Table of Contents:
1. So, I Moved and Forgot About Laundry?
2. The Great Laundry Basket Crisis of 2022
3. What You Actually Need (No, Really)
4. The Laundry Turtle: Is That a Pokémon?
5. Stuff Nobody Warned Me About (Soap Drama!)
6. IRL Laundry Tips (from Me and Jake)
7. Final Thoughts, and My Shrunken Sweater
Content:
1. So, I Moved and Forgot About Laundry?
Look, when I moved into my first apartment, I was all about #aesthetic. I had five throw pillows and zero forks. Priorities, right? But the wildest part? I completely forgot about laundry supplies. Like… all of it. Not just detergent (which I thought “just came with the rent”??), but the whole setup.
I ended up walking to the laundromat with my clothes in a Rite Aid bag. A Rite Aid bag!! It tore halfway down the street, and I spent fifteen minutes picking up mismatched socks off the sidewalk. The horror. This story still haunts me, and my friend Maria (Queen of Passive-Aggressive Eyebrow Raises) never lets me live it down.
2. The Great Laundry Basket Crisis of 2022
Here’s the thing: laundry baskets are weirdly…a big deal? Like, you never think you need one until your underwear is riding shotgun in the front seat of your car because you had nothing to carry it in (#TrueStory).
I tried using a cardboard box once (do not recommend—rain and cardboard are enemies), then tried one of those “vintage-chic” woven hampers. Cute but impossible to carry. It flopped like a sad plant.
That’s when I discovered the Laundry Turtle. I thought it was fake?? Honestly, I clicked the ad ‘cause I liked the name. Turns out it’s one of those smart collapsible baskets that folds flat and magically doesn’t take up half your closet. Kinda like if origami and a laundry bin had a baby.
3. What You Actually Need (No, Really)
If you’re settling into your first apartment and don’t wanna become that person in the building who air-dries jeans on the public stairwell…I’ve got you.
Here’s what helped me get my act together:
1. Collapsible laundry basket (aka Laundry Turtle, obvi)
2. Detergent (pods are easy, but powder is cheaper ¯\_(ツ)_/¯)
3. Dryer sheets or those bougie wool balls if you’re feeling crunchy
4. Delicates bag (I didn’t know this existed until after I fried a bralette)
5. A basic folding drying rack (mine doubles as a towel fort)
And maybe like, some dignity.
Speaking of collapsible laundry baskets, I didn’t realize just how much space I was wasting until I made the switch. I live in a glorified shoebox (a.k.a. my “charming studio”), and the fact that I can flatten the Laundry Turtle and shove it between the fridge and the wall is honestly game-changing. If you’re also figuring out how to maximize your very limited square footage, this whole breakdown on small space-friendly laundry solutions is worth a read—especially if you, like me, end up storing snacks above your closet.
4. The Laundry Turtle: Is That a Pokémon?
When I tell you I thought this was a joke product… Yeah. I mean, the name does sound like a Gen Z animated sidekick. (“Laundry Turtle, I choose you!”) But nope, it’s a soft-sided, foldable laundry basket that you can literally flatten and store under your bed.
My buddy Jake (who once washed an entire load with dish soap because “soap is soap”) borrowed mine once and kept it for a week. He claims he “needed to run tests.” Bro. Just say you liked it.
It’s sturdy, weirdly easy to carry with one hand (even with a load of towels), and folds tighter than skinny jeans in 2010. I can’t believe I care this much about a laundry thing, but here we are.
Also, if you’re new to laundry gear (and life in general, tbh), it’s worth knowing that collapsible baskets are just one part of the laundry essentials ecosystem. I went down a rabbit hole one night and found this list of must-have laundry accessories that legit made my life easier—like mesh sorter bags and those funky folding boards. Ten points to Gryffindor if you already knew laundry tongs were real things.
5. Stuff Nobody Warned Me About (Soap Drama!)
Can we talk about how complicated detergent options are now? Liquid, pods, scent beads, Oxi boosters, detergent for darks, detergent for brights, detergent for people who only wear beige—it’s a lot.
I once used way too much of a lavender-scented detergent and basically got high off my own hoodie. Every time I wore it, people asked, “Did you just leave Bath & Body Works?” Not cute.
Also, hot take: people who don’t clean the lint trap in shared dryers deserve minor inconveniences forever. May your Netflix always buffer at 98%.
6. IRL Laundry Tips (from Me and Jake)
Okay, here’s some non-expert-but-experienced advice. Take it or leave it, but hey—don’t say I didn’t warn you.
– Don’t mix your colors and whites unless you specifically want everything pink.
– Use less detergent than you think. More soap ≠ cleaner clothes.
– Never, under any circumstance, try to dry those rubber-backed bath mats. They will melt. And smell like defeat.
– If you live above someone sensitive to noise (hi Lisa!) don’t run your spin cycle at 1 a.m.
Also—don’t laugh—but throwing in a towel with your jeans actually helps them dry faster. Learned that from a Reddit thread I definitely went too deep on.
7. Final Thoughts, and My Shrunken Sweater
I’ll end this chaos with a confession: I ruined my favorite sweatshirt (a gray oversized number that said “SARCASM: JUST ONE OF MY MANY TALENTS”) because I didn’t know you couldn’t dry wool. Still mourning that one.
Honestly though, laundry is one of those adulting things that sneaks up on you. Like taxes or realizing your fridge has drawers for specific vegetables. So yeah, learn from me. Don’t let your undies become public street art.
You? Got any laundry ‘uh-oh’ moments? Or like, weird laundry hacks you swear by? Hit me up—I’m all ears and spilled detergent.
(And if you want to check out this Laundry Turtle thing I couldn’t shut up about, well, here’s the link. I get zero commission, just dummy-level satisfaction from folding it flat and feeling like a wizard.)
If you liked this rambling mess, maybe check out my other stuff? No pressure though. 😊