There is an art to folding the laundry. Not the washing, or drying, or the endless loading and sorting. It’s the physical act of folding the laundry before things get put away. The folding is where my entire process of laundry tends to back up; it takes an exaggerated three to four business days to complete.
My husband and I were lucky enough to add a new family member to our circus this summer. Of course, adding a single infant has somehow quadrupled our laundry load, and the vacation that is parental leave has left me with copious time to ponder whether laundry is actually necessary.
As an individual, I was the one who folded everything just so, fitting it neatly into baskets and rows. It brings me a sense of peace to have a visual cleanliness to my closet. As an exhausted mom of two, I have evolved.
My mental circus has very little time to fold tiny clothes and line them all up straight. Rather, my current fixation is finding the right balance of orderly but clean. My laundry machine is like a clown car; handfuls of shirts spill out one after another, endlessly replenishing itself. It drives me crazy!
In all of the chaos, shortcuts have been made, particularly when it comes to organization. Pants go somewhat stacked but unfolded in the pants drawer, shirts in a separate drawer, and dresses and nicer clothing get hung up. Of course, on top of all of the organized disorganization, my eldest has taken it upon herself to dress herself. I admit, she has the circus look down! Very little matches, and it almost always includes sparkles or tulle.
No matter how she is dressed, you can guarantee she loves what she is wearing. From my perspective, there is very little rhyme or reason when it comes to her outfits. However, there is always one key component to any outfit that she requires. No matter what the combo on top, my well-dressed clown always requests matching socks.
Now, remember that pile of laundry? Yes. It has become my sole responsibility to ensure that every single sock that comes out of that pile is properly matched. A skirt could be misplaced, pajamas mismatched; however, the socks must be identical. It makes her feel complete. So I spend my evenings “folding” the laundry and matching the socks because it creates peace amongst the crazy.
Her sudden sense of independent style reminds me of my struggle with order in my garden. All the plants that I love, scattered in every corner, with very little visual order. My good intent for efficiency tumbled out of the wash, and I am left with a variety of this and that here and there. What both my yard and my laundry need is a good folding session. A deep clean, weeding, trimming, finished with some fresh baskets. But I do not exactly have the time or mental space to sit down and fold for hours. What I can manage at this point is just matching some socks.
The socks in my yard are the dark purple heuchera that repeat throughout all of the beds; the repetition brings a sense of coordination. Additionally, I have a pair of socks in the intent of my perennials; they are all pollinator-friendly, matching purpose throughout the yard. At the very least, my garden is simply an outfit that makes me happy, no matter how impractical. All it needs is a finishing pair of socks (or maybe a pair of holiday hanging baskets!)
The socks in your yard are the pieces this season that bring the outfit to completion. If your plants all match and grow in a straight line, then add a little sparkle to catch your eye. If your plants are seasonal and have gone to bed for the winter, then add the fashionable cut greens. If your garden is the bright orange that fails to entice holiday cheer, then add the ribbon that ties everything together with a bow.
So, when you’re ready to finish your stunningly fashionable outfit for the season, we will be here, folding socks to complete your garden. After all, folding is an art, and laundry is definitely necessary.
