I’m reading this book called “Laundry Love: Finding Joy in a Common Chore.” Does the mere title of this book make you chuckle or snort indignantly?
Is it even possible to feel happiness while sorting, washing, drying, ironing, and putting everyone’s clothes away? I was intrigued but skeptical.
I don’t see laundry as a sparking joy in my life. If I had to “Marie Kondo” household chores, cooking would come in first, laundry second, and decluttering a distant third. But then, I’d be hungry, naked, and up to my eyeballs in junk mail. So, I’m willing to keep an open mind.
Right now, I am backed up on laundry. I recently had a knock-down, dragged-out fight with the garbage disposal and lost. Apparently, the combination of green beans, carrots, and corn kernels does not go down easily. I managed to clog up the pipes, which turned out to be connected to the basin, making it impossible to run laundry. We tried to resolve the problem ourselves with Draino and that sink snake thingy. When that didn’t work, we called the plumber to come and fix the sink. (Are there any Electric Company fans out there?).
Anyway – $175 later – I now have a working drain and started to do the first of several loads of laundry. My family is happy to know that they will be able to start the week with clean underwear.
Wait a minute…
Is this why laundry could be considered a love language? Is it because I show the people I love how much I care for them by ensuring that they have clean clothes to wear? Is agreeing to take on such a long and thankless (not to mention never-ending) chore really an act of kindness? I suppose it’s possible.
As I read more about love languages, I found out that “acts of service” like lightening the load (not the laundry load – but the workload) or doing something helpful without being asked is indeed an act of love. So, maybe fluffing towels and changing bedsheets is my way of telling my family that I love them.
Ugh, couldn’t I just take them out for a nice dinner or buy them something they really want instead? Like a pony or a car?
Whether laundry brings me joy or not – as the book promises – remains to be seen. But this epitome that I have come to as I write this blog makes me want to keep reading.
What do you think? Does laundry bring you joy? Is it your family’s love language? Do tell in the comments below.
Kate Loving
January 18, 2022 at 6:13 am (3 years ago)Reading your post makes me grateful for being able to do laundry in my own home. The art of doing laundry and every other chore can be incorporated into a dance. A love dance done joyfully.
Laurie
January 17, 2022 at 10:15 pm (3 years ago)I’d say it is a a love language. It’s how you deny yourself for the good of others. It certainly if anyone act of service.
I’ve had a change of heart about laundry.
For the last 3 years we’ve lived in our camper, while slowly building/setting up our off grid homestead out of raw land. We don’t have laundry facilities yet. So we’ve been trucking laundry into town for that long. We do it sometimes at the laundromat, sometimes at my parents’ house (takes all day there). While I’ve worked, many times my boys have done the laundry. Now, I occasionally get to do it myself. And when I find that I’m very thankful of doing the laundry myself. I actually enjoy the process, because I don’t get to do it at home. And I long for the time when I’ll be able to do that simple duty in my own home again.
We all appreciate clean laundry because sometimes we have to wait to get it! It’s all about perspective!
Blessings,
Laurie
Ridge Haven Homestead
Victoria Juster
January 17, 2022 at 9:50 pm (3 years ago)I haven’t thought of laundry as a love language. More as a ‘get it done’ thing. But at least you’re making me smile about it!
Kebba Buckley Button
January 17, 2022 at 9:43 pm (3 years ago)Elisa, what an interesting post! Thanks! Since you asked, I love clean laundry. I love my clothes back, hanging neatly in the closet or in their drawers. I love having clean bedpillows and sheets. As for the author of that book, Patric (sic) Richardson, I think he is in love with textiles, not clothes. Oh well– I possibly have passions he would find weird. You are at least as original and funny as Dave Barry, so keep it up!
Karen Sammer
January 17, 2022 at 9:01 pm (3 years ago)I don’t love to do laundry but what I do love is an empty clothes hamper. It is one chore I stay on top of because I would rather fold one load of laundry than six.
Grace
January 17, 2022 at 9:00 pm (3 years ago)Laundry isn’t, but anyone with an Electric Company allusion wins!
Rachel Kobin
January 17, 2022 at 7:32 pm (3 years ago)The smartest thing my mom ever did was have us do our own laundry (as soon as we could reach the machine). We also had cooking nights when it was our job to cook for the family. As the youngest, that meant pretty simple meals on my night, but hey, we all learned to cook and do our own laundry.
Rachel Lavern
January 17, 2022 at 7:17 pm (3 years ago)No, laundry does not bring me or anyone else in my family job…and my love language is “acts of service”.