Do you like to air your dirty laundry or do you prefer to keep it in the hamper?

@jesssp (2712)
Canada
October 22, 2009 1:37pm CST
I mean that figuratively of course! Are you the type of person to tell anyone who will listen all your woes or do you keep a lid on it? I know someone who likes to tell people all their problems, if they'll listen then this person will tell them. I'm definitely not that kind of person, I am very private. I think that it's different online where you're as anonymous as you want to be but I can't imagine telling people I work with etc. about all of my problems and issues. What type of person are you? Do you like to tell a lot of different people about your problems face to face, do you reserve it for online or do you keep your lips sealed?
3 people like this
17 responses
@Sandra1952 (6047)
• Spain
23 Oct 09
Hello, Jesssp. I tend to get people spilling their life stories and there woes to me, simply because I'm a good listener and I don't pass on things which are obviously private. For myself, though, I definitely keep the laundry in the hamper! I have a trusted friend and a couple of family members I discuss really private things with, and I can talk to my husband about almost everything, so I feel I have enough backup when I need it. Even if I didn't, I don't think I could air my problems to all and sundry. As far as online revelations go, I may vent about something, or use my experiences to try and help someone who is troubled, but I'm quite careful what I say online. There's obviously a degree of anonymity, but if there's something I don't want to discuss with those closest to me, I don't feel it's appropriate to discuss it online either. That's just my take on things - I'm not saying that those who react otherwise are wrong, just that we all do what's best suited to our circumstances and personality.
@jesssp (2712)
• Canada
23 Oct 09
I am much the same way. I have a few people I trust with private matters and other than that I tend to keep my lips zipped. I don't mind listening to other people's problems sometimes but am not the type who really seeks advice from people I don't know very well. I'm also pretty careful online. I imagine I'm pretty anonymous but you still never know so I tend to keep details vague and I don't discuss really intimate details about myself. I try to keep in mind that whatever I share here or in my blog becomes public information so if I really don't want people I know or knew to read about it then I just don't write about it.
• United States
22 Oct 09
I too am a very private person, my business is my business and I like it that way because being private like I am it keeps my life drama free. There is one person who I have been friends with for about fifteen years now and she is the only person that I will share any personal business with but I know that she won't tell anyone else and even at that there are still certain things that I don't tell her either. there are just some things that are meant to be kept to yourself. The thing I hate is when you go onto places like Myspace or Facebook and see that people are airing the dirties over these social networking sites for everyone to see. I mean I think it is funny and don't mind reading it but in the same I think it is the wrong place to put your business. And then these people wonder why the talk around town is all about them and why their lives are so full of drama.
1 person likes this
@jesssp (2712)
• Canada
22 Oct 09
Don't even get me started on Facebook! I have a few select people I talk to about private stuff but other than that I keep it under my hat. I try to always pause and think what would happen if other people heard about what I said to someone, if there's a possibility that it would be bad then I just don't say anything.
• India
23 Oct 09
It depends really on the type of laundry I have and the degree of dirtiness LOL. I admit that I love gossiping with colleagues and for that, one needs to share some part of their lives with each other. So the common topics like kids and food and school and the occasional tiff with hubby all goes under gossips but the more intimate ones are definitely no-no. as for online, yes, the anonymity it provides is wonderful but I somehow don’t feel like sharing my most private thoughts and incidents online…I don’t know why but I kind of feel that the privacy is gone once I speak out about them to somebody else, even if online.
@jesssp (2712)
• Canada
23 Oct 09
I agree, once something is out it's out - whether it's out of your mouth to someone or just online. Plus you never know who might read it, one never knows how anonymous they really are (I learned that with my blog)! I will share the good stuff with people and I will talk about that not so good stuff sometimes but for the most part I would rather people not know about my business.
@cbeee3 (2061)
• India
22 Oct 09
I don't keep my lips sealed, nor do I wash my dirty linen in public. I choose the middle ground. I try to keep most things and issues to myself, as I don't like other people to worry about my problems. But sometimes if I am too stressed, I do find comfort in opening up to my loved ones. Venting can really help. Else, I might feel like I will explode at any point in time.. Not a good feeling at all..
@jesssp (2712)
• Canada
22 Oct 09
I think the middle is usually the best place to be.
@jesssp (2712)
• Canada
24 Oct 09
Ya, I think that's really the difference. It's not so much that they're talking about themselves so much, it's that they're always whining about everything.
@cbeee3 (2061)
• India
23 Oct 09
Yeah! But there are people who keep mopping all the time. That irritates me at times. I mean, we may have 100 other things to worry about, they should at least ask us if we have a few minutes and can hear them out. It irritates me when people crib all the time and think that only they have problems in the world.
• India
23 Oct 09
they have febreze spray for the air and fabric but there is one for the air that smells not girly for once.its called rocky springs i think.it smells like mens cologne to me.air wick plug ins work wellthat have essential oils in them.try one thats water based i think its called like fresh waters or something dont remember.get a spray bottle feel it with some liquid fabric softner and water or laundry detergent and shake it up and spray it on fabrics in your room,they do sell flameless candles you can buy sodont have to light them,they have febreze candles.try like a clean linen orcotton scent you can get in glade fabric and air spray and laying dryer sheet under your pillow and different areas.or by the air vent will help
@jesssp (2712)
• Canada
23 Oct 09
You need to read the actual discussions before you reply to them, not just the title. This response has absolutely nothing to do with the topic.
