I always hated to do laundry.  When I was growing up, we learned early how to do laundry.  Our washer and dryer were in the basement, in the room with the sump pump (which always freaked me out), the utility sink, the extra freezer and the dreaded ironing board.

I look back now and realize how lucky we were.  Not everyone had washers AND driers.  Often only a washer.  I would give anything to have an actual “utility sink” now and while I truly hate to iron, its something that every boy and girl should learn how to do.

Being the only girl to a working mother, she taught me how to do laundry fairly early.  “Separate the colors from the whites”; “pre-soak the laundry in the utility sink if there is a stain”.   My mom had some friend who sold Amway, so we used Amway Laundry Detergent way back in the early 70’s before I understood what a Pyramid Scheme was.  It makes sense now, though, why my mom avoided that woman like the plague after some time.  Learning to iron, I recall spending hours in the basement, in poor lighting, practicing by ironing my dads hankerchieves and boxer shorts.

But the laundry basket was the most memorable thing of all.  After I moved out of the house, first off to school, then home, then out again and being in a position where I had to do my own laundry, I have gone through many iterations of the perfect laundry basket.  NONE of them held up to the laundry basket my mom had.  One could draw an analogy to Goldie Locks; One was too small, One was too plastic, One was too floppy.  There was no laundry basket that fit the bill of the one my mother had.  Her laundry basket was round, not oval as many wicker ones today are.  The handles were also wicker and weaved into the basket.  It was hand-made, not machined so the weave was perfectly done for each individual piece of wood.  It was smooth on the inside and out, almost as though it was oiled, not made of rough, cheap wood like the ones found today so it didn’t pull on your clothing and over time it weathered and gained a patina.

When I bought my first house my mom gave me her old laundry basket.  It was like giving laundry a new life.  It’s the perfect size, a large opening, wicker, sturdy handles.   This laundry basket was purchased by my mother in the early 1950’s after my parents built the home I grew up in in 1948 and were preparing to start a family.  I have had it for over 30 years and have hauled laundry to and from laundry mats, up and down stairs, raised 2 kids who never wear the same pair of jeans 2 days in a row in addition to beach towels and more.  Last year one of the handles came apart and I have actually considered finding someone to put a new one on.

Yes, it may be an odd thing to get attached to, but I must say if you had the same laundry basket I do, you would nod in understanding.  And heck, its over 60 years old!  At this rate, it may become one of my kids…..

Imagine that – a hand-me-down laundry basket.