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Small washer and dryer?
VThornheart
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
Hi guys! It's been a while since I've been over here in H/A. My searching the net for this has failed me, however, so I figured I'd turn to you guys.
Basically, here's the situation. When we moved to New hampshire, we ended up getting renting out this really quirky duplex. The kitchen's on the second floor, and it looks like they converted a small closet in the kitchen into the area for a washer and a dryer.
The Problem: A Cramped Spot
The problem is, by my measurements, I have (at best... it'll be a tight squeeze even with this) 48 inches of width and 27 inches of depth to work with when it comes to placing a washer and dryer in that spot.
I also have a tight budget for this... I can go a little bit over 600$ for the set, but the more I go over the longer it's going to take before I can acquire a couch.
All of my searching has come up fruitless, however. It seems that most places that sell washers and dryers sell models that are ~27 inches wide for both, which is way too wide.
Alternatives and the Dilemmas with them
I've seen some front loader models that are thinner, but they're also way out of my wildest dreams as far as price range goes.
I've also seen these "portable" washers that apparently get sold at places like Target and such and hook up to your sink (?), but I have no idea if an item like that would be of sufficient quality/reliability to warrant a purchase (as these are still ~200 dollars, and look like they're the equivalent of a wastebasket that gets filled with water ).
There's a laundromat a few blocks down, which I don't mind for now... but it's downtown where traffic gets a little crazy (it's a small town, but the roads were haphazardly designed which makes driving even more dangerous than in a big city it feels like) and when first snowfall comes, I get the feeling that I might extend my life expectancy by not driving in that area.
Lastly, I could wash the clothes by hand... but I'm going to come right out and admit that I'm a lazy procrastinator, and hand washing clothes sounds like a tedious proposition.
What I'm wondering is:
At this point, would I be better just trekking it to a laundromat, or are there alternatives within my budget that don't suck? Thanks!
Basically, here's the situation. When we moved to New hampshire, we ended up getting renting out this really quirky duplex. The kitchen's on the second floor, and it looks like they converted a small closet in the kitchen into the area for a washer and a dryer.
The Problem: A Cramped Spot
The problem is, by my measurements, I have (at best... it'll be a tight squeeze even with this) 48 inches of width and 27 inches of depth to work with when it comes to placing a washer and dryer in that spot.
I also have a tight budget for this... I can go a little bit over 600$ for the set, but the more I go over the longer it's going to take before I can acquire a couch.
All of my searching has come up fruitless, however. It seems that most places that sell washers and dryers sell models that are ~27 inches wide for both, which is way too wide.
Alternatives and the Dilemmas with them
I've seen some front loader models that are thinner, but they're also way out of my wildest dreams as far as price range goes.
I've also seen these "portable" washers that apparently get sold at places like Target and such and hook up to your sink (?), but I have no idea if an item like that would be of sufficient quality/reliability to warrant a purchase (as these are still ~200 dollars, and look like they're the equivalent of a wastebasket that gets filled with water
).There's a laundromat a few blocks down, which I don't mind for now... but it's downtown where traffic gets a little crazy (it's a small town, but the roads were haphazardly designed which makes driving even more dangerous than in a big city it feels like) and when first snowfall comes, I get the feeling that I might extend my life expectancy by not driving in that area.
Lastly, I could wash the clothes by hand... but I'm going to come right out and admit that I'm a lazy procrastinator, and hand washing clothes sounds like a tedious proposition.
What I'm wondering is:
At this point, would I be better just trekking it to a laundromat, or are there alternatives within my budget that don't suck? Thanks!
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VThornheart on
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The stacked ones won't fit in the closet I believe. It's just not tall enough... well, I guess it might be if I sawed off or otherwise removed the drawer that's about 5 feet up on it, but if I couldn't find a non-permanent way to get rid of it my landlord would have a cow. Also, the stacked ones I've been seeing are a bit more expensive than what I have at the moment. =(
The rental idea is good from a financial perspective, but the problem is only partially about money... it's really about finding a washer and dryer that could actually fit into that 48 inch gap.
