Taking wash-day for granted...

When it comes to washing dirty clothes, it's something almost all of us have to do at some point. Usually as a young adult we learn how to do our own laundry. It's just one of those chores that has to be done! Even though laundry can be put off and left to stack up, it still has to eventually get done! Being a women mean that you are usually responsible for the household laundry needs. And every women needs a good washer and dryer at home so that laundry can be done more efficiently. We usually put ourselves on a wash-day schedule to keep up with the washing.

I was one of those women who took care of laundry religiously each week. I had a washer and dryer in a small washroom just off from my kitchen. Having raised two children along with a busy working husband, I've had to keep a schedule. At times it seemed I was always washing a load or two... Everyday! To be honest laundry has been a big part of my weekly housecleaning routine for many, many years. I never thought much about the actual luxury of being able to do my laundry at home. Occasionally I would go to the local laundry mat to wash oversized blankets and such but I never gave it much thought. Even when either my washer or dryer would go out, I'd just go out and buy another one.

Sometimes things can happen in ways you never expect. This is what happened to me. We decided to sell our home and relocate in the country. We had lots of house repairs and deep cleaning of our home to do before putting the house on the market. Along with all the cleaning and such, I also had to de-clutter or stage our home so that it looks presentable when we show it to potential buyers. Decluttering meant getting most of our stuff out of the house! Storage was my only option. While staging our home we decided to put the washer and dryer in storage. My washer and dryer didn't match and neither one looked good enough to show. I just thought I'd go to the laundry mat once a week until we get settled in our new place. It won't be long before we get settled, I thought. No big deal, right?

Boy was I wrong! I found out the very first week of my new laundry mat schedule that this would be an experience! First off laundry mats these days are filled to the hilt with people, kids, and pets! Just trying to find a parking spot to wash was hard! And here I thought I was getting a jump on everybody going early! Nope, as soon as the place opened people were already waiting to get in. Secondly, people can be so mean and rude and disrespectful of your stuff. I saw people take other peoples clothes out of washers or dryers because they didn't get their clothes fast enough after it finished the wash/dry cycle. I've seen arguments and fights, all while simply trying to do my laundry. Wash-day turned out to be a real nightmare. I wouldn't go to the laundry mat without my husband! It isn't safe! There have been robberies of not only the laundry mat but the customers too! And as much as I disliked going once a week, I kept my schedule at the laundry mat for months! It went on way longer than I wanted it to. I never expected laundry to be so stressful and traumatic! I found myself being very anxious when it came time to go to the laundry mat. Not to mention the expense and keeping up with quarters!

We eventually sold our home and moved. It didn't take us long to get back set up and back on a routine! Two weeks after we moved into our new home, I was able to get my washer and dryer put into my new washroom! It's a day worth remembering! Starting my laundry in my own home for the first time in months felt great. All the the anxiety I once had about my wash-day were gone! Finally, I was back to my old routine of wash-day at home! I look at wash-day now with a new appreciation! These days I'm more thankful when it comes to doing laundry. It is a real blessing to be able to do laundry in the comfort of you're home and at any time you see fit. I learned how big a blessing it was when I had to go to a laundry mat every week and deal with the crowds, broke machines, change, and anxiety. I look at the whole experience differently now. Never again will I take wash-day for granted!