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System for Laundry for Massage Therapists During COVID

Fresh Out Of Massage School· Running A Massage Therapy Practice

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In this post: We discuss a common struggle in the massage industry and a solution—a system for laundry for massage therapists during COVID. 

Laundry, laundry, laundry!!!

One of my biggest struggles since resuming massage has been laundry. As massage therapists, we all know the battle with laundry is real, regardless of whether or not we are working during a pandemic. It just never seems to end! And pandemics make it that much worse! 

For me, personally, there are a few reasons laundry has been extra challenging these days. 

Why Laundry Has Been Challenging For Me Since the Pandemic

1) I used to have a washer and dryer at my old location, and staff that helped shoulder some of the responsibility of doing this laundry. (I know talk about spoiled!) Since my downsize, I no longer have laundry at the office, so I’m bringing everything home. 

2) My laundry room is also my son’s bathroom, and every time I do laundry, I feel like I am potentially exposing him to the virus. Consequently, his bathroom became “off-limits,” and we were sharing my bathroom. 

3) I’ll admit it, I wasn’t washing my top blanket between every session prior to the pandemic. But I am now! Which means twice as much laundry. 

You guys, the anxiety I have been feeling, I desperately want to reclaim my son’s bathroom. I want to feel safe having him brush his teeth as he teeters to reach the sink! I want my home to be my home!!!

After two weeks back at work, I decided something had got to give! I had to figure out a better way to do laundry than to scare my son from entering what has been dubbed the “COVID BATHROOM.”

And so, I devised a system for doing laundry. 

My system for laundry for massage therapists during COVID

While the evidence is still inconclusive as to how long the virus might live on fabric, according to Health Line, the longest period of time the virus lives on any surfaces is seven days. So, if we assume that fabric is seven days or less, we could have a seven-day laundry rotation. 

Rubbermaid’s 

On Monday, the laundry goes into the Monday Rubbermaid. After it is sealed up, it is stored until the following Monday when it gets opened and laundered. Same system for Tuesday, and Wednesday, and so on. 

Originally I purchased one Rubbermaid bin for every day I do massage. I massage five days a week, so I had five bins going. 

Quickly I realized that it is nice to have an extra Rubbermaid. As you pull laundry from a bin, but still have more laundry in it, it is nice to have the extra bin to put the freshly laundered linen into.

So if you work four days a week, have five bins. Three days, four bins, and so on. 

Figure out how many massages you max out at per week. For me, I have decreased my workload since reopening. The most I do in one week is 15. So I have 15 sets of sheets, 15 blankets, and 15 work shirts. 

The Downsides

The downside of this method is that you must have plenty of sheets, blankets, face cradles, and shirts. You also must have enough space to store your Rubbermades.

Amazingly, I was able to scrounge up 15 blankets from around my house. Another solution might be to use oversized beach towels instead of blankets. They are cheaper than blankets and take up way less space in the laundry! 

I know this could be a hefty initial investment if you are currently running with just a few sets of everything. For me, the amount of anxiety it has reduced in my life has been worth the price tag! 

As much as I would like to clean and disinfect my bathroom between every load thoroughly, the truth is, for me, it’s not realistic or effective. 

No matter how hard I try not to have the laundry touch my clothes, skin, or hair, inevitably it does. Which then makes me want to wash my clothes or take yet another shower. One day I took four showers because I kept feeling like I was being contaminated. I can’t keep that up!

Or the laundry will fall on the ground, or my son will desperately want to help with the wash (now how can I discourage this kind of initiative!)

And so, while my garage is already busting at the seams, somehow I found room in there for 5 Rubbermaid’s. 

On each Rubbermaid, I have written a day of the week. So I clearly know what day I am supposed to launder the content. And as always I wash and dry on the hottest setting available to me!

Guys, I am now so much more confident resuming bathtime than I was two weeks ago! It feels like I can breathe again! I’m reclaiming my space!

Or you could just hire a laundry service…such a novel concept!

What solutions have you come up with in regards to laundry since resuming massage? Please share! Maybe you’ve got something better than the 7-day rotation! Or, if you implement my system, please share how it works for you!

Massage

Author Profile

Ali Boehm
- Boulder College of Massage Therapy Graduate
- Nationally Certified through NCBTMB
- Colorado Licensed Massage Therapist
- Certified CranialSacral Level 1 through Upledger
- Certified Herbal Therapist through Nutrition Therapy Institute
- Certified Fujian Massage through Barefoot Masters
- Fort Lewis College - Majored in Art, Minored in Business Administration
- 6 Year Winner of Best Massage Therapist for "Best of The Boat" Competition
- Massage Business Owner Since 2008
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Recent Posts

  • Podcast Episode 050: Show Up & Shine on Social Media with Stacey Hagen
  • Negotiating A Massage Lease
  • Insurance Billing For Massage Therapists
  • Podcast Episode 049: Diversifying Your Income with Soul Care Coaching with Christine Boye
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the.massage.business.mama

the.massage.business.mama
My son is becoming quite the portrait photographer My son is becoming quite the portrait photographer. Don't you think? 

