have been hanging and waiting for a week…no more putting it off! …well, maybe after I dust…
    :o)

    Reply
  14. andrea

    Throw them in the dryer with a damp rag. Wa’la, no more ironing. Ok, only if you despise it at much as I do.
    One american man, four american children and I never had a chance keeping up on laundry. 🙂
    Love,
    a.

    Reply
  15. Adeleine

    Ironing is the bane of my existence! But I keep telling myself I must learn to like it as creases are a ‘non’ in the fashion industry.

    Reply
  16. deirdre

    LOL. I haven’t ironed for years, unless something is terribly wrinkled. But if you come clean my house I’ll happily iron for you. 🙂 My virgo soul loves a clean and organized house and usually my body gets it mostly done, and mostly is good enough right now.

    Reply
  17. Colette

    I find ironing therapeutic (oui, vraiment!), but those dust bunnies….I just cannot keep up with them! Every week I llok at the new dust and think: “What!? Again????”

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  18. Kara

    I love the photo of your pile of ironing. If I was a cat I’d want to curl right up for a nap. I procrastinate ironing too – but I have to keep the pile away from the cats.

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  19. andrea

    I can so relate. And I think these things are both genetic *and* learned behaviours. Except I, too, HATE ironing and my mother does it for fun and relaxation so I guess these things only go so far…

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  20. lauren

    See!? More Warts.
    l

    Reply
  21. mikaelah

    corey,
    I have an iron… actually 2. One is in the studio in case I need to melt some wax crayons or iron a piece of paper. The other one is around somwhere. I think in one of the bathroom closets. My son asked me what it was one day and when I said it was for ironing clothes he still did not understand.

    Reply
  22. Beth

    I’ll iron for you if you dust for me 🙂 I tell myself (and friends) to tackle one room at a time but even then, I don’t think my home would ever be dust-free. Just like the painting of the Golden Gate Bridge…once you end you have to begin again. The more I think about it, the more I just want to sit and knit!

    Reply
  23. Tamara Nowakowsky

    How funny – I am NOT a neat freak but I love to iron! There is something so satisfying about such a simple task – just move this hot thing around until the fabric is not wrinkly. I love its simplicity and the white noise it provides for my conscious mind!

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  24. Paris Parfait

    Like Deidre, I’m a Virgo who enjoys a clean, organised house. But I want someone else to clean it for me, especially ironing all the fussy French linens. It is a seemingly endless job and sometimes I get fed up and take them off to the drycleaners. 🙂 Lovely post!

    Reply
  25. Mary Jane

    Once upon a time in a home long ago lived a lady like yourself….she lived with a mountain of clean laundry in a corner of her very small bedroom. She had four children and a full time job. If anyone needed anything the mountain wasn’t to far to climb…today this lady lives with only one child and the mountain is gone…but even without an outside job the laundry waits in its own room to be smoothed out and put away….

    Reply
  26. snowsparkle

    oh my! i’d be afraid to have your family see our house. dust bunnies are mating as i type this. i used to be a neat freak, but had to give up the battle when my husband balked at my scheduled house cleaning system. he just can’t be tied to anything that feels controlled… passionate rebel musician that he is. sigh.

    Reply
  27. annieelf

    I’m with you Corey. Ironing is right down there with cleaning bathrooms. Just about my least favorite thing to do.

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  28. Istas

    Several here have referred to a clothes dryer as a technique for avoiding ironing. Don’t forget that many, actually most, Europeans do not have a clothes dryer. Imagine drying jeans on a laundry line! Or towels! Ironing is a must in these and many other instances. Brings out the softness we value in cotton.

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  29. ~michelle~

    Corey…you have such a great eye…your ironing bathed in a blue light –you know they are clean! My stepmother would add “blue-ing” to the water when rinsing the white curtains. The slight tint of blue made them looker whiter and cleaner!
    Cheers!

    Reply
  30. Gena

    I am ashamed to admit that for years I have paid someone to iron for me! but alas two weeks ago she told me she was taking on a job offer,whilst I am thrilled and delighted for my dear friend,I am lost without her skills and completely swamped with ironing!it is out of control!so I sympethise Corey!

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  31. endment

    Well- pehpaps we could make a deal… you clean and I will iron (not that I am fond of ironing – but I am good at it:=)

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  32. la vie en rose

    ahhh…i wish the laundry was the only cleaning battle i faced. speaking of laundry…i’m off to do a load or two…

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  33. Gina

    Clean freak! Better woman than I, wish you lived or visited my house!

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  34. berrie

    betcha my pile is bigger then yours;o) tho I betcha your pile is more beautiful then mine!

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  35. Jenny

    I love to iron tableclothes…it is very zen. I do however have some dustbunnies the size of a bus. :O

    Reply
  36. gracia

    Our house is overrun with an odd sock army too… who knew they were so universal in their disobedience.
    take care, grache

    Reply
  37. marybeth

    Oh Dearest Corey,
    I am presently an organizational disaster!
    How I would love to have some order again.
    Ironing? I only use mine on a rare occasion or for making hand made baby onsies.
    What does an organized cupboard look like ?
    XO

    Reply
  38. frances

    Here’s the deal Corey ; you and your whole family can come and organise my house and I’ll cook dinner for you all ! Also I have THE solution for overflowing ironing baskets : an insomniac husband !

    Reply
  39. weirdbunny

    When my mum comes over she stay’s 5 seconds then get’s up and say’s she has to go ,as she hasn’t dusted the skirting boards this morning!! I am the other way, the messiest person in the world.

    Reply
  40. homemakerang

    please come over and clean for me!!!!!!!!!!!

    Reply
  41. Thea

    What a beautiful photo.
    My mom was a clean freak. I see with her eyes, but don’t seem to have the energy she did, so my home is not as clean as mine was growing up.

    Reply
  42. cruststation

    Ironing? My attempts at ironing tend to make them worse than they were in the first place, so my only solution is to try and dry them as straight as possible 🙂 I know I’m bad 😛

    Reply
  43. Carrie Sommer

    Please send some neat vibes my way! Even your stack of ironing is beautiful…

    Reply
  44. naomi

    Oh what pretty indulgences. I just know you can’t resist.

    Reply

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