A room with a view

Of all the household tasks I do every week, ironing is the one I struggled with the most. I have tried it every which way, and nothing seemed to help me squeeze any joy from it. In the end, I defied my own advice and did it quickly while watching TV. pffffffffffft

However, progress has been made. I hate giving up or giving in to anything. I have pushed and prodded ironing, I've moved from room to room looking for the perfect place and finally, my friends, I can tell you I've hit pay dirt. I have been ironing these past few days and I have enjoyed it! Persistence and the radio were the keys!

I used to have the ironing board set up in the spare bedroom (where there is a TV) but when we had a few visitors one after the other a month or so ago, I moved the ironing board into the small single bedroom left it set up there. I was doing some quick ironing in there a couple of weeks ago and realised I actually liked ironing better without the TV blathering away in the corner. I looked around the room and decided to set up an ironing station as there was a narrow table in there that was perfect for the task.

A few days ago, I moved everything around to suit the ironing. I faced the table to the window, found an old woollen blanket and cotton sheet and covered the table with them. The jewel in the crown though was a radio. I found our little radio that we use when there is a blackout and I put that on the shelf near the table. It actually tuned to Radio National, my favourite station, and that made me realise I would love ironing in that room. All our other radios don't pick up Radio National so I used to download podcasts to listen to on my little iPod. Now I just have to find the electric cable so I can plug it in and not play it with batteries.

So for the past few days I've been testing myself with the ironing and each day I have loved it. There is a radio guide online so I check it in the morning and if there is something interesting I set myself up to iron while I listen. I've been getting through a lot of ironing and I finally feel like I've found my true ironing home. Long live good radio and ironing stations with a view!

This is my ideal ironing room, it's Deb's from Homespun Living. Isn't it gorgeous. Mind you, I think only people who are living simply would describe a laundry room as gorgeous. :- ) Another ironing post, this time from Posy.

It just goes to show me, yet again, that most simple ordinary things hold their own joy and beauty, if only you look enough to find it.