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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to pay someone to do my laundry?

54 replies

Izzybuzzybuzzybees · 16/10/2012 15:14

I am 36 weeks pregnant with excruciating SPD and a newly diagnosed chest infection. I feel like shit and the laundry like is now no longer a pile but a huge bloody mountain or two if I am honest.

I have been looking online and found a few laundrette type places that offer what they call a service wash. They claim to pick up, wash, dry, fold and deliver back to me all for the price of around £8 a bag.

AIBU to consider and pay to get this done when I'm on mat leave and skint. I just can't see me catching up at all!

OP posts:
charlottehere · 16/10/2012 16:56

Of course YANBU. Do it. Smile

WitchesTitWhistles · 16/10/2012 16:56

Go for it. I know someone who is in supported living and they have a laundry company come pick up all his bedding (he basically needs clean bedding on every day) on a Monday and bring it back clean pressed and folded and smelling gorgeous on a Thursday. For about £12. I'd do it if I could afford it

Laquitar · 16/10/2012 18:06

Do you mean really skint or 'not comfortable'?

I'm asking because if not really skint it might be better to add another £7-£10 and have a teenager to come and do some hoovering/mopping as well as the laudry. And he/she will take it upstairs too.

Original poster
Izzybuzzybuzzybees · 16/10/2012 18:35

No not properly skint...yet! My mat pay this Month and next is fine, in fact this month is higher than my normal cos of NHS weird ways of working things.

I don't know any teenagers or your idea would have been good laquitar

Bathroom could do with a good once over, my DH did it last week but didn't do the shower cubicle! At all!

OP posts:
forevergreek · 16/10/2012 19:45

You could always try a cleaning company. Most charge around £8 per hour and will do washing etc as well as any cleaning. If you have a tumble dryer, I would consider getting someone in say for 5 hours (£40)- say 9am-2.

They will stick everything in to wash/ dry/ then iron what's needed and put away ( works best if your machine has a quick wash- most have a 40 ish min cycle)

Whilst the machines are going they will also Hoover/ mop/ clean bathroom/ kitchen or whatever you need doing. I would just say washing is priority but in between can they get x, y and z done if poss ( x being most urgent)

Original poster
Izzybuzzybuzzybees · 16/10/2012 20:03

Hmmm I like that idea but I think I'd feel a it odd getting a cleaning company in just for washing!

OP posts:
JennaLemon · 16/10/2012 20:06

no you are not. I think it is the best ten euro I spend all week and I would rather give up three takeaway lattes a week before I give up handing over my laundry !!

I STILL hate putting it away though! if only they'd come to your house and do that for you. grrr. sometimes i only put the last bag away when I collect the mmost recent bag.

JennaLemon · 16/10/2012 20:07

ps, you don't have to justify how skint or well off you are!!

people can choose what they spend their money on. I would rather save it elsewhere. even if you haven't got two farthings to rub together, still outsource your laundry i say. I'm amazed more people don't do it.

Joiningthegang · 16/10/2012 20:09

Go for it - will be such a weight off your mind x

Good luck with your new baby x

lisalisa · 16/10/2012 20:13

Only read OP but goodness me why would you be being unreasonable to do that ?? Iin fact please share the telephone number ! Sorry to hear you are ill OP and considering you are about to give birth too , get that laundry out of your house pronto!

lisalisa · 16/10/2012 20:15

Wow Astelia - you are a genuis!! I always separate my family's load though - if I put white knickers in with black tights on a low wash - say 40C would the knickers get dyed?

Titsalinabumsquash · 16/10/2012 20:18

Izzy - as you know I'm in the same position and I would currently kill for a local company to do my laundry, it's one of those things that once you get so far behind its near on impossible to catch up when your immobilised. Go for it! Smile

ACupOfTeaAndANiceSitDown · 16/10/2012 20:24

I took inspiration from this thread and e-mailed a local laundrette to ask about them picking up, doing service washes and dropping off. They rang me straight away and I've negotiated a bulk rate, haha. I don't know whether to be proud of this or ashamed we have so much laundry that it's needed...

(Oh and for anyone I know reading this, yes it's me and I did just put this in a Facebook group. )

VerySmallSqueak · 16/10/2012 20:25

I think the fact that it is so time consuming to get on top of it is what clinches the deal.As someone else said,as you're catching up,more is being made.

Start afresh and keep on top of it.Try to minimise the amount of washing you're doing as of course there'll be more when the baby comes.

Original poster
Izzybuzzybuzzybees · 16/10/2012 20:51

A bulk rate acupof that makes me feel pretty good! I still bet mines is way more than yours.

Ive found a company that seem good and have been helpful with my emails back and forth so were going to go for it. At present the mountains are taking over the nursery and so if it's all out we can get things organised a bit better. Just need to organise a pick up and see whether I'm meant to sort it out before handing it over.

Yay! My first AIBU and it looks like general consensus is I'm not! That alone is quite thrilling!

OP posts:
ACupOfTeaAndANiceSitDown · 16/10/2012 21:02

Yup. £20 for three bin bags and then £5 for each one after that.

Ours has built up to epic proportions as I was very ill earlier on this year and DP had to work full-time, look after DS and care for me. Housework took a back seat. We have a 3rd bedroom that has become the junk room and there are at least 10 bin bags of clothes in there. Then there are clothes in the bedroom and clothes in a pile in the kitchen.

Original poster
Izzybuzzybuzzybees · 16/10/2012 21:13

Sounds like a good deal then. I was quoted between 30-40 for 6 bin bags full, I haven't yet out the clothes in bags so don't know how many I will end up with!

I'm going for it the minute I have email clarification of a few things :)

OP posts:
Original poster
Izzybuzzybuzzybees · 16/10/2012 21:14

*put not out

OP posts:
Soditall · 16/10/2012 21:49

Is there no family or friends that would do it for you?

Just thinking it would save you some money.

I would for a friend if they needed me to. I've had SPD horrible and painful I hope you feel better soon.

PoppyScarer · 16/10/2012 21:55

I only had to do it once, earlier in the summer, but it sorted my laundry backlog instantly.

Cost me £17.

Possibly the best £17 I ever spent. Seriously.

Do it!

FWIW, I take DH's work shirts to the dry cleaner weekly, have done since DC2 was born. Costs £11 pw and saves so much arse ache it's untrue.

PoppyScarer · 16/10/2012 21:55

P.S. Hope you feel better soon!

quirrelquarrel · 16/10/2012 22:27

If you can afford it, do it and don't feel guilty Smile you don't feel well, so you need to take care of yourself. Plus you're giving other people work and it's not like it's dirty work! (sorry, that's terrible)

RawShark · 16/10/2012 22:37

Do it. You have been ill - push the boat out!

Original poster
Izzybuzzybuzzybees · 16/10/2012 22:54

No family or friends that I'd ask. My MIL has done some in the past for us when machine was broken and I'm sure she would do some more if we asked but I just can't. I'm embarrassed its gotten so bad so even if she took a load or two it wouldn't make a dent. It's honestly got to the ridiculous stage and we have no hope of catching up without a huge amount of help.

OP posts:
Kiwiinkits · 16/10/2012 23:43

Go the whole hog and get a cleaner in too. Why the f**k not; you've got a good excuse. There's skint and there's skint, though. Presumably you've got enough money to pay the rent, buy some food, provide for your newborn?