My title might seem silly, but I was thinking about this last night. I use Tide to wash my clothes at home. For way over a year I have been using Tide’s Rose & Violet scent, as well as the matching dryer sheets. I have become used to the way my clothes smell and I suppose there is some comfort and identification of home in that.

This week one of my friends gave me a huge bag of hand-me-downs for my daughter. Two of her four children are girls and the clothes are designer, in great shape, and very tasteful. But, to me they smelled bad. I felt odd about having thought that, but I mentioned it to my mother ands she said perhaps it just boils down to the fabric products I am used to smelling on my own clothes. I took another sniff of the clothes my friend had given me and indeed, the smell was simply a detergent small that was unfamiliar with me.

I understand the clothing is clean, but I still felt compelled to run it all through the washing machine. I suppose I just need that additional measure of comfort and familiar scent.