Flipping and Folding is Fun for Lazy Launderer

One of my least favorite activities in the world is to do my own laundry. I never seem to have the time or desire to actually perform this domestic ritual, even though I have a perfectly functioning washer and dryer in my basement. And though I’m embarrassed to admit it, there have been times when my laundry basket has not only overflowed, but actually leaped into the rest of the room, forming one of those large monolithic mounds like Richard Dreyfus made in “Close Encounters of the Third Kind.” And only when the mountain became so large that I could actually ski from the top to the bottom would I finally stuff it all into my two colorful laundry bags and cart them down to the local laundry mat, where they charged $.90 a pound to wash it for me.

I know, I know. One of the biggest time and money wasters ever…not to mention a clear indication of how lazy I can be when it comes to carrying out normal household tasks. (Did I mention I have a maid who comes in twice a month as well? But that’s a different story.)

Anyway, once the economy started going into freefall last year, I had to make some big sacrifices when it came to unnecessary expenditures. Naturally, one of the first things to go was my semi-quarterly trip to the laundry mat and all those embarrassing conversations I would have with the elderly lady who washed my clothing. Because even though she was very sweet and looked a little like Aunt Bee from Mayberry, I always had the feeling she was laughing about something. I wasn’t sure if it was my taste in clothing, or the colorful Ginch Gonch underwear I had in my collection, or just the fact that I only brought my laundry in when it weighed more than a Sumu wrestler. But there was definitely something that made her smile every time she’d see me. Well, smile and also groan a little.

But now that I do my laundry at home, I no longer see Aunt Bee. And for a while there, people probably couldn’t tell the difference between my dirty laundry and my clean clothing, as the inclusion of folds and wrinkles were evident in both. What can I say? I hated folding laundry. And sometimes I’d let the laundry sit in the dryer for so many days before folding it, my shirts started looking like crepe paper. For Halloween, I even draped myself with some of my dirty clothes and went as a laundry basket. Everyone thought I was so clever, but I really had nothing else to wear.

My life and demeanor were slowly becoming more and more Neanderthal, all because I didn’t have the time or patience to do my laundry properly. That is, until one day I was surfing the web, and happened upon this new miracle item known as a Flip-and-Fold. It’s a very simple and ingenious contraption that allows you to fold all your shirts to the exact same size…every single time. No more guessing which sleeve to tuck or crease to fold. It’s all done for you with a few simple flips and folds. And what’s more, it’s actually fun.

Once I got this product and actually began using it, my laundry was not such a pain any more. And sometimes, I actually looked forward to doing it. Why? Because when you have something that allows you to easily fold and organize your clothes in a civil manner, it gives you a sense of pride in your work and your appearance. No longer am I subject to t-shirts that look like dirty napkins, or pullovers that look like I slept in them. Now all my clothing comes out perfectly folded and stacked and ready for wearing.

In fact, I was so impressed with the Flip and Fold that I actually bought everyone in my family one of their very own for Christmas this past year. And not only do they all use it, but every single one of them has thanked me heartily for the ingenious device. One of my nephews even likes it so much, he now helps his mom with the laundry every week. Talk about a miracle!

But that’s just me. Do you have any contraptions that help make your laundry experience easier?