• United States
23 Oct 09
I think I am quite open, too much so sometimes, but I do tend to be a little more selective who I tell personal things to now. There are certain things which I have deliberately been very open about which are quite personal - for example, most people around me know that I had an eating disorder for 12 years. But this is for a reason. I run a recovery support group in my church and when we started it I spoke in my church about my own experience, because I wanted people who might come to know it would be a safe place where there were people who understood from experience. I also do a fair bit of issue based theatre and so a lot of myself often goes into that, and I suppose I express things more that way than directly talking. I have one very close friend who truly knows EVERYTHING about me!
• Philippines
23 Oct 09
I don't usually tell other people my problems, not even to my friends because I want to solve it without the help of other people. I'm a very secretive person. But sometimes I need to release the tension and what I'm feeling inside so I tell it to my boyfriend and closeist friends and write here on mylot. I'm a good listener than a talker so my friends usually come to me when they need someone to listen to them and it helps also the other way around.
@ersmommy1 (12588)
• United States
23 Oct 09
I am more the in the hamper person. If I vent/air, it is generally only to my mom or hubby. But I do try and keep an open ear to friends. A person never knows when they may really need help.
• United States
24 Oct 09
I guess I do air my fair share of dirty laundry. But honestly I don't have a life I'm a SAHM mostly & it gets awfully lonely especially when your best conversations are all with lil folks under age 7. I'm starved for some friendship. I do say alot more online than I do IRL & you are right being anonoymous helps.... but eventually someone knows you pretty well in time even if they don't know you by your real IRL name. I love general topics to chat about. Sometimes I worry I'm turning into my mom she'd walk up to strangers in stores and chit chat with them once in a while. Now that I have kids I"m used to old ladies pestering me about my kids ect so no big deal. But to bug someone about a coupon they should of had today ect no...
@Hatley (163776)
• Garden Grove, California
22 Oct 09
hi jessp oh I come on mylot at times and cry on all your shoulders but I am pretty private. I only talk about my problems to my son and to my best friend. I do not tell my whole life history to the people I live with hereits nobody's business but mine.
@jesssp (2712)
• Canada
24 Oct 09
Places like this are nice because people really do offer a lot of support and for the most part they are able to give an unbiased opinion.
@dawnald (85146)
• Shingle Springs, California
22 Oct 09
I tell people things if I need help figuring things out. But I don't tell everything to everybody. Just certain people that I trust. I probably do talk too much about personal things here on the lot though.
@jesssp (2712)
• Canada
23 Oct 09
I think talking about things can definitely help sort it out. But some people love to tell everyone their woes just to hear themselves talk. I think that places like this are a great place to get unbiased opinions, and they can be as anonymous as you make them.
1 person likes this
@maezee (41988)
• United States
22 Oct 09
LOL Here I was getting all excited to talk about my laundry habits! I talk, but I don't blab and I tend to listen more than talk about myself. I'm better at it - I don't really like venting to others about my private life (unless they're very close to me - or like you said, online - where you don't know them in person). I also think it should be noted that there should be a median in between "airing your dirty laundry" and "keeping it in the hamper". Keeping in the "hamper" (keeping it bottled up), obviously isn't a good thing..But "airing your dirty laundry" - talking TOO much and not keeping ANYTHING to imagination is not a good thing either. I think we need to know when to talk to others and when to figure things out on our own. That's just my opinion though, if it makes any sense!
@jesssp (2712)
• Canada
22 Oct 09
LOL, I guess I may have been a little too flowery with my title! I think I meant the hamper included those close to you, or online but just not everyone and anyone. But you're right, keeping everything completely bottled up would actually be worse than letting it all out at regular intervals! I vent to my mom, my husband and close friends but I don't talk about personal stuff with people I don't know very well.
1 person likes this
@happy6162 (3001)
• United States
23 Oct 09
I do not tell everything about my problems to people. I have always been a shy person and do not like to tell everything about myself to people I do not know in person or even online. No, I do not like to tell different people about all my problems.
@killersss (638)
• India
23 Oct 09
i prefer to tell them rite away, i think keeping them with you will create problems later so i am a person that tell the mistake or anything that i feel about the other person on his face and not keep it for later references.
@weasel81 (2496)
• Australia
23 Oct 09
just depends, if i know the person well enough i'll talk. talking can help sort out problems, by chucking round ideas. i mainly talk to my boss and work mate about things, and we usually end up with a good laugh about it. then it's good online cause none of us can see each other and we can share experiences. just read my other posts on what i'll say about my partner. i know my aunt bottles it up and it doesn't do her much good.
@ANTIQUELADY (36440)
• United States
22 Oct 09
I think there is a time & a place for everyting & certain people u talk to about most anything but just to air your dirty laundry to everyone is uncalled for. I don't think most people would be very interested in hearing all that to start with.
@leahsmom (337)
• United States
22 Oct 09
I only air it online no one knows the real me so I feel free.