Full steam ahead

The music and displays in stores are telling us that the holidays are just around the corner (even though they seem to be around the corner earlier and earlier).  This means not only getting gifts and food in order but also making yourself and your home presentable for all the obligatory gatherings.

Don't get me wrong, I love the holiday spirit and many of the things this season brings, but it can also be a bit stressful.  Part of that stress, as I mentioned, is making yourself presentable.  I like dressing up now and then, but why do so many of those clothes require ironing?  Of all chores, my least favorite is ironing.  It takes too long and one quick mistake takes even longer to fix.  If you're lucky, the mistake is accidentally ironing in a crease where there shouldn't be one, and then you spend the next 15 minutes trying to iron it out.  At worse, you burn, melt, or find another way to ruin the fabric.

My intense dislike of ironing is why I finally got a steamer.  I've spent many occasions watching wardrobe stylists easily steam the most wrinkled clothes into the smoothest garments and actually been jealous of them for succeeding where I have failed.  I don't have the money or space to get one of those professional stand up steamers, but I've found a portable one that works quite well.

What's great about this Conair steamer is, unlike most other handheld/portable steamers, you can hold it at any angle.  Because most others are designed slightly like a tea kettle, you have to hold those upright or the water drips out.  The Conair steamer not only lets me set up and pull my clothes however it works best to get the wrinkles out, but I can steam my couch or bedsheets while they're on my bed, if I'm really trying to impress people with my tidiness.  Let's be honest though, I doubt I'd ever be that particular about how my place looks, but it's nice to know I can be if needed.

So with all the prep for the holidays coming up, it's nice to know I won't have to worry about the ironing.  Now if only they could also develop a simpler, faster, and less stressful way to travel during the holidays.