Zen and the Art of Lower Dry Cleaning Bills

In the past 30 days we have spent $249 on dry cleaning. Yikes!! Over a year, we could end up spending $3000 on dry cleaning. Double yikes!! $3000 could be a fabulous vacation for us or a good chunk of our new furniture fund.*

So, I have been thinking about how to lower our dry cleaning bills. I have been investigating the home dry cleaning products like Dryel and plan to pick up a kit to use on our clothes to lengthen the amount of time between dry cleaning. But, what I have found best for lowering our dry cleaning bill is to simply change out of my work clothes as soon as I get home and to promptly hang up my clothes. I've found that I end up dry cleaning clothes simply because they have sat in a heap on a chair and have gotten horribly wrinkled and covered in Snarfle hair (Snarfle is the dog).

But, I get home after 10-12 hours at the office and I'm pooped. I just want to change, have a spot to eat and crash on the couch. Bottom line, I don't feel like hanging up my clothes (which probably takes at the most 5 minutes) because I'm worn out. I'm thinking about how to take care of present Sam and present Sam wants to crash out. But, and this is where the Zen comes in, if I take a second and think about future Sam (the Sam that has to pick up the clothes later or the Sam that has to take the clothes to the dry cleaner on Saturday or the Sam who has to pay the dry cleaning bill) I want to be kind to future Sam and I hang up my clothes. Basically, when I procrastinate to help out present Sam I've come to realize, and remind myself, that I'm only hurting my future self. This mind set helps in any situation, work, home, etc., when there is an opportunity to procrastinate.

*And don't get me started on the higher dry cleaning prices for women's clothes! Ugh!!