Poetry & Pushpins

~ The Writings of S.L. Woodford

Poetry & Pushpins

Tag Archives: laundry adventures

Laundry Redux

06 Thursday Nov 2014

Posted by poetryandpushpins in Fashion, Pushpins (Daily Life)

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Tags

human nature, laundry adventures

“Oh my God, I don’t want to do it. I don’t want to do my laundry. But I need clean stockings and underwear.” I say to my roommate as she makes hot chocolate in our kitchen.

She looks at me bemusedly, like she always does when I have slightly ridiculous outbursts of passion, usually brought on by the inevitability of certain despised household chores.

“Yes, laundry is annoying to do. But you’ll get it done.”

I smile and walk into my bedroom, internally loathing the reality that clothes do not stay clean and that I must now deal with colorful piles of chaos and brave the dusty basement.
I turn my hamper onto the floor, bracing myself for the awful clutter of cotton and color, but only blue and black greets my eye. I breath out. Where are my whites? My yellows and reds? Why aren’t they adorning this sea of dark colors with complication?

Then I remember: they are tucked away in their own pillowcases, already sorted and ready for the washer. A new method a friend of mine recently taught me (after I whined to her about doing laundry one too many times).

I don’t have to brave the colorful chaos.
It is already vanquished.

But, I feel my body bracing itself, a new dread taking hold.

“Oh my God, I don’t want to do it. I don’t want to do my laundry. It’s way too easy now.” I say to the orderly pile below me.

It says nothing back and I laugh as I pick up my first load and walk towards the basement. As much as I hate doing laundry, I’m apparently going to miss whining about the process.

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Creativity and Laundry Procrastination

09 Wednesday Jul 2014

Posted by poetryandpushpins in Fashion, Pushpins (Daily Life)

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laundry adventures, the creative process, vintage fashion

There it is: a jumble of colors, shapes, and textures splayed out upon my floor. The farthest reaches of the piles snake out in crumpled desperation, reaching out to me, reaching out to my bedroom’s four walls.

I stare at them, as a slightly sick feeling quietly gargles in my stomach. I’ve sorted my dirty laundry, it’s now in piles (chaotic, fibrous piles of doom) on my bedroom floor. All I have to do now is take it downstairs, put it in a washing machine, and be at the mercy of the laundry cycle for the rest of the day.

And interspersed between the washing and drying will be folding. A shit ton of folding. I don’t like folding things. That is why the vast majority of my wardrobe already lives on hangers.

I swallow. Wait. I still have underwear. I still have stockings and leggings. Do I really need to do laundry now? Is this a chore I must get done today?

Carefully, I step around the cloth blob that is now my bedroom floor and open my closet door. There is that blue sundress from high school I never wear. Perhaps I could pair it with a short-sleeved red blazer that has been gathering dust this season. The colors will contrast in interesting ways. And here is that leopard print wrap dress from Ann Taylor that makes me feel like a loud, Las Vegas brod who frequently hangs out with the Rat Pack, smoking cigars and drinking scotch. I’lI play up that aesthetic by adding bright accessories—a turquoise belt and a fuchsia camisole underneath. Or, what about my bright green and blue argyle cardigan? An amazing statement piece that I never wear enough. It would look stunning over my forest green dress—add an oxblood colored belt and heels, and I’d be set.

I step away from my closet and promptly return the clothing piles on my floor to the hamper. Clearly, I have enough outfits in my closet to last me a few more days. And I’m excited about them! They will be new combinations, adding life and creativity to my wardrobe.

That sick feeling in my stomach is gone, replaced by the warm, fluttering feeling I get when I’m making something new. Perhaps I take laundry procrastination to new heights (remember, I still have underwear, stockings, and leggings), but at least there is art and creativity up there.

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