Not sure if it's regional or not...but the counter is the thing you put your items on at the shop. 
My hubs calls the kitchen counters "the bench." I guess I'm used to that now, but I suppose it was strange at first.
I feel you on the laundry thing, that was the bain of my existence. I have barely ironed anything in my life, and I certainly didn't expect to be a slave to the iron when I moved here! (Hello? Doesn't anyone else "fluff" things in the dryer?
) We hung our clothes outside or over the radiators. On the radiator meant they were crunchy and pretty much had to be ironed in order to be wearable. I absolutely hated that and it was such a huge problem for me that hubs bought a dryer with our credit card to keep me from going insane.
He irons all his own stuff - which includes jeans and t-shirts. I will never understand the British obsession with ironing. But I do understand not always using the dryer to save money and the environment (we do hang our sheets and towels and things outside when we can).
