Washing away those post-holiday blues

YOU know what it’s like. Returning from a relaxing holiday away just to be faced by piles of washing and then the ironing that follows.

Well, working mum of five and entrepreneur Vicki Copley has come up with a new service which aims to take away the stress and strain of returning from holiday.

The Your Holiday Wash service is the ultimate return-to-work stress-buster and aims to take away one of those mundane chores that hit when you return home. Whether it’s an annual summer break, home or abroad, or a casual weekend away, this new service aims to ensure that the holiday feeling lasts.

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Vicki’s service has been created for anyone who would rather do something more enjoyable than wash, dry and iron. She recognised the need for such a service when she was faced with piles of laundry.

“The idea really stems from my experience, as a busy working mum and step-mum of five – staring at masses of washing after returning from the family holiday,” says Vicki, from Wickersley, near Rotherham.

“Then, thinking about getting it dried and ironed, on top of all the other chores that need doing, finally ended any holiday joy.

“I’ve even heard of other mums and friends having to take a day off work to clear their holiday washing.

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“We all lead such busy lives. I just wanted something that would allow me more time to do other things, ideally enjoyable treats and spending quality time with my family and friends.

“Everything about this service has been designed around what I need a holiday laundry service to be – from the quantity of washing to the quality I expect, and delivery that’s convenient.”

Vicki, 40, has spent her life climbing the career ladder, which has taken her from assistant quantity surveyor for the Meadowhall shopping complex, to head of business development for a global blue-chip packaging Company.

She has spent the past six months planning the launch of her new service. Available for £59.90 (£5.99 per kg), Your Holiday Wash collect, wash, dry and iron up to 10kg of holiday washing which they aim to return within three days – all folded and in a box.

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The laundry is returned directly to your home, or office door, with no hidden extras.

The Your Holiday Wash service has been designed to free up your time, so you can spend it doing more fun things with your family and friends or even to create some extra “me” time.

Vicki has created a seamless door-to-door service even collecting from and delivering to your work address if that’s easier.

The Your Holiday Wash service is booked in advance and an environmentally friendly laundry bag is posted to you.

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That 10kg equates to all the clothing an average family of four takes on a two-week holiday (minus any towels or bed-linen).

The lightweight bag can be taken on holiday so that dirty clothing can go straight in your suitcase and not get mixed up with any remaining clean clothes. So no more taking a black bin bag on holiday or hunting around for a stray carrier-bag for your dirty clothes.

Arrangements are made to receive the returned laundry at your convenience and a text message is sent to ensure you remember your clean clothing is on its way back.

Vicki added: “As the holiday season starts, it’s really exciting to be able to launch our new service and I hope that other families will enjoy the benefits of the service which I will certainly be using for my holidays this year.”

* www.yourholidaywash.com

THE BIGGER THEY ARE

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Travelling with a big-name tour operator doesn’t necessarily guarantee you a great holiday, according to the results of a new Which? survey. Which? questioned almost 10,000 people about their holiday experiences and found that two of the biggest package holiday providers – Thomas Cook and First Choice – failed even to make the top 10. Both firms attracted an overall score of 64 per cent and scored just two stars out of five for value for money. But they both did better than last-placed EasyJet Holidays, which managed just 61 per cent