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Housekeeping

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Original poster

Has anyone got rid of their dishwasher and not regretted it?

18 replies

wordgirl · 20/07/2007 09:27

My dishwasher is on the blink at the moment and strangely enough I'm not missing it in the slightest. I am at home most of the time so can wash up as I go along and I'm quite enjoying it . Do I need help or is this normal?
One of my most hated tasks was emptying the diswasher so in comparison washing a few dishes then putting them away a bit later is no great hardship.
I'm quite tempted to get rid of the dishwasher and have a lovely big cupboard in its place.
But would I live to regret this once the novelty wears off?
So what do you reckon - are there any happy ex-dishwasher owners out there?

OP posts:
MaloryTowers · 20/07/2007 09:28

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southeastastra · 20/07/2007 09:36

i've never had a dishwasher it doesn't take long to just wash up in the sink. i'd go for the big cupboard wordgirl

redtoenails · 20/07/2007 09:38

I'd never be without mine, especially when you have visitors.

Mindles · 20/07/2007 09:38

I'll swap a cupboard for your dishwasher??

I bloody hate washing up so it piles up and then takes me hours.

mrsmalumbas · 20/07/2007 09:41

We just moved to a house with no dishwasher and no space for one - thought I would hate it but it's not too bad really, loading and emptying the dishwasher takes time after all. I have invested in an endless supply of rubber gloves, decent washing up brushes and a huge double height draining rack to make it all easier. I don't dry it, just leave it to air dry and then put away. But if I could have the choice of having one again I would, especially for things like sunday dinners and when you have visitors.

dexter73 · 20/07/2007 10:24

I have had no dishwasher for about 3 years now and don't miss it at all. I was always having to wash some stuff up by hand anyway e.g. pots and oven trays. Now have nice butchers block where dishwasher was.

meandmyflyingmachine · 20/07/2007 10:26

I feel faint at the thought....

PanicPants · 20/07/2007 10:29

Oh my God, could not stand being apart from my dishwasher. Never had room in my last house, and when I moved 5 years ago, it changed my life! Honestly it did!

MaryAnnSingleton · 20/07/2007 10:31

I don't have one - there's plumbing for one but never really bothered by it

Miaou · 20/07/2007 10:40

I've never had one and although washing up is not my favourite activity I can't say I'd really want one. I've got a nice view out of the window where the sink is and I do tend to do my "thinking" whilst washing up. Last house I lived in I looked out onto a grotty back yard and that made me miserable, not the washing up per se! Like mrsmalumbas, I don't dry up (not hygienic!), just put away when dry.

Wordgirl I would live without your dishwasher for, say, six months, then see how you feel after that, before committing yourself to a huge cupboard.

KTWhoMustNotBeNamed · 20/07/2007 10:41

When I was having my kitchen done, the thing I missed most was the dishwasher.....

SimplySparkling · 20/07/2007 10:44

I would not want to be without my d/w. When MIL comes to stay and look after the kids when we're not here for several days, she uses it and appreciates it being here. She has never had one btw.

lissie · 20/07/2007 10:44

we got rid of our dishwasher when ds was 4m old and havent looked back. dont miss it at all, was without tumble dryer for a month and it was sheer hell!

AngharadGoldenhand · 20/07/2007 10:48

Couldn't do without one here.

Have you timed how long it takes you to load and unload? It takes me 2 minutes to unload and about 4 to load.

When I didn't have a dishwasher I seemed to be washing up all the time, took an absolute age.

Porpoise · 20/07/2007 10:51

We don't have one - not by choice, though!
Ours died a while back and dh is 'considering' new models (anal geek that he is!)
It's OK without one BUT I really resent the extra time the washing up takes.
Our sink isn't huge and we have three children, so washing up can mean two or even three sets of wash, dry, wash, dry... Would much rather be playing with the kids!

Rantmum · 20/07/2007 10:54

I could be wrong, but my guess is you may be experiencing the "novelty" of doing dishes and that it may wear off in time.

mytwopenceworth · 20/07/2007 10:56

Me. I didn't have room in my kitchen for it when we moved here. I was very upset!

But I stick the radio on, have a little singalong and it is actually quite satisfying.

Plus nobody comes near