I spent $300 sending my clothes to the laundromat!
By myluv4yesash
@myluv4yesash (418)
United States
July 16, 2007 6:39pm CST
Ok, we have a small apartment. Our washing machine is a pest, it's so small you can only put the tops like 15 pieces or something. Then you can't wash and dry together. Having 4 people in the house it makes it extremely busy to keep up. Two being kids, and two being us adults. I work long days and the last thing I want to do is come home at 7 oclock and do laundry. I've tried everything. I've put everyone on a weekly schedule. I've had them march and do their laundry once is getting 1/2 full, their hampers that is. We just can't keep up the pattern! What's wrong here? I mean, I've spent $100-$150 or maybe even $180, but $300 is the most I've spent! I almost passed out when the guy told me the total. What are your strategies on laundry? If you have a big family what are your ideas on this laundry business. We all hate it, but we have to do it! This spending $300 bucks is not happening again. We are guilty, if we had taken it before it hit so many loads, maybe it wouldn't be that much. Oh well, what's done is done. Now I need HELP for future refference. Help me, help us.
4 people like this
7 responses
@mari_skye (1637)
• Philippines
17 Jul 07
Wow! That's a lot of money to spend on laundry but I do understand your situation. Being a busybody that I am too, sometimes the laundry just catches up on me. Good thing is that I live alone and that I have a washing machine that could take up 5 kilos of laundry. Also, when I really don't have to load the washing machine, I wash the delicates by hand. Maybe 5 or 10 pieces of delicate laundry in the morning and evening just before I take my shower. Then drip dry them in the bathroom. This helps, at least for me:P
@myluv4yesash (418)
• United States
17 Jul 07
I gotta give it to ya, it's really awesome that you take your time for the delicates. I try to, but sometimes I just end up throwing them in the wash on delicate. Of course it's never the same, and then I end up regretting it afterwards. Yes, that is alot of money, and the most I've spent so far at once. Oh well, it's a learning experience huh. I will try your strategy, I'll take them with me in the morning and after I shower I'll try to wash my delicates real quick. Keep your fingers crossed.
1 person likes this
@mari_skye (1637)
• Philippines
21 Jul 07
You go girl! I am keeping my figers crossed, LOL! And thanks for the BR:P
1 person likes this
@msmanners (24)
• United States
21 Jul 07
the only thing I can suggest is to look for a less expensive laundry mat. And you said you spent $100 to $150. Was that for the month or just for a week's worth of clothing? Cause that is a lot if it was for a week. Also, was this dry cleaning? Or just regular clothes that can go into a washing machine and dryer? otherwise...it is time to hit a coin operated laundry mat weekly.
@myluv4yesash (418)
• United States
22 Jul 07
Oh no god gees, lol, the last time I spent 100 to 150 dollars was for a months worth of clothes. That would've been so bad huh, if it was for just one week, lol. It was purely wash/dry/fold. I really don't have much stuff that need dry cleaning, thank god! I got the girls hampers and I have my own in my room. I gave them both laundry days and we are working to fix this and fast!
@34momma (13882)
• United States
18 Jul 07
i too a mother of three busy kids, but girl you have to make sure that home is taken cared of. that $300 could have went to something important or into your savings account. just like you make time take your children where they need to go, you have to make time to take care of your home. you just have to find your balance
@myluv4yesash (418)
• United States
17 Jul 07
but what about when you're loaded with work all week. I leave at 6:30 and get home at 7ish. By that time I'm beat and ready to retire. Not to mention afterschool activities for the kids which I attend. Also, weekend lacrosse practice. Then Sunday's I have church. It's like I have the time, but when I invest most of it else where, my home life gets neglected. Gees, makes me feel like someone is gonna end up sad next September. Maybe I need to cut down on activities. :(.
