Quarantine, but Make It Fun! (Bathtub Laundry Edition)

Hello Wanderers!

(Don’t worry, you’re still a Wanderer even under Quarantine!)

Hope you all are staying healthy, and finding your zen during this unprecedented time.  We’ve been finding ourselves happier and healthier than we have felt in a long time because of the abundance of time, which we are using to catch up on sleep, exercise daily, and learn new skills.  We’re keeping the same spark of adventure alive inside that we usually satisfy through travel, and applying it to the adventure of learning new skills!  You know, the basics, like bread-making, joining other Millennials in stumbling through learning TikTok, Acroyoga, and…bathtub laundry.

You read that right. Bathtub laundry is our new jam!  I’d say that you should think twice before complaining about your #quarantinelife if you own a washer and dryer at home, but honestly?  We’re having a lot more fun than we ever did at the laundromat!

At first, we let it pile up, fearing the inevitable day when we would have to figure out how to wash our clothes in the tub, risk clogging the drain, and have to see how icky our clothes actually get.  But then I realized we were overthinking it, and one day I just got in the shower after my workout, and washed my post-HIIT workout clothes right away!  We don’t buy our laundry detergent at the laundromat because we prefer to use more eco-friendly, non-toxic products like Kroger’s SimpleTruth Free & Clear Detergent, so luckily, we had our bottle here at home and didn’t have to risk the store to support our new routine.

Niels hung a line over our tiny side-yard garden, adding to our list of why we have a renewed sense of gratitude for our home space, and shazam! The next morning my workout clothes were clean and ready for use again. The best part is that this quick turnaround time totally fits into this “new normal” we’re all living in due to the pandemic.  Here in Los Angeles, we’re required to wear face coverings in public spaces, so when we come home we peel off our Buff, drop it in the tub, and put the kettle on to sanitize them with boiling water.  Then we add the detergent, and let it soak, hang it to dry, and grab it off the line before our bike ride the next day.

Can you spot my feline laundry helper?

We used to spend 4 hours at the laundromat because we waited until we absolutely had to do laundry.  Now, we stomp on them like grapes a la Lucy in one of my favorite “I Love Lucy” episodes, until the water is clear again, then hang them in the sun and let it work its ultraviolet magic!

Of course, the most challenging part is how to keep ourselves busy while we wait for the clothes to soak.  Since we’re doing laundry, we decided a Dirty Martini was apropos!

My face when my husband surprises me with a dirty Martini!

Staying home and limiting outside activity is essential to save lives and help us get back to the things we all miss.  So, Quarantine…but make it fun! Cheers!

Pura Vida,

Camille+Niels

(P.S. Should I post my Quarantini recipe here!? Comment below if so!)