Cost of laundry and dry-cleaning

Dryer was high on my list--- I gave up a dishwasher for one to have the space!

I've never been that worried about having a dishwasher.  I suppose it might be different if you have a large family.

Now as for why garbage disposals never seem to be that common here, that's another matter entirely. 

I've never had a dishwasher, either. I've always lived in apartments in New York where dishwashers and clothes washers/dryers weren't allowed. I can understand the necessity of a washing machine for clothes--it would take ages to wash all your clothing and linens by hand. But washing dishes by hand doesn't take very long.  (Maybe I would think differently if there were more than two people in my household.)

I haven't had a dishwasher in about five years and I don't miss it a bit.  I have a lot of serving dishes and a set of vintage 1950's dishes that I use just about every day, with flowers in the middle and gold on the edge, and they can't go in a dishwasher anyway.  I don't miss it unless it's Thanksgiving and I'm doing a mountain of dishes and cookware.  For the day to day handwashing is just fine, but I agree, it would probably be different if it were for more than two people.

~Liza

I suppose it might be different if you have a large family.

I see the benefits of dishwashers with just one child.  With this new baby coming in December, I gotta say, I'd LOVE a dishwasher!

A dishwasher is pretty far down my list of things I want. For one thing, I never get around to emptying them, so it just ends up with a bunch of stuff still in it and then more dirty stuff in the sink because I'm too lazy to empty the washer.  Really, I don't mind washing dishes.

When I lived in San Francisco, I would drop my clothes off to be washed, and then pick them up the next day - all folded in a block. I hate, hate, hate hanging around a laundry mat! Ugh!

When I lived in San Francisco, I would drop my clothes off to be washed, and then pick them up the next day - all folded in a block. I hate, hate, hate hanging around a laundry mat! Ugh!

When i lived in Glasgow in a rented flat that didnt have a washing machine,  I used to do this as well.... take it for a service wash!

We're thinking about buying a house in the next year or so and have discussed priorities. I'm a keen gardener, but we've realized that having a washer and dryer is a higher priority than having a nice garden because we have kids to think about in the next few! The thought of having to lug a baby to the launderette like my Mom had to for so many years just isn't appealing.

Hope I get my wish! We'll see. I can do without a dishwasher- I kind of like to just do them and get them done and put away. It's a sickness, really 

Not sure if anyone would be interested in this, but i was reading this weeks Woman magazine in the doctors surgery today (i know.. .  a magazine that's not 6 months old in the waiting room?!), and there was an advert for a heated drying rack... Looked just like a normal one, but this one plugged into the mains and, according to the advert, cost less than a light bulb to run!   Purchase price was £39.

I'd love that, and I have a dryer!! 

~Liza

Not sure if anyone would be interested in this, but i was reading this weeks Woman magazine in the doctors surgery today (i know.. .  a magazine that's not 6 months old in the waiting room?!), and there was an advert for a heated drying rack... Looked just like a normal one, but this one plugged into the mains and, according to the advert, cost less than a light bulb to run! Purchase price was £39.

It's possible to get some pretty big light bulbs!       

Going way back my grandparents had an old electric airing cabinet.  Imagine a large steel cabinet, about 3 feet square and maybe 4 feet high.    Slots along the top edges took wooden slats which fitted across the width of the unit so you could hang items over them.  Heating elements below slots in the base then warmed the inside.    It was very effective, but rather bulky.

Some houses have heated towel rails installed in the bathroom, which can also be handy for smaller items of laundry (great for warming socks overnight for those chilly winter mornings too!).    The main problem with any of these devices if you use them to hang damp items is that you're liable to end up with condensation problems, as obviously the water vapor is going to increase the humidity of the air in the house.

http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Main_Index/Heating_Index/Towel_Rail_Index/index.html

My husband does all our laundry, too! And I don't own a garment that requires ironing. It's one of the things I check for before buying...will this thing be wrinkled if it's left in a heap on the floor for three days? He irons his own shirts, needless to say!

And I don't own a garment that requires ironing. It's one of the things I check for before buying...will this thing be wrinkled if it's left in a heap on the floor for three days? He irons his own shirts, needless to say!

Me too, Carla.
My new years resolution for 1999 was to never iron again, and i dont!

I'm another who doesn't own clothes that require ironing or dry cleaning. 

I wish I could say that - I iron just about every morning.   

~Liza