1 person likes this
@myluv4yesash (418)
• United States
18 Jul 07
I know I know, you're so right. I hate knowing that I did spent that money having all sorts of bills I could've taken care of rather than just on laundry. I will definitely try to do a schedule, it's too outtahand these days. I already got the girls their own hampers for their rooms. I'm assigning each a laundry day. I'm gonna have a bootcamp now, if you don't finish you're laundry, you won't have a life. I have to, all of you are so right! I am assigning laundry days tonight, and like I said, I got their laundry baskets yesterday. Please cross your fingers for me. I'm on my way to a successful laundry schedule!
@sugarfloss (2139)
• Malaysia
18 Jul 07
Ok,for starters maybe everyone should wear less clothes.How's that?Maybe cos it's summer won't help but why not wear one top for the day and another at night?Will that help?And how old are your kids?they can definitely help if they're young adults.Hope this helps!
1 person likes this
@myluv4yesash (418)
• United States
18 Jul 07
They are young adults! 17 going on 18 and 13 going on 14, and truly their excuses are, I'm tired because... I've had it, but being summer is worse, because you sweat more, and change often. As far as winter, I see no diffrence I think because sometimes it's the fact that they get all that mud slushy stuff from the snow. Gosh, it's a never ending battle! lol.
@ngobis (237)
• Philippines
17 Jul 07
I used to be in a situation like yours.Everyone is so busy, no one has time to do laundry, we end up using a laundromat and racking up a lot of money in laundry bills. So what we did,we invested in a very good washing machine that can take 10kg load. So since we have different schedules, we put our clothes in the machine in the morning before going to work, and whoever comes home first will have to remove the load and hang dry them. (a wash cycle takes about 2 1/2hrs). There was a bit of resistance at first, but when people at home realized that they were running out of clothes to wear, the had to pitch in and help.
2 people like this
@myluv4yesash (418)
• United States
17 Jul 07
I'm so glad I'm not alone in this. My parents were so angered by the fact that I dished out that amount of money. But it's like this, my mom is at home now and has the time for all these things. I have to keep reminding them that I've barely home. It's true though, the girls once they have nothing to wear they do panic and start throwing loads, but when they start panicking it's usually really late. By that time we have a massive amount of laundry piled up.
1 person likes this
@Bobbz21 (155)
• New Zealand
17 Jul 07
I will never pay $300 on getting my washing done, I have a big family and sometimes my laundry gets so full where I think about taking them to the laundry to get them washed and dried, but I wash and hang them myself. I normally leave my washing till the weekend as I work long hours and my children are at school, so yeah its pretty hard to keep up with the laundry and you can never rely on anyone to do it. I think its easier to put my laundry on before I go to sleep and hang them out when I wake in the morning before I go to work, but if I forget I leave it to the weekend.
@myluv4yesash (418)
• United States
18 Jul 07
I gotta hand it to you guys. You guys are awesome managing a huge family and still able to fit everything in. I am going to start dong that morning and late night thing, which I've done before, but haven't kept up with it. You know one time I put laundry in and left for work. Few hours after I got a call my my 2nd floor neighbor saying there was water coming from everywhere in the ceiling. Lol when I rushed home there was water everywere! I think that's probably why I stopped doing the early thing.
@Ejobsuccess (895)
• United States
17 Jul 07
There is no method to the madness but just grunt and bear the unpleaseant task of just doing it. But like you said once someone gets a load then they should do it. Maybe you can alternate days. But there is no good system any young buck is going to follow.But i like the effort and the idea. Now that you spent half of the utlilty bill money on catching up on clothers you can hopfully just maintain. Good Luck buddy!
@myluv4yesash (418)
• United States
17 Jul 07
Sucks, you know how it is. Exactly, I coulda invested that money into one of those massive bills I got. But whether I give it to keyspan or nstar or simply pay the laundry, it still needs to get done. I mean, had I not done it this way, my dad would've gotten a nice juice water bill, since I rent an apartment from him. No matter how you slice it, it's painful.
