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The concept of ironing seems simple enough, but many people forget that if you iron in the correct order, you're less likely to get wrinkles while you're ironing. Start with the smallest parts of a garment, such as the cuffs or collar, and proceed to the larger ones; this prevents wrinkles in the parts you've already pressed. Follow these steps for the best results when ironing a shirt or blouse:

1. Lay the shirt flat on the board and iron the underside of the collar first, working from the ends toward the center. (This prevents puckering.)

2. Iron the front side of the collar.

3. Iron the inside of the cuffs, flip them over, and iron the outside.

4. Slip the shoulder over the narrow edge of the board and iron towards the center; repeat on the other side.

5. Press the sleeves flat, working down from the top near the seam. (This creates a crease -- a classy and perfectly acceptable wrinkle -- down the sleeve.)

6. Iron the body of the shirt, starting on one side and continuing around to the other.

After you finish the body of the shirt, go back and press the collar one more time and any spots on the shirt that you may have missed or that have become wrinkled.

Shortcut: If you're in a rush or just can't stand to iron another thing, the shower method of wrinkle elimination just may be the ticket: Turn on the shower to the highest heat, let it run a few minutes, and then put your shirt (jacket, pants, skirt, or whatever) on a hanger. Let it hang on the pole for a few minutes, shut the water, and the hot steam should relax the fibers in the item so that the wrinkles steam right out.

Before you even start ironing, equip yourself with a reliable iron, ironing board, and ironing-board cover. Using the kitchen table instead of a board only makes the job harder and puts you and your clothes at risk. Here is your basic, no-frills, quick-and-efficient ironing strategy.

1. Start with garments that need the lowest heat setting, and then work your way up the dial.

   Switching between different types of fabric means you're sitting around waiting for the iron to cool down between settings, or burning or melting something with your impatience.

2. Do the fussy parts first - collars, yokes, cuffs, and waistbands.

3. Once the small stuff is out of the way, do the sleeves. Then work from one end of the garment to the other without skipping around.

   An iron with automatic shut-off can prevent a safety hazard if you should go to answer the phone or stir the tomato sauce mid job. Also, never leave a hot iron with the plate flat. After use, pour out any water and stand it on its heel on top of the washer or dryer with the cord well away from the hot side. Don't return the iron to a plastic organizing caddy until it's completely cool, or you'll have a meltdown on your hands.

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