Can someone clue me in about the laundry?

I had to give in and buy a tumble dryer.  Between regular clothes, DH work uniforms, DD school uniforms and all the baby stuff (including cloth diapers)...we have 2-4 loads of laundry a day (not including extra stuff like towels and sheets).

If the weather is nice I hang some things outside but at this point it's just to get them some sun bleach.

I still have to iron a few things but our tumble dryer is pretty much like the regular dryers back home...except they're teeny tiny and take 4 times longer to dry things. 

We had a dryer before we had the fully automatic washer. I refused to have wet nappies hanging all over the house. Our first washer was one of those twin tub things that you had to shove across the kitchen and plug hoses into the taps and so on. It was OK except the spinner only took half a load. So you would do your load, then fish half of it out to spin and when that was done you could spin the 2nd half. My mother was amazed.

I've been wanting to get one of these installed for ages. http://www.pulleymaid.com/Classic_Clothes_Airer.htm

I've been looking into getting a combo dryer as I now do laundry about 2-3 times a week but they don't seem very good.

We had one of those classic airers on holiday recently, hung over the Rayburn cooker... it rocked!  We had a slightly less nice version before we redid our kitchen (now have drop down airer racks from IKEA). 

I have to say we've recently got an AEG combo and it dries AMAZING.  I use the auto-dry function and it's toasty warm and dry in less than the time it estimates.  Can't recommend it enough!

I have to say we've recently got an AEG combo and it dries AMAZING.  I use the auto-dry function and it's toasty warm and dry in less than the time it estimates.  Can't recommend it enough!

Good to hear somebody gets it right!

I think after nearly 10 years of living here I still think everything takes twice as long. You may not work as many hours and we may get more holiday time but it takes an hour to go 7 miles each way to work regardless if it's car, train or bus, all day to get 3 loads of laundry done and if you don't book set seats at the cinema AND still leave an hour early to get there you won't get a seat.....

I love the family working arrangements but must confess that's the strongest bonus on this side of the pond. Really hoping to get back home soon.
(oh and I would kill to find a REAL steak that was actually etible. I was gutted when Outback shut down)

I think after nearly 10 years of living here I still think everything takes twice as long.  all day to get 3 loads of laundry done

The fastest setting on our washing machine takes and hour and fifteen minutes!  The place where we stay when we go to Ireland has a washing machine with a special "quick setting" which *amazingly* only takes thirty minutes!

Like SlicesMissus, above, we also have an AEG combo. It works great.