Today is moving day for my business, and I'm finding myself quite sad! 

I've been in my current location for a little over three years. It was a COVID move that brought me to my current location. For FOREVER I was month to month, not fully committing to the space. 

And here we are 3+ years later, finally moving to a space that feels more like home, more aligned with my goals, more appropriate. 

Yet I'm sad!

I'll miss my neighbors and my current routine. I've helped so many people in this space. I've spent some life here! 

So today, I'm just going to feel the feels:)

#themassagebusinessmama #massagestudent #massagelife #massagetherapist #massagetherapistlife #massagebusinessowner
A few years ago, when I still had therapists worki A few years ago, when I still had therapists working for me, we had an unfortunate occurrence.

A young woman who had recently been sexually assaulted came in to receive massage. She was trying to regroup and recover from her negative touch experience through massage. 

Her therapist insisted that she remove her bra.

Under "normal" circumstances, this wouldn't have been a huge deal. Not appropriate, but not a huge deal. But in this situation, it was catastrophic.

The young woman was extremely sensitive. The recent assault left her jumpy, nervous, and unable to stand up for herself.

She didn't feel comfortable speaking up and spent an hour feeling further violated. 

I was heartbroken a few days later when the situation was brought to my attention! 

Our job as therapists is to make clients feel comfortable. We have a responsibility to tap into our intuitive sense to see when our client's unspoken needs are not being met.

WE ARE NEVER TO TELL SOMEONE THEY MUST TAKE OFF MORE CLOTHING THAN THEY FEEL COMFORTABLE!

Chances are good we are working on people with turbulent touch histories. We need to be sensitive!

We must be vigilant in our observations. Sensitive in our approach. And avoid getting stuck in ruts. Each client has a complexity of emotions and past histories that they bring to the table, and it is our job to be aware of this range of experiences.

Our job is to develop tools that allow us to give fabulous treatments regardless of whether or not a client is fully clothed because healthy touch is an essential healing tool! 

#massagetherapist #massagestudent #themassagebusinessmama #massagetherapyproblems #massageentrepreneur #massagepreneur
How do you know you are a “Massagepreneur?” # How do you know you are a “Massagepreneur?”

#massagepreneur #themassagebusinessmama #massagepodcast #massagetherapist #massagelife #massagelifestyle #massagestudent #massagecoach #massagegoddess #massage
Setting your massage rates is one of the most diff Setting your massage rates is one of the most difficult things to determine in the beginning of your massagepreneur journey.

If you have yet to determine your rates, I know this might feel daunting and that you have undoubtedly spent much time lamenting over it, but now is the time to set your prices once and for all! 

However, before you arbitrarily pick a number out of thin air, I want you to do a little research/homework/reflection. 

Setting rates is a tricky thing.

Charge too little, and you will be in the poor house. Charge too much, and you risk pricing yourself out of the market. 

BUT it is important to note that often people perceive those with lesser prices as less than therapists. Charging a higher price might actually make you more appealing. 

Oh, they charge a lot, they must be good! 

Food for thought.

#massagepreneur #massagetherapist #themassagebusinessmama #massagebusiness #massagerates #massagestudent
Have you ever heard, "No publicity is bad publicit Have you ever heard, "No publicity is bad publicity?" While it isn't entirely true, there is something to this notion!

Lately, I have been encouraging therapists to contact their local publications with press releases to get featured in their local news sources. 

While promoting yourself in this way can be intimidating, it IS your job as a business owner to put yourself out there and ensure you are being seen! 

Let's first talk briefly about what a press release is. A press release is a tool you write to a news outlet to announce something newsworthy that you want them to cover in their publication. The purpose of a press release is to get coverage and get noticed by a target audience.

Some Ideas for Press Releases Include:

🖤Opening Your Business
🖤Adding Unique Modalities
🖤Classes or Events You Are Hosting
🖤Touch Deprivation and Massage Benefits

Steps Involved: 

1) Identify who to address your press release to. 
2) Properly format your release. 
3) Include useful and timely statistics. 
4) Make your hook obvious.
5) Supply high-quality images. 

When you successfully follow these steps, you will be amazed as your name and image gets shared all over town! 

If you choose to reach out to your local news sources through a press release, I would LOVE to hear how it goes for you or has gone for you in the past! Please share!!! 

#massagetherapist #themassagebusinessmama #massagepreneur #massagestudent #massagenews #massagebusiness
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