One thing that I had to get used to Sweden was the laundry setup. I know that a lot of homes have their own washing machines and dryers but their own washers and dryers but people that live in apartments have a system where a room in the basement is allocated and you get a time slot that you can choose to do your laundry whenever it’s free.
I never really gave it that much thought but it really is serious business here!
Take up someone else’s time, forget to clean the dog hair out of the washing machine or clean the dryer filter and the neighbours tend to look down on you like you have kept them up after a late party.
One thing that I have found myself doing is actually washing more than I have to. Here in this apartment block the allocated time to complete your laundry is five hours. You would think this would be ample time but you are clock watching constantly. Down the basement dead on 12pm, tutting if the person inside is still there. But the fact that I get around two or three laundry slots a week finds that I am washing the same clothes three times a week! It’s odd but that is just the pattern that I have found myself in.
It’s become quite a pattern, cleaning out the system to ensure that all of the dog hair is gone; if I leave any in the filter I’m feeling guilty about the possibility of my neighbours getting it on their clothes. Back in the UK when I used to use the laundrette I really did not have any feelings or thought about cleaning the dryer out or even the washing machine. But here it’s the opposite I clean it like a soldier cleaning his boots.
The laundry started out as a simple task of washing clothes. But now it’s turned into something of a ritual. I have my own little tricks and traits that I adhere to and when I do get a washing machine and dryer it’s simply not going to be the same.
I enjoy it!
