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Here in Los Angeles we enjoy living a life of luxury: good weather, good restaurants, and being surrounded by enough celebs that we sometimes feel like one. And even though we might not have the wealth to actually live like one, there are enough people willing to do our bidding (for a price) to make us sort of feel like one. From people who will help you clean your house to walk your dog and move bulky furniture items for you, here are our favorite services that help us get stuff done around the house. And as always, leave your favorites in the comments.
No more quarters. (Photo by www.BillionPhotos.com via Shutterstock)
Laverie
If you're not #blessed enough to have washer and drier units in your home, doing laundry can be one of the most annoying chores. You've got to make sure you have enough quarters for the laundromat, you have to transport yourself to the laundromat...and you have to hang out at the laundromat while your stuff gets clean. But with Laverie, the only thing you have to do is leave your laundry in a bag and they'll take care of the rest (they'll even separate out your whites from your colored items, so you really can just shove evvverything into a bag). They charge $1.75 per pound for lightweight items like clothing and linens, and $2.25 per pound for rugs and comforters. There's a minimum pickup of 20 pounds for a 24-hour turnaround, but the pick-up and delivery itself is free. Laverie pledges a 100% guarantee of the "safety" of your laundry, too, and will specially hand-wash select items on request. —Devon McReynolds
Laverie services Beverly Hills, West Hollywood, Hollywood, Mid-Wilshire, Miracle Mile, Los Feliz, and Silver Lake, but you should give them a call at 323-230-8704 even if you're outside of their service areas.
Shyp
"Ugh, I hate going to the post office, what year is this?" you lament to your cat. Never fear, Shyp is here. Shyp will pick up your stuff, pack it and send it wherever you want. You can take photos of the stuff you want to ship, and then tell the app where it needs to go.
They'll take any object (or up to 20 objects at once) under 50 pounds and that can fit in the back seat of a four-door car, so long as it isn't something dangerous—like alcohol or firearms. The Shypper brings your object to the Shyp warehouse, where it will be carefully packaged and then shipped using whatever the cheapest standard courier—USPS, FedEx, U.P.S.—happens to be. Shyp charges $5 on top of whatever the shipping actually costs. —Juliet Bennett Rylah
Shyp services Santa Monica, Venice, Marina Del Rey, West L.A., Brentwood, Westwood, Century City, Hollywood, WeHo, Miracle Mile, Beverly Hills, Silver Lake and DTLA. Check your ZIP code here.
(via Facebook)
Mylkman
The milkman might be a relic of a bygone era (especially since everyone is now vegan and/or lactose intolerant), but the tradition is kept alive in Los Angeles with an oh-so-SoCal update with the Mylkman, a delivery service that brings almond milk and coconut water to your door. You won't need to load up on boxes of Almond Breeze at Ralphs anymore once you get a taste of Jeff Leaf's sweet mylk, made from raw organic Italian almonds. And of course you can return those glass bottles to him for reuse. Why be wasteful?
Mylkman delivers throughout Los Angeles County on Thursdays
Ian (via botik)
Ian
Ian is the self-made Los Angeles man: musician, headshot photographer, and guy with an IMDb page. However, he is best known as one of the most popular movers in Los Angeles. Although one man alone can't provide you with the full moving service that a larger-scale operation can, Ian will be there for any small jobs (less than 3 hours long), unpacking, IKEA furniture assembly, and appliance installation. Besides, what other company lets you be on a first name basis with them?
Ian is available in most of The Valley, Hollywood, Silver Lake, Los Feliz, and Glendale. Shoot him an email at ianthemover@yahoo.com to book now.
Ahhh, so fresh and so clean. (Photo by Diego Cervo via Shutterstock)
Clean Sweep L.A.
Getting your home cleaned by someone else seem like something the rich and famous do, but sometimes, with the hustle and bustle that comes with working in L.A., we don't have the time to do it ourselves and need some help. We're talking about all the little things like vacuuming, dusting, mopping the floors, cleaning the dreaded bathroom, and even washing your laundry. Then you can Netflix and chill without worrying about being a complete slob. You can arrange for maids to come in on a regular basis, but if you're in desperate need of a hardcore, one-time deep clean to start fresh, they do that, too. Plus, they train their own employees and don't use contractors, so you don't have to worry too much about completely random people in your home. Their plans vary depending on how big your place is and how dirty it is. Prices start at $60 per hour for a 2-hour minimum with two maids, so that will run you about $120 for a regular cleaning. If you want to do a deep, one-time clean for a one bedroom, one bathroom apartment, that would cost about $150 to $180 for a 2.5 to 3-hour cleaning. —Jean Trinh
Clean Sweep L.A. Service offers service throughout L.A. and surrounding areas. Visit their website here or call 888-999-8010 for more info.
