In 2002, I had a special needs child who was getting ready for open heart surgery, a four year old, and three step-children. My life felt out of control! I called a friend to process all that I was going through. She said, “Sara, how is your laundry?” I replied, “It is OUT of control. There are piles everywhere.” She wanted me to focus on getting my laundry under control. I did! By the end of the day, ALL of our laundry had been washed, dried, folded and put away. Had my situation changed? No…I still had 5 children, but my life felt more in control. As I talk with other people, I have noticed that laundry could be an indicator of how much we feel in control of our lives (especially for women). When our laundry is done, we feel more in control. It is great to wake up each morning and have clean clothes to wear.
As I was writing the curriculum for Money & ME, I realized that helping people get control of their laundry would help them gain control of their lives. How could a person work on a budget, when they had a hard time with his or her laundry? It seemed simple….For me, it was relatively simple. I owned a washer and dryer and just had to walk through my kitchen to accomplish my task. How much more challenging it is to pack up dirty laundry and go to a laundromat. As I began to think of the challenges people have when they don’t own their own washer and dryer:
- Having the money, ESPECIALLY CHANGE to get laundry done (average $5.00 per load)
- Being able to carry laundry to laundromat
- Taking children with you
- Having the time to wait while your clothes are washing drying.
So I challenge you, if you feel your life is out of control to look at your laundry. Help others who may be struggling. Even now, I strive to stay in control of my own laundry and it helps me mentally stay in control of other areas of my life. Go do a load of laundry today!