In recent history just about everyone did their own laundry. Outsourcing was for the elite, people with personal assistants and sports cars and in-home chefs. It’s definitely still great for those people, but outsourcing your laundry is now an option for practically everyone.

Here are some things to consider when choosing to DIY or outsource that pile of laundry.

1. Cost

DIY laundry is the OG budget-friendly option. All you need is detergent, a washing machine, and a bit of elbow grease. However remember the cost of electricity, water, and any additional products you use. If you don’t have your own machines, laundromat fees add up quick per load.

2. Time

DIY laundry demands your time. Sorting, washing, drying, folding—it's a laundry marathon. Plus let’s be honest. If you're living life in the fast lane, overwhelmed with other more important things, or simply hate laundry, DIY might feel like it's slowing you down.

Poplin and similar services are the heroes of the time-starved. With just a few taps on your phone, your clothes magically disappear and reappear, fresh and folded. Time saved is time earned for more exciting adventures.

Laundry services like Poplin deliver your clothes perfectly folded (or hung) and ready to go.

BONUS: Time = Cost

Let’s go back to some grade school math with time and cost. Sure it will almost always technically be cheaper to do your own laundry with in-unit machines (all bets are off at overpriced laundromats). But at what cost? Time is money. If you spend 4 hours doing laundry and compare that with your hourly earnings, it’s probably quite expensive to do your own laundry.

Plus even if you weren’t going to work those hours anyway, is there something more meaningful, important, or straight up fun you could be doing instead? Taking your kids to the park, getting a much needed nap, or lunch with friends instead of doing laundry is priceless. You do the math on that and the cost of doing your own laundry becomes astronomical.

Poplin offers affordable laundry services with prices starting $1 per pound depending on the service speed you choose, and no delivery fees. Most orders are between $20-$40.

3. Space

Let’s be honest, 9/10 times it takes days for that clean pile of laundry to get neatly folded and make it back into your dresser (that’s definitely not a made up statistic… 😉). Even during the washing process, you may have a several items that need hang drying or multiple loads in queue. If it’s taking up space in your house, there’s a good chance it’s taking up space in your brain (subconsciously). A physical AND a mental laundry load!

Using a pick up and delivery on-demand laundry service like Poplin takes space out of the equation. Just leave your order outside for pickup, and before you know it, the laundry is back and perfectly folded (or hung) ready to go right into your closet! Though you’ll still have to do that part yourself.

4. Skill

Most of us….. aren’t experts on fabric care or even laundry best practices. DIY laundry involves a learning curve, and the process might test your patience and your wardrobe. Sure, we muddle through. But how much better is it to get a manicure than do your own nails? Or get takeout delivered rather than cobbling together your own haphazard dinner? So it is with laundry. Leave it to the pros.

Maybe you’re a laundry whisperer with all the tips and tricks in the book and a novel of details for how you’d like your laundry done. But do you enjoy it? If not, send it out to Poplin! If yes, do you want to sign up as a Poplin Laundry Pro?? Sounds like you know what you’re doing.

Poplin Laundry Pros follow laundry care best practices, plus any specific care requests you have for your items.

5. Convenience

If you have your own washing machines, you have the ultimate flexibility––or so it would seem.

Are you literally home all day?

Or do you go to work and run errands?

Does laundry get left in the washing machine too long?

Do you have to squeeze it in late at night, or say no to Saturday brunch just so you’re home to handle the laundry?

It’s even worse with laundromats. You need to haul your clothes there, spend time waiting for an available machine, and then wait again for the cycle to finish. Don’t forget, laundromats close so be sure to get there before the last load cut-off! It's a time investment that might not align with your busy schedule.

By the way, many antiquated laundromats still requires quarters, which adds an additional step for more people in this day and age who don’t carry around an excess of loose change.

Even dropping off your items at a laundromat can be tricky with multi-day processing times when you really need your clothes. And you still have to commute and consider their hours.

One of the great things about Poplin is it’s an on-demand service. You can place an order, leave it out for pickup and your local laundry pro can get to work while you do literally anything else.

Poplin offers next day and same day services. Just choose either “Standard” or “Express” when placing your order.

6. Trust

Handing over your favorite sweater or cherished pair of jeans to strangers might trigger some trust issues. Even with the best reviews and testimonials, there's may be a lingering worry about the fate of your beloved garments.

Look for services that offer good garment protection coverage (check out Poplin’s here), and their process for ensuring quality. Poplin ensures quality by sending orders to the highest ranked Laundry Pros with a proven track record, first. We also provide best practices resources to all Laundry Pros upon signup, as well all incentivize continual laundry learning and top-notch service. Laundry Pros in your area are probably competing for the #1 spot on the leaderboard which only comes from consistent quality.

Last but not least, After your first order, you’re actually able to request the same Laundry Pro every time.

So, Which Path to Choose?

In the DIY vs. outsourcing laundry battle, there's no one-size-fits-all answer. It all boils down to your priorities, lifestyle, and how much you value your time and peace of mind.

If you're a time-conscious urbanite with a hectic schedule, a busy parent, or just HATE laundry, Poplin might be your laundry soulmate. Embrace the extra time to conquer the world (or at least catch up on some much-needed sleep).

On the flip side, if you're a budget ninja, a control freak when it comes to your clothes, and you don't mind the occasional laundry mishap, DIY is your trusted companion. Take pride in your laundry accomplishments (and consider signing up as a Laundry Pro!). But if you’re ever overloaded after a vacation, hosting family, taking all your friends for a mud run, or your machines break mid-load, Poplin is there for you/your laundry!