This summer, I used TaskRabbit for the first time. It may seem super lazy, but I hired a Tasker to help with my laundry. On that particular week, I was rapidly running out of clean clothes and was extremely busy with writing assignments and work events, that no matter how I laid out my day, there was no time to put a load or two to wash and dry. Plus, as I was only subletting that certain apartment for the month, it was going to be the first time using my building’s basement laundry — which was a daunting task as I actually have a bit of a fear of basements.

The only prior exposure I’d had to the platform was seeing it being used in movies (namely the 2021 holiday movie “Single All the Way”, where one of the main characters was a Tasker). As I registered my account and scrolled through the app, I was shocked at just how many tasks you could hire help with. From laundry to cleaning and decorating to moving, to even standing in line for someone, the list goes on.

Selecting the “Laundry and Ironing” task, I searched through the Taskers in my area. As you scroll, you’ll see a list of Taskers and a brief overview of their profile, including reviews, the price, and how much experience they have. I chose a Tasker named Jennyfer who had completed almost 100 laundry services, charged $41.29 per hour, and claimed to have 20 years of experience.

I was pleasantly surprised to see that Jennyfer was able to come and complete my task that same evening and I sent her a booking request. Within a few minutes, she replied to confirm the task, and I gave her a few details about what I needed to wash.

A few hours later, Jennyfer arrived on time and got straight to work on my clothes. I also needed help to get a stubborn stain out of a bedsheet as it wasn’t mine and I needed to be sure I could get it clean. While my clothes and sheets were in the washing machine, Jennyfer suggested we head to a nearby coffee shop which I was glad to do as I hadn’t left the house that day yet as it was a very busy workday.

As we sipped on our coffees, we spoke about our lives. Jennyfer asked me about my decision to move to New York City, and she told me about her experiences as a born-and-bred New Yorker. She gave me tips on what to do in the city, public transport advice, and of course, lots of helpful hints on how to get stains out of your laundry.

We also chatted about work and I explained that I had some doubts in the back of my mind — after all, I’d only moved to the US less than two months prior. She spoke of her daughters who are a similar age to myself, and shared some invaluable life advice that I will take with me throughout the rest of my time in NYC.

The washing was done, and as Jennyfer headed off, I was extremely glad that I had decided to use TaskRabbit that day. Not only did I have clean laundry (and a stain-free sheet!), but I also made a wonderful connection. Meeting new people and sharing life stories has been a huge part of my transition to moving to a different country alone, and it’s not something I expected to get when I hired someone on TaskRabbit that day.

I’ll definitely be using the platform again in the future for some of the trickier tasks and hopefully, it’s something that not only gets chores done, but also helps to build worthwhile connections.