But I won’t.
Before somebody gets her panties in a wad over the horror of that thought, let me clarify . . . that I won’t.
I wouldn’t do something so tacky or classless or rude.
But it’s so incredibly tempting.
Every time we declutter the kids’ rooms, we find dirty clothes. In the costume box, the toy box, under the bed, behind the dresser, and various other random places.
Often, by the time we find them, they’re too small. So, it’s time to donate the clothes, but we have to wash them first.
Somehow, that just sticks in my craw. I don’t know exactly what a craw is, or how exactly things get stuck in it, but the expression fits my feelings on this matter perfectly.
I have enough/too much laundry to do as it is. The thing that motivates me to get it done is my own family’s aversion to public nud*ty. Someone else’s aversion to such . . . not so much.
At that point, I feel like I’m doing someone else’s laundry, and I’m just not that giving of a person.
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I couldn't agree more. It's like cleaning someone else's house when you know your's is utter chaos. Not that I would NEVER do it, it's just hard, ya know?
This happens to me, but I usually wash it and end up putting it in the drawer, because I forgot I was going to donate it. Then I (in a rush) try to shove the too small shirt onto a squirming little boy and end up throwing the thing in the bottom of the closet… just to start the whole process all over again…
ha ha this post made me laugh…especially this sentence "At that point, I feel like I'm doing someone else's laundry, and I'm just not that giving of a person."
I understand completely. In my case, I sell the gently used, non-stained, -torn, or worn-out clothes at a twice a year consignment sale. So not only do I have to wash them, I also have to put them up in a container away from the girls who will put something on, realize it doesn't fit, then throw it on the floor. Afterward, I must wash it again, button all the buttons, check for stains, and put it on a hanger, smooth wrinkles and pray it stays that way until time for the sale.
"I don't know exactly what a craw is, or how exactly things get stuck in it"
Nony, you crack me up!
I was actually a little afraid that someone would be horrified at this post, so thanks for the support!
And I just have to say that while it feels really good when someone says a post is inspiring, I most LOVE it when someone says I'm funny.
That was hilarious! LOVED the title. And I totally agree… It IS tempting, especially when it's only dirty because it been sitting on the floor, not actually worn.
🙂
Haha that sound exactly like me. It doesn't help that I hate doing laundry and I have a mound of clothes in our basement (where our washer and dryer are) that still needs to be washed from probably 1/2 a year ago. I'm such a slob too.
I'm there with you. In my case, not only do I have to wash the clothes, but because we use a laundromat, I have to PAY to wash someone else's laundry. And I'm not that much of a giving person either…
And if I don't remember what doesn't fit, the husband will dress our son in a too-small outfit, without even realizing that it's too small, then it gets thrown on the floor….repeat cycle, tear hair out…
"Craw" is a slang word for "crop," which is a part of some birds' anatomy that stores their food (which they swallow whole, having no teeth) while it is digested. If something sticks in your craw, it's because you have literally bit off more than you can swallow. Fun fact: A vulture will gorge itself when food is abundant, then sit in a dazed stupor for a long while as its food is digested. I feel like that sometimes. I wish I could sit in a stupor and let the dirty unwanteds wash and donate themselves. Instead they just pile up in garbage bags or on my unusable rocking chair in my kids' room.
Thanks for the laugh. 🙂 You are more like me than you know!!
I just learned something; thanks for sharing!
I’m so glad you explained so that I didn’t have to. Yours was much more interesting since you know about the vultures.
I totally agree with this! I have the same problem. Especially the part where after you wash it you put it back away and then try to put it on the kid….repeat cycle. Glad I'm not the only one this happens to!
funny post, I probably wouldnt want to wash them either! I am following your blog, you are welcome to follow mine as well,Blessings jane
You know what? Since you are having such a hard time with all the clothes and laundry and you need to get stuff cleaned out…I'd say just donate them. As long as they arent completely stinky, donate without washing.
Whenever I buy second hand clothing, I always, always wash it first. Because you never know if it's been washed yet. 😉
I used to volunteer in a charity shop… they get steam cleaned before being put out. Steam cleaners are like magic! 😀
I'm that way with unmatched socks. They get placed in a pile until I can get all the laundry done and match them up. Well it seems all the laundry is never done at the same time and my pile of unmatched socks gets drug all over the house and I wash them again and again. So the other day I threw the whole pile away. =)
I began having the family pin their sock with a safety pin when they took them off…of course the children need to be old enough to handle safety pins safely! It made lost socks almost nonexistent! I guess the washer/dryer sock eater only likes single socks. 😊 Now my husband is even more consistent than I am, and the children are grown and married!
On the other hand if I am about to throw something out (not donate) I refuse to do it until it’s dirty. Not putting clean clothes in the rubbish.
I'm right there with you…instead of donating them it makes me just want to toss them in the trash so that they are gone, out of my house and I'm not having to deal with them again!!!
As a person who has worked in a thrift store going through the bags that were donated….THANK YOU for not actually donating dirty stuff. You would be amazed at the condition some people seem to believe is OK to donate. Super ICK.
I have this issue with throwing away underwear. I don’t want to put dirty ones in the trash, so I wash them and then forget they were supposed to be thrown away until I put them on again, starting the whole cycle all over again. Blech.
Stephanie, this made me giggle! I can so relate to forgetting and starting the cycle over. But . . . . just throw them away dirty! Anyone who dumpster dives for undies deserves for them to be dirty!!!
Could you just stick all the to-be-donated clothes in a box, and then run one load of them all together before you drop it off?
I think that’s a great idea! But no, I couldn’t do that, because I would change my mind for at least half of them and they would end up back in my wardrobe as clutter. I have to put them into a donation bag as they are cleaned and NEVER look in there again. It’s probably easier when it’s clothes your kids have grown out of.
My problem with washing clothes to be donated is that they end up back in the drawers. It’s so frustrating.
First of all, yes you CAN donate slightly dirty clothes, not that I do, but you can. Second of all, I don’t mind washing the clothes before I donate them because I take them out of the dryer and stuff them in a bag without folding them.
What works for me, for my own clothes, is – wash first, sort later. That is, if an item of clothing is dirty, I usually hold off making the decision about keeping/donating it until I have washed it. Then I have a chance to really look at it, try it on and really, really decide if I want it or not. To my surprise, several items that I would have automatically kept, have ended up being donated after that. And they are already nice and clean, ready to be hauled out of my home.