Dear Laundry,
It’s clear that things have changed.
You no longer have that large and cozy second floor room all to yourself. I’ve taken away the luxury ‘large’ American sized washer and dryer and replaced them with smaller, more compact versions that (truth be told) don’t dry nearly as well as our last pair of the same brand.
I no longer immediately take you out of your roomy dryer- drum and place you in a basket or toss you in the hallway for all the world to see. It’s enough I have to empty that water tank reservoir! But wait. Enough about me.
You’re now stuck in the main floor laundry room cut off from us all. I make ‘piles’ – a system only I understand- and I am sorry. You’re being neglected.
Where you once sat around in the middle of things on our second floor hallway, you now sit and wait on the laundry table collecting lint fuzz. Or worse yet- the floor. I know I know! I’m a monster! Gah! At least there was carpet.. before…
I’m also sorry that I no longer have my Charlie’s Soap for rolling around luxuriously. We had a great run for four years with the good stuff, and now I am buying a powder that I have no idea if it’s even the right kind for the machine- or for you. In fact, I don’t even know if I’m using it right. I just scoop it out and toss it in. I am too lazy to Google translate the instructions. But don’t you think adding detergent should be a universal skill?
Worst of all… I have humiliated you. For the first time in the years that I have been doing my own laundry, I have screwed up the whites/darks thing. It never used to be an issue back home as we only washed in cold. Here, I do not understand the dials and just throw it on whatever in order to accomplish the goal of cleaning you. I have ruined a lovely wool Brooks Brothers sweater of my husbands, a white polo from his place of employment, and numerous pairs of my white underwear (lesson here- I will only buy myself black from here on out). I am sorry. Laundry, I have failed you.
I know this is why you are lashing out. Consuming the socks from the boys. I get it. I do.
I hope you saw my last ditch-pathetic effort at reconciliation this week in my attempt to wash every article of clothing we own and put it away. I tried. I really did. Here we are two days later and … I know. I am back to my old ways.
Please accept my Valentine’s wishes even though I know I’ve been a miserable partner. All I ask in return is that you stop bleeding the darks on the whites in the wash.
xo
{ 10 comments… read them below or add one }
This made my day. I would freak out if I had to contend with Euro laundry.
It isn’t the most fun I’ve ever had- that’s for sure
I don’t even want to think about the size of those piles once the boys are older. You should teach them how to wash their own clothes now.
As soon as they can reach the buttons and not mess with the dials- it is ON.
Ugh! Our house had a teeny washer and dryer when we first moved it. It was tough! And replaced quickly. I feel your pain!
I wouldn’t mind as much if the dryer just dried. But that’s how it is here. Not so much fun when you have 5 people to wash for. What am I supposed to do with damp clothing?!
Oh how I rejoiced in doing laundry upon my return to the States. It’s practically fun to have a dryer and not have to dry my undies on a rack in the kitchen. You’ll get the hang of it. Or not. It’s kind of a continuos battle. Good luck!
That visual made me laugh- because I so get it!!!! I bet I will be feeling like a queen once I’m back washing in the states
The liquids are better than powders, also they are way more concentrated than in the US. The Ariel is a good equivalent to Tide, or Persil. Be careful that you’re not using ‘wasverzachter’ rather than ‘wasmiddel’, that’s fabric softener.
Also I’ve heard Charlie’s is sold by some diving shops, as its recommended for washing wetsuits…
GOOD TO KNOW!
And I did buy the liquid once- went though it so fast my head spun. I am going to look into the Charlie’s here- thank you!