Welcome back to Confessions of a #GoodEnoughMom Tuesdays! This week we’re talking dirty laundry.
When I first started out as a mother, I rocked laundry. I had a basket designated for each baby — all two of them. I kept my Shout spray nearby. I made sure socks and outfits were together. I did laundry every week and didn’t stop until everything was folded, pajama sets were together and put away.
Then, came baby three. Then, came baby four.
Dirty laundry piles began to grow faster than the line of a free buffet at the Ponderosa. Socks started flying solo and pajamas never matched. I’d forget that I put a load in the washing machine four days prior, and our towels would have a lovely musty smell for when we got out of the shower. Clothes rarely got folded and most mornings were spent digging through baskets of clothes for clean underwear. Laundry was no longer part of a routine, but a desperate attempt to survive a natural disaster.
As the mounds grew, so did my guilt, because I was failing at my job as a mom, as a keeper of our home. There was just too much and I couldn’t keep up the pace. I finally had to let go of my perfect. I allowed myself room to live, to breathe, and to not get it done right. And you want to know what happened when I did? Nothing. The mounds were still there growing. The socks still flew solo and I still dug around for clean underwear, but you want to know what happened to me? I was set free!
Now, I no longer look at laundry as a chore that must be conquered. I look at it as a necessary piece on our journey in life. I’m learning to enjoy the journey, and accept the imperfect parts of it.
It won’t be long and all my little people will be doing their own, and I won’t know what to do with all my free time.
Do you watch The Big Bang Theory? We do, and this clip of Penny and Sheldon doing their laundry is funny and a perfect example of how I do my laundry now. See if you can guess who I am.
I’m a Penny! What about you, when it comes to laundry are you a Penny or a Sheldon?
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Now it’s your turn to share your laundry tips, secrets or woes, but whatever you do, just remember to leave your perfect at the door! You have until next Monday to link-up your stories below or if you’re not a blogger, share in the comments or on social media with the #GoodEnoughMom hashtag.
I don’t want to make any hard set rules, but there are a few things I’d like to encourage those who participate to do:
1. Add a Confessions of a Good Enough Mom Tuesdays badge to your post.
2. Let’s not just expect to receive love. Let’s dish it out!! Take some time to read other blogs linked here, leave meaningful encouragement, and share some of their posts on social media with the #GoodEnoughMom hashtag.
3. We’re all on an imperfect journey, so let’s be real, honest and raw with our posts. Leave your perfect at the door.
4. Be yourself and let’s have fun!
The prompt for next week, July 22, is
share encouragement or advice to mothers in the phase before yours (Mom of teens, encourage a mom of pre-teens, etc).
So, I’ll be sharing some love to moms of toddlers.
Also, if you have any prompt suggestions, just leave them in the comments below. I’ll see you here next Tuesday, and remember to leave your perfect at the door!
Here’s a pinnable image for next week’s link-up and a badge to add to your post.
Oh this is just so perfect!! Perfectly honest and true about how imperfect we are… and yet, we are all so beautifully designed as moms for each of our families. I hate the laundry almost as much as I hate the FULL sink of dirty dishes waiting for me this morning…
I am a BIG BANGER TOO!!! (Wait, that sounds bad) And Oh, girl- you and me both! PENNY!!!
Big Banger!! Hahaha! And Yay for Penny. 🙂
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Ugh, laundry is my downfall. It is never done and some of it is horrible – I’ve actually found mold (not just mildew, but actual mold) on my kids’ laundry before. Oh, I feel faint…
Haha! I’m there everyday. I’ll be the first one contributing to the Kickstarter campaign for disposable clothes.
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Oh, how I love the smell of musty towels when you get out of the shower, feeling all clean then you grab that one towel that did not get put in the dryer fast enough. Yuck! This happens to me way too often. It is so good to know that there are other not so perfect moms out there that struggle with the same everyday challenges. Thanks for your blog!
Isn’t just a divine moment?? Nasty moment. 😉 Thanks for stopping by!
“Laundry was no longer part of a routine, but a desperate attempt to survive a natural disaster.” – HAHAHAHA Love this line!
Thanks, Charity! I had so much to say on laundry I ended up splitting it into two posts (who knew???) – Laundry with 5 boys really is never ending!!!
Two posts!! That’s awesome! Oh my stars, 5 boys would be a never ending story, but the flip side is they probably don’t care about their laundry much, so that probably lowers the standard a bit. 😉
Oh yes!!! Lowered Standards – I could probably get a week’s worth of posts if you run that link-up! 😉
Haha!! Me to.
As much as I would LOVE to be a Sheldon, I am totally a Penny. I just folded the clothes in my room – that had been there, in two different laundry baskets from last week!
I’ve been known to live out of my laundry basket for weeks. If you looked in my closet, you’d see dirty clothes on the floor, because I am too lazy to bring my hamper back upstairs from the last laundry day!
I wish I was a Sheldon too. So many of my problems would just be washed away.
Quick comment to say THANK YOU for the link-up. 🙂
Thank you for joining in again!
My mom is the laundry queen. I did not inherit her skills. She has the laundry out and folded before I even hear the buzzer. And she practically has your shirt laundered before you’ve even taken if off for the day. Needless to say I love it when she visits.
That’s my MIL. It’s crazy how efficient she can be.
I am a Penny. It drives my mom nuts! She does a tiny little load for everything. I shove it all in at once. I found you through Cristina at Filling My Prayer Closet. Couldn’t help but to link up my recent post about laundry because it fit so well! Thanks for having me!
My mom taught me how to separate my loads too, but I ain’t got time for all that! Thank you so much for coming by and linking up! Cristina’s group of gals is amazing. 🙂
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