{"id":706,"date":"2017-12-28T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2017-12-28T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/staging.mabelslabels.com\/blog\/2017\/12\/28\/why-i-might-join-a-nudist-colony-next-year\/"},"modified":"2024-01-16T17:44:24","modified_gmt":"2024-01-16T17:44:24","slug":"laundry-overwhelm","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mabelslabels.com\/blog\/2017\/12\/28\/laundry-overwhelm\/","title":{"rendered":"Why I might join a nudist colony next year"},"content":{"rendered":"
The start of a new year is a fitting time to take a bird\u2019s-eye view of how we\u2019re doing in life. It\u2019s a chance to celebrate our accomplishments while also being honest with ourselves about things we can improve. For example, there may be areas of our lives where we\u2019re not being as efficient as we could be, or we\u2019re making choices that compromise our chances of attaining true fulfilment.<\/p>\n
After some deeply personal soul-searching, I\u2019ve come to the conclusion that there is something that has been holding me back and draining away my energy. <\/p>\n
When I look at the tasks that dominate my time and bring me stress on a daily basis, many of them have to do with clothing selection, organization and upkeep. Maybe the people who have chosen a nudist lifestyle are on to something. If I didn\u2019t have to deal with clothes, imagine all the free time I\u2019d have! (And, the wind burn!)<\/p>\n
Risk of chapped skin aside, this could still be an \u2018a-ha\u2019 moment for me. Let\u2019s review some of the categories where the need for clothing is a drag:<\/p>\n
Fashion.<\/strong><\/p>\n Admittedly, I\u2019ve never been much of fashion plate, and I struggle to keep up with the trends. I was just starting to get the hang of boot-cut pants when skinny jeans arrived. I once nearly choked myself in an attempt to put on an infinity scarf. I tried to embrace the flannel-shirt craze, but instead of \u201coutdoorsy chic,\u201d the result was more \u201cunemployed pyjama-wearer.\u201d Truth be told, I lack the time and inclination to follow the latest fashion fads. A life of nudism would free me from this burden.<\/p>\n Obligation.<\/strong><\/p>\n People frequently give clothes as gifts, but what are you supposed to do if the item you receive (a) doesn\u2019t fit, (b) doesn\u2019t match your personal style, or (c) is so unappealing that you wouldn\u2019t put it on the family pet? This is also an issue if your child receives an outfit from a beloved relative, thus making it important that said outfit is worn when visiting the home of said relative. This arrangement, however, may not align with your kiddo\u2019s clothing wishes, resulting in an unpleasant showdown<\/a>. Nudist parents 1, clothed parents 0.<\/p>\n Laundry.<\/strong><\/p>\n Each and every item of clothing requires washing, drying, folding, sorting, matching, hanging, ironing and placing in the correct closet or drawer. No one has time for this. Also, the process of laundering clothes is fraught with disaster, as garments are liable to shrink, rip, discolour and be generally ruined. No word of a lie: as I was typing this article, my husband called me over to our laundry room, where a load of clothes sat freshly washed in the machine, now all strangely covered in a fine light-brown powder resembling brown sugar. Sigh.<\/p>\n Maintenance.<\/strong><\/p>\n Some clothes have special instructions on the tag, with science-fiction terms such as \u201chand wash\u201d and \u201cdry clean only.\u201d Others need to be pre-treated with club soda or omega-3 fish oil or whatever it is that removes stubborn stains. Still others need a bit of tender loving care to reattach a lost button or close up a small hole. News flash: my sewing skills are abysmal. I wouldn\u2019t have lasted half an hour in the days of the Early Settler people I keep reading about in my older son\u2019s Social Studies duotang. Still, I try (and fail) to repair the ripped-up knees of his pants.<\/p>\n Tracking.<\/strong><\/p>\n It\u2019s hard enough to keep tabs on which clothes belong to whom and what goes where inside the confines of your home. Inevitably, though, the people in your family (and the clothes they\u2019re wearing) are going to leave the house. Thankfully, I worry a lot less about lost and forgotten clothes since I discovered Mabel\u2019s Labels Tag Mates<\/a>. At least I\u2019m saving a few minutes that I would otherwise spend rooting around head-down in the Lost and Found bin.<\/p>\n Sizing.<\/strong><\/p>\n I don\u2019t know about you, but I have noticed that every store seems to have its own random sizing specifications, particularly for babies and kids. A \u201c6 month\u201d sleeper isn\u2019t the same length in every brand. I never knew if I should introduce a \u201c12 to 18 months\u201d item at 12, 18, or 15.5 months. Finally, aren\u2019t \u201c24 months\u201d and \u201c2 years\u201d the same amount of time? If yes, then why do we have clothes marked \u201c24M\u201d and \u201c2T?\u201d (Asked no nudist, ever.)<\/p>\n Storage.<\/strong><\/p>\n I have two boys and the great fortune of a generous hand-me-down network. I keep the clothes in giant bins in the basement and try desperately to keep them organized, but I still live in fear of missing a size or a season. My kids are built differently and have distinctive preferences, so I hang on to everything, even if it borders on hoarding.<\/p>\n All things considered, I\u2019m thinking that joining a nudist colony might be the answer to this laundry list of problems. On the other hand, maybe January \u2013 with its wind chill, frostbite warnings and extra-horrifying \u201cfeels like\u201d temperatures \u2013 isn\u2019t the month to make this transition. Maybe we can ride out the first half of the year and consider a changeover in the summer. I have a favourite pair of fuzzy socks that will help me get through the winter. Well, I did have a pair, until one of them mysteriously disappeared during a wash cycle. Game, set, match to the nudists.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The start of a new year is a fitting time to take a bird\u2019s-eye view of how we\u2019re doing in life. It\u2019s a chance to celebrate our accomplishments while also being honest with ourselves about things we can improve. For example, there may be areas of our lives where we\u2019re not being as efficient as<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":12,"featured_media":5528,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-706","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-mom-moments"},"yoast_head":"\n