I did some online research and found there are apartment sized washers and dryers that do not require special plumbing or special electrical hook-ups. I compared prices and found a decent price from a place that would also deliver. It isn't easy to find a store that will deliver to a second floor apartment in a building without an elevator. But I found one locally.
Then I started saving. Every dollar I could squeeze out of the budget went in the washer-dryer fund. It took some time, but I reached my goal.
Today these little beauties were delivered.
They are small, but once my laundry is caught up, I won't have much to wash each week. The washer is on casters so I can roll it up to the kitchen sink to use it and roll it back out of the way when not in use. The dryer has an additional kit that makes it possible to use it without having to vent it outside.
Oldest Son says he will help me get them all set up. That won't be for a couple of days, however. I have bell peppers in the dehydrator now and have 20 lbs. of carrots to get to drying tomorrow morning. There is also chicken, pork and hamburger to can. My freezer is full, so the canning needs to be done right away.
Nonetheless, I am giddy with excitement. These new appliances not only will make life easier for me, but they represent just one more thing that will enable me to hang on to my independence a bit longer. I know that if I asked, my kids would do my laundry for me. But I am so much happier when I can do things for myself.
I'm kind of stubborn that way. Or so I have been told. :)
Wonderful! Stairs are a problem for me too on some days. I rarely use the dryer and prefer to hang them outside. Laundry always is an every other day event. Hubby wants me to use the dryer, but I find the exercise of hauling the laundry up the stairs and hanging it out to dry and then hauling it back downstairs to iron keeps these old bones going. Some days it takes longer to do though!
ReplyDeleteChickenmom...I miss having a clothesline. I especially miss the smell of sheets dried in the sun. But since that is not to be, these appliances seemed to be the best solution. A big part of the decision to get them was being able to hang on to my independence. I hate to have someone else do for me when I can find a way to do for myself. As soon as I finish this canning marathon, it will be scrub-a-dub-dub time. :)
ReplyDeleteCongratulations! I don't know if you pay your own utilities or not. If so, the dryer will help heat your apartment in winter. You might be able to vent it out a window in the summer.
ReplyDeleteGorges...My utilities are included in my rent. And the landlord has no objection because it doesn't matter if I do laundry in the building laundry room or in my own apartment - water usage and electricity should be about the same. I got the kit for the dryer that allows me to use it without venting outside. My windows are the crank out kind, making it difficult to vent the dryer through a window. I'm just really happy to be able to avoid numerous trips up and down stairs!!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on the in-apartment washer and dryer.
ReplyDeleteI did get a chuckle out of this post. My previous apartment did not have laundry hook-ups but I was able to find similar units on Craigslist. Mine were made by Kenmore and even though the lady said they were 3+ years old,I don't think they had done many loads.
For my washer, I had to be really really careful not to overload it. Hope yours isn't as finicky. I didn't mind though. I was so thrilled not to have to go to the laundromat off site, none in the building, that I didn't care that I had to wash itty bitty loads. First time in my life I really sorted by color. LOL!
I had to vent my dryer. I had room in my bathroom for the dryer and just got a very long dryer hose and stuck it out the window. The funny thing about that dryer was it took me close to 6 months to find the lint trap. In hindsight, I should have looked for the manual on-line but wasn't that tech savvy at the time. Cheers, SJ in Vancouver BC
Never heard of such a thing but it makes sense. There are lots of seniors who get tired of hauling laundry up and down stairs. This place was built with little thought to old age, and I am paying for that now.
ReplyDeleteStubborn?? A Yea its in our MN DNA. e have a washer but no dryer, life is good. We had a deal to buy almost brand new W&D at a low price, but the seller wanted more money, of course I didn't budge. Why Should I it was my middle son, he sold to someone else.
ReplyDeleteThanks, SJ...I had been looking on Craigslist and in our local paper with the want ads, but just couldn't find what I wanted. Finally I decided to just order new appliances. The store said if I had any problems, I should just call them and they would replace whichever one wasn't working right. I'm sure that applies to just the first few times I use them, but still.
ReplyDeleteThe washer is small - probably similar to the one you had - so I know I will need to be careful not to overload it. But I don't care. I won't need to haul laundry up and down the stairs and that makes me very happy. My windows are the crank out kind so venting the dryer using one of them will not work. I am hopeful that the kit for indoor drying will work, but I'm setting the dryer up next to a window anyway.
I'm kind of like a kid with a brand new toy, except I don't get to play with it for another day or two. I got the 20 lbs. of carrots diced, blanched and on the dehydrator trays today (that's a flippin' lot of carrots) and with any kind of luck I can get most of the meat canned up tomorrow. Then I can wash clothes. Never thought I would get excited over laundry. :)
Harry...I didn't know about this type of washer and dryer either until I started looking for ones that might work in my apartment. The stairs are just becoming too difficult, especially when hauling basket of clothes. I have seen good reviews on these, so I hope they work as advertised.
ReplyDeleteThis aging thing just ain't for sissies, is it! When I first moved in here I didn't give the stairs a second thought. And I guess I had a pretty good run, for it hasn't been until the past year or so that the stairs have given me any trouble. I suppose I could move to another building that is a little bit easier, but this has been my home for 20 years. I don't do change well any more.
Rob...Having a washer, even without a dryer is a good thing. There are very few things I dislike more than hauling clothes to a laundromat. Too bad you couldn't get that W & D from your son. I think I might have had to chew him up a bit for wanting more money from Dad. :)
ReplyDeleteSometimes I think it is mostly the stubborn that keeps me going. I'm just too ornery to give in or give up! You are right about Minnesotans. We are a hard headed bunch!
Value your independence. As for laundry sometimes I do it at odd times. If I wake up really early I might do laundry if I cannot sleep. That is the great thing about having your own appliances. If you have to use a laundromat you are at the mercy of their operating hours.
ReplyDeleteBW Bandy...My independence, or what is left of it, is very important to me. That's one reason I went ahead and bought the appliances. I expect to be doing laundry at odd hours here, too. Being retired I don't keep a schedule. If I am tired, I sleep. If not, I do whatever I want until I am tired. :) It is nice to know I won't need to wait for other tenants to vacate the laundry room any more. The best part is not having to drag laundry baskets up and down stairs.
ReplyDeletewe vent to the inside n winter to get the humidity up.
ReplyDeleteDeborah...Excellent idea. I hadn't really thought about that, but it should help when the air is so dry. Thanks.
ReplyDelete