Set the timer to 16 minutes

Online timer for 16 minutes

With the shirts laid out for the working week, start the countdown for sixteen minutes and leave the ironing area to handle another small job. The set window keeps the pile from quietly taking over the evening while the iron reaches a steady temperature. When the signal sounds, return ready to press collars, cuffs and front panels without having spent the waiting time hovering nearby.

A weekly shirt session can put you several rooms away from the phone, especially if you use the interval to pack lunches or tidy the kitchen. Background noise from an exhaust fan, television or evaporative cooler can easily cover a soft signal. Keep the alert device close enough to hear from where you will be, raise its volume beforehand, and avoid leaving it beside the humming appliance that is likely to mask it.

Leaving the shirts until the countdown ends also gives you a moment to judge how an Australian summer day is affecting the task. On a hot afternoon, use lighter pressure and hang each finished shirt immediately so steam and body heat do not make the work feel heavier. If possible, iron in a ventilated room and tackle cotton pieces first, before the space warms further and repeated passes become less comfortable.