Walka-Walka
If you live downtown and are a dog owner, you likely have those long days at the office and lack the space for your companion to get his or her legs going. Walka-Walka is a DTLA-based service that not only gets your dog their exercise, but also teaches them "elevator etiquette" and simple commands to ensure they are a well-behaved furry neighbor. Walks are also done in groups of four at the biggest, so your pooch gets the attention and care that they need.
Walka-Walka is based out of downtown Los Angeles and offers walks throughout the week.
(via Facebook)
Farmbox
One of the simple joys you can depend on each week is a box of fresh, delicious, and organic produce delivered to your own doorstep. In L.A., where a drive to Ralphs can become an enormous inconvenience, this can also be a godsend. FarmBox Los Angeles sources from some great local producers (including strawberries from Malibu's Thorne Family Farms and greens from Agoura's Maggie's Farm) and sends you a customizable haul that will always leave you satisfied. Also try Farm Fresh To You and L.O.V.E. Delivery.
FarmBox Los Angeles delivers to a large portion of Los Angeles County.
Buddytruk
You won't have to let a lack of adequate transportation prevent you from buying that credenza off Craigslist now that Buddytruk exists. This app-based moving company is great for big, one-item moves like mattresses, couches, and other furniture that won't fit in your puny little car. Buddytruk operates a la ridesharing services like Uber or Lyft: download the app, send a photo of the item you need moved, and Buddytruk will match you up with a driver, who will come pick up your item—they help you load and unload your stuff, too. It's a great deal at $1 per mile + $1 per minute + $2 cargo safety fee (and, like its ridesharing counterparts, is conveniently cash-less, too). Here's another tip: Buddytruk often posts deals on Groupon for an extra discount. —Devon McReynolds
Buddytruk is available for download on iOS and Android devices.
Riip Beer Co.'s Dan K IPA (via Riip Beer Co.)
Riip Beer Co.
Who says handcrafted food delivered to your doorstep has to be the healthy kind? Riip Beer Co., who got their humble start out of Ryan Hopkins' garage in Huntington Beach, delivers their hand-crafted, hand-bottled beers right to you. A product of necessity, since they're not permitted to sell out their warehouse, Riip delivers brews like Xoconela Mexican Chocolate Stout and Wake'n Bake Coffee Stout in milk jugs out of their vintage Helms Bakery truck. And, duh, they have multiple IPAs available.
Riip Beer Co. operates and delivers in Huntington Beach. Contact them to arrange for deliveries elsewhere.
Yoga, pilates, meditation, self-defense... (Photo via Facebook)
Handstand
If all this staying at home has you feeling sluggish, you could try Handstand. This app will bring a personal trainer to you. You can choose how many sessions you like: it's $59 for once a month; $169 for 4 sessions a month; and $299 for 8 sessions a month. To book a one-on-one session with a fitness expert, you tell the app where you want to meet your trainer and what time. You can also choose to do a small group session, which costs an extra $10. Then, you can choose what type of workout you're looking for: toning, boxing, pilates, self-defense, yoga and ballet are just a few options. You can pick up to 5. Then, browse through the available trainers, choose your fave and book your workout. —Juliet Bennett Rylah
Handstand operates in the Los Angeles area.
Ahhh. (Photo via Soothe)
Zeel and Soothe
There are two apps through which you can have someone come over and give you a massage. With Soothe, you can get an hour-long massage for $99 any time between 9 a.m. and midnight. The app covers gratuity so you do not need to tip, and you can choose among deep tissue, Swedish, sports and couples. The masseuse will bring their own table, sheets and a portable speaker to play relaxing music. With Zeel, you can choose among Swedish, deep tissue, prenatal, sports, single or couples, back-to-back or chair massages. The therapists are available between 8 a.m. and 10:30 p.m., with prices starting at $99, with tip added to the price—so about $116 total. They will also bring their own equipment, or you can also become a Zeel member for between $80 to $99, which snags you a massage table that you can keep and a monthly massage. They also do chair massages for offices or events. —Juliet Bennett Rylah
Zeel and Soothe are both available for Android and iPhone. Zeel is available in Los Angeles, Orange, Ventura, San Diego counties, plus Palm Springs and San Diego. Soothe is available throughout L.A. County, Orange County and San Diego.
The iconic pink van. (via @Topless_Maids)
Topless Maids
You can't miss those hot-pink vans—they're the second-most famous pink vehicles in the city behind Angelyne's 'Vette. If you (or your apartment) are feeling filthy, dial 1-844-SO-DIRTY and you'll get what you're expecting: an actual topless maid to drop by your abode for at least the next two hours. Only the smallest of chores can actually be done by her (e.g. dusting), so unless you want to shell out extra for an assistant—who won't be topless—don't be such a slob. You know you've always been tempted to call that number. What's stopping you?
Topless Maids can be booked through their website or dialing 1-844-SO-DIRTY, and are available seven days a week.
