Suitcase, Wrinkles, and Me: A Personal Take on clothes Steamers
Have you noticed that when packing your luggage before a trip, you always feel that you can control everything? Every time I am full of confidence, thinking that this time I must be an organized person. What's the result? The clothes were still just thrown in, and the shoes and socks were mixed together. Finally, when the box was closed, I told myself, "It's okay. I'll sort them out when I get to the hotel anyway."
When I arrived at the hotel and opened the suitcase, the first thing I saw was not the beautiful scenery but the shirt I had originally intended to wear for the photo shoot, which was wrinkled like it just came out of the dryer. Isn’t that annoying? Sometimes I really wonder if the clothes had a party in my suitcase, and came out looking hungover.
Wrinkled clothes, wrinkled mood.
Once in Bangkok, I landed at three in the morning and had to meet a client early the next morning. I also deliberately brought a white shirt, thinking, "This time I have to look sharp." When the box was opened, the shirt was wrinkled like a road map. There's a line for the hotel iron. There's a guy in front of you who ironed five T-shirts at once. I can only wear the "crumpled look" to meet people. The way the clients look at me is as if they are saying, "Did you just roll out of bed?" At that moment, I really wanted to go back in time and pack better.
Steam irons: Saviors for the Lazy or New Troubles?
Then I was browsing online and came across someone recommending a travel clothes steamer. At first, I thought this thing was similar to an ordinary iron. But when I bought it, I found that it was even lighter than my water bottle. The small steam ironing machine of Nesugar has a round design and looks like a toy when held in hand. The first time you use it, add too much water and it leaks, too little and it runs out before you’re done steaming. I plugged it in and waited for a long time only to find that no water had been added. I almost thought it was broken. Talk about a rookie mistake.
But seriously, this thing works quite well. In just three minutes, a T-shirt can transform from a wrinkled mess to something I could actually wear. Once in a hostel, at two o'clock in the morning, I was ironing clothes in the corridor while FaceTiming a friend. Suddenly, a German guy from next door came out and took a look at me. I guess he thought I was up to some kind of high-tech gadget.
Purchase? Just wing it! Usage? It all depends on guessing!
If you ask me how to choose a steam ironing machine? I really have no experience. Anyway, I bought it just because it looked good to me. The name Nesugar sounds like sugar, but it's quite cute anyway. Whether it's heating speed, water tank capacity or voltage compatibility, I just hoped for the best. When in use, there are no real method to it. Just hang up the clothes, add water at will, plug in the power and start steaming. Cotton, linen and blended ones, I use it on all of them. After steaming, there were still some water stains on this little one. I thought about using a hair dryer to dry it off, but surprisingly, there weren’t any water spots at all. It was really surprising.
Sometimes I would also use the steamer on curtains, sheets, even my travel stuffed animals. A friend said I have a little OCD. Actually, I just think that since it’s already plugged in, might as well steam everything. After all, hey, steam’s free.
The sense of occasion in travel? In fact, it's just about being able to meet people
Do you think traveling should have a little travel ritual? I think being able to smooth out the clothes is already doing myself a favor. Even if I were ironing clothes in the hotel bathroom in the early hours of the morning with dark circles under my eyes, I still felt that life’s not so bad. Fortunately, there's that little Nesugar steamer, who's even more reliable than myself. Every time I finish using it, looking at that smooth shirt in the mirror makes me feel a little better.
True Story: The "Shining Moment" of Steam Irons
The most outrageous one was in the Moroccan desert. At the bonfire party in the evening, all the clothes smelled of smoke. Early the next morning, I ran the steamer over everything. The smell was gone and my clothes were wrinkle-free. All my friends who were with me thought I was secretly doing laundry in the middle of the night. In fact, I just brought an extra "little guy" compared to them.
Another time in San Francisco, my friend's dress was wrinkled and she was about to be late. I came to the rescue at the last minute and finished it in three minutes. She was so moved that she jokingly said she owed me big time (of course, it was just empty talk).
Life, don't take it too seriously
Actually, I have no clue about fabric types or temperature settings. I just steamed it randomly. If I burn a T-shirt once in a while, so what? Nothing’s perfect. Being able to smooth out the clothes is already a win in my book.
Summary? Actually, I can’t really explain it either
If you ask me whether a steam ironing machine is worth buying or not? All I can say is that one day, when you’re in a new city, dressed sharp, walking into a coffee shop, latte in hand, looking out the window, you’ll get why this little ritual matters. Don’t let wrinkled clothes ruin your trip. Life can actually be very simple - as long as you’re willing to bring that little steamer along for the ride.