Though that's assuming he can afford movers in the first place.
The only thing that's really annoying about the place I'm in right now is these little things like this. A washer/dryer spot that can't actually fit a washer and dryer (apparently) is annoying.
I'm going to start by asking the landlady tomorrow... I don't know what the odds are that she'll know, but I might as well. I feel a bit silly for not even having thought of asking her previously.
Barring that, the stackable may still be an option, depending on if they have to be against a wall or not. It's a little more expensive than what I was budgeting for, but Lowe's has a set for $720 and I have a 10% off coupon... so that might do the job.
And then there's still the laundromat, which maybe I should just get off my butt and go to for now.
Thanks guys!
EDIT: Also, does anyone have experience with these "portable" washers? Are they good? Horrible? Just curious in case it comes to that.
But that's predicated on the place you move to 1) not having a washer/dryer already, and 2) having the appropriate space for the weird-scaled one he gets to fit in their weird closet-space. It just seems too big a pain, considering it's going to cost around $900 for one.
If leasing was a possibility, that would definitely be the way to go.
Laundromats aren't that bad though, bring a book or a PSP/DS and just sit there for 1.5 hours. Only bad thing is when they are busy and you can't find a machine.
You have a good point, Runningman. I'm going to just hit the Laundromat for now. I think I just needed someone to speak with me rationally about it. When my wife starts getting into the "I think we should have X" mood, and I don't immediately see what's wrong with it, I get swept away with the tide.
As much as I miss not having a washer and dryer in my apartment, I'd save the $600 and just take your clothes to a laundromat. If prices there are similar, a full load washed and dried will run about 3.50. So considering just your washer/dryer budget that would break even only after 171 loads. Additionally, if you're running it in your apartment and you pay your electric/gas and/or water, your utility bills are going to go up, so that would need to be factored into the price.
There is a laundry calculator there.
You might have some other options. Do you have enough room that you can have the washer and dryer outside of the closet?
Could you get a washer and line dry?
Damnit, beat.
I was going to suggest the same thing -- dryers are really a convenience. Clothes can always air-dry.
Lowe's has washers starting at $298, I'd do that and then just get one of these. They might be even cheaper, Linens N Things is going out of business. Yay liquidation!
the people that lived there prior to you probably had only a washer (and hanged their clothes to dry), or had a combo unit (which tend to be far out of your price range)
that said... wait till black friday and hit up your local Sears... you should be able to get a washer/dryer combo for peanuts
We have an attic room, and there was a hole in the wall covered by a board. We removed the hole in the wall, and found that whoever lived here last had crammed TONS of stuff in there. I don't know if they were too lazy to do a yard sale, or what... but there was like an expandable drying rack in there.
On an unrelated note, there was also some really neat pyrex "flameware" (like bakingware, but glass... apparently Pyrex stopped making it in the 70's, but it really works great), and a giant box of... um... risque material that we're just going to cover up again, and a bunch of other old crap.
How weird is that? I told our landlady, so hopefully she won't charge us if we leave that stuff there or get rid of it.
So that solves that mystery as to how they used the washer/dryer area... apparently they didn't. =(
I may do the same, but for the time being I'll go with the laundromat. I definitely think a black friday investigation will be worth it.
Thanks guys!
Ahh, I was reading about these, and they seem intriguing... but I've read about some nightmares with them (Haier in particular), about them flooding and causing damage and breaking down a lot.
Also, the Craigslist idea would normally be ideal for sure, but I don't have a vehicle big enough to move them, and now that I've moved back to New Hampshire I don't know anyone who does either. =( One good thing about living in Sacramento was that a lot of the relatives we lived near had pickup trucks and the like.
EDIT- Wrote this before your last reply. Home Depot will rent you a truck for $20. If the person selling it has a truck they'd probably deliver too (especially if you offer them and extra $20).
I'll definitely look into that, thanks!
My model numbers are:
Dryer: MDE2400AYW
Washer: MAH2400AWW