Towers and Avalanches

Yesterday, I imagined dumping the loads of laundered clothing lying around my room on myself and then calling my brother for emergency evacuation. I would have enjoyed the annoyed look on his face as he ‘rescued me’ from the avalanche. Though knowing him, he might have jumped right into mountain and started talking about this and that. I decided against this risky endeavour because he wasn’t home. I would have been stuck in great peril for an indefinite amount of time… Okay fine, I was bored.

Lately (the last 6 months) my clean clothes had been accumulating in baskets and piles on every available flat surface in my room aside from the floor. My parents practically marked the place as a disaster zone and refused to take more than 4 steps into the room. In case you haven’t guessed, I despise folding and putting away my clothes.

I’m smart. I strategically yank the desired piece of clothing out with very few landslides. Some piles were replicas of famous landmarks, which took weeks of accumulation and strategic placement to create! The Great Wall of China and Leaning Tower of Pisa weren’t built in a day ya know!

Sadly, I decided to dismantle my growing collection of the Seven Wonders. I had been looking forward to the challenge the Taj Mahal was sure to pose. I really needed to pack up my winter stuff and that’s when I came up with solutions to my woes: two simple rules to keep me on track.

1. Seasonal Clothing: Sort your clothes in to two piles. No folding just pile ‘em on. Grab a suitcase or storage basket. Fold, place and close. Revel in the sudden increase in closet and living space.

Most people do this but for those like me who don’t, do it. It took me about 25 minutes. Don’t overthink. You can always pull things out if there’s a freak snowstorm in July. Now all the clothes are stored neatly in a rolling suitcase.

2. Laundry: Out of the dryer, fold, into the drawer. Pat yourself on the back as you look back at the empty hamper.

Clothes are to be placed in a basket for transportation only, and then you must STAND there and put them away. No sitting, no distractions, no leaving it for later. I got my laundry, marched upstairs and folded everything while standing next to the dresser. The urge to bolt only made me work faster, so it took me 5 minutes per load. FIVE. Now I can actually sit on the chair in my room because I folded my clothes.

It seems a little silly, but I know for a fact that I’m not the only one who has this problem so I hope this helps. Try it, all my fellow laundry procrastinators. Let me know if it works for you. After all, there is no guarantee that you too possess my superior building skills. Wouldn’t want that tower to come tumbling down on your unsuspecting head, or be stuck for days in a not-so-natural disaster of cotton and polyester, right?

-R

*Note – Image Credit: https://i.guim.co.uk/img/static/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/pictures/2015/11/2/1446488122857/53fb43da-22d7-4c95-9363-3fac10b60917-2060×1236.jpeg?w=620&q=55&auto=format&usm=12&fit=max&s=f97060839529396abbd1bed865f84c5d