No driers, but lots of rain!

I can't figure out why there aren't more tumble driers in a country where it rains for 1/3 of the year! How are you supposed to hang clothes out to dry when you have to take them back inside after and hour because it's raining again. And then there's so little space inside to find a place for a drying rack and it's usually too cold inside the house for them to dry anyway. I think my husband thinks it's my American consumer mindset talking, but I think it's just good sense.

I grew up in the UK and was always taught/told that tumble dryers were bad for the environment and wasted energy - so although my parents do have a tumble dryer, they only use it when absolutely necessary.

We don't usually hang washing outside to dry unless it's summer, so we just hang everything on radiators and drying racks inside the house. Apart from when I'm staying at my parents' house, I've never actually had a tumble dryer myself, so I've been drying my clothes on racks and radiators for 10 years now .

Also, most housing in the UK is pretty small and there often is not enough room for a dryer either - I've just moved out of a flat in Exeter and we didn't even have room for a freezer, let alone a dryer (I haven't eaten ice cream in 6 months)!

I guess one other reason for a lack of dryers might be that quite a lot of clothes here say: 'Do not tumble dry' on them .

I can't figure out why there aren't more tumble driers in a country where it rains for 1/3 of the year!

I think it's mostly a space issue.

I've heard that a lot of people actually have them but still don't use them. And I'm always told it's for environmental reasons, as well. Which always makes me feel bad  

I guess I'll just have to get used to it. I do miss the way jeans fit fresh from the drier though.

Also, most housing in the UK is pretty small and there often is not enough room for a dryer either - I've just moved out of a flat in Exeter and we didn't even have room for a freezer, let alone a dryer (I haven't eaten ice cream in 6 months)!

Fresh clothes from the drier is one thing, but not having ice cream for 6 months! I couldn't cope!  

Fresh clothes from the drier is one thing, but not having ice cream for 6 months! I couldn't cope!  

I know - it's been so frustrating... we didn't even have a freezer compartment in the fridge so I couldn't freeze anything. I threw out so much food this year because it went bad before I could eat it and couldn't freeze it (bread, especially, since I can only get through about 1/2 a loaf before it goes off) .

I'm at my parents' house this week before moving again at the weekend, so I might have to go buy some ice cream later on .

I'm at my parents' house this week before moving again at the weekend, so I might have to go buy some ice cream later on .

Sounds like a plan!

I find that Ben&Jerry's Phishfood usually does the trick, especially when I'm homesick.

I know - it's been so frustrating... we didn't even have a freezer compartment in the fridge so I couldn't freeze anything. I threw out so much food this year because it went bad before I could eat it and couldn't freeze it (bread, especially, since I can only get through about 1/2 a loaf before it goes off) .

I'm at my parents' house this week before moving again at the weekend, so I might have to go buy some ice cream later on .

The house that DH and I are renting came with a fridge with 2 shelves and a tiny freezer compartment.

We bought our own fridge freezer and use the other fridge for storing beer. There isn't room for anything else.

Yeah, the fridges here don't really compare to the US where they are practically walk-in closets. I don't know how I'd survive without our "extra" freezer.

We (or, I should say, my MIL, since we live with her) have a dryer. It's a pretty good sized one.  It lives in the hallway, where it pretty effectively blocks the front door.  It is never, ever used.  I've never asked to use it, because it would cause 'grief.'  Grief is to be avoided at all costs.

According to my husband, MIL's reasons for never using it vary:

• 'it's a pain in the ars*':  The closest outlet is on the other side of a door, so to plug it in you have to stretch the cord across the doorway of my MIL's bedroom.
• 'it makes a mess':  she has an aversion to dryer lint.
• 'it costs hundreds of pounds to run it': she was on a fixed/averaged, automatic debit with the electric company, so they were taking 200 quid each month, despite her account being nearly 1000 quid in credit because we hadn't actually used nearly that much electricity.
  

So, instead, year 'round, the clothes are hung outside so that the gale-force winds have a chance to thoroughly batter them, then they come inside and get hung all over the kitchen, so they can  absorb that bacon-grease-and-cigarette scent.

Still, I should count my blessings.... we have 3 large freezers.

We actually bought a dryer recently because it was more energy efficient than hanging the laundry in our house.  I know, I know.  It doesn't make sense!

But, if you live in a house in Scotland that doesn't have central heating, and you have to use electric oil-filled heaters to heat the house and dry the clothes, it costs an absolute fortune.  We always had to have a heater on because there is always laundry to be done, and otherwise it would take days to dry.  Even in the summer on rainy days, we'd have to put a heater on!

Our new dryer uses 1/4 of the energy of the heater, dries my clothes to fluffy perfection in 70 minutes, and also warms up the living room in which we keep it.  It's noisy, and ugly, and in the way, but I wouldn't trade it for anything!

Still, I should count my blessings.... we have 3 large freezers.

Oh my, I would love that. 

Yeah, the fridges here don't really compare to the US where they are practically walk-in closets. I don't know how I'd survive without our "extra" freezer.

American-style fridges are becoming more and more common, though. We have one and I love it! 

But, if you live in a house in Scotland that doesn't have central heating, and you have to use electric oil-filled heaters to heat the house and dry the clothes, it costs an absolute fortune. 

I'd consider moving to Scotland just so I could use that argument to convince my husband to get a drier.

We also recently got a drier.because it was going to be cheaper than  having to keep one of our storage heaters on all year.

I am probably the odd one out- I really don't mind not having a tumble drier - well I have the half ass one that you can use after washing your clothes- but it sucks terribly.  And I had lived in a house that had a condenser dryer, but the thing was so loud and took ages, I didn't ever bother. 
Sure it's amusing to use my mom's dryer when I'm home, but I seriously don't mind not having a dryer. My clothes are less wrinkled than using a dryer and they seemingly (to me) last longer.

Not having a dishwasher, on the other hand, drove me mental.  Thank goodness for my tabletop friend, "Mr. Bosch the dish cleaning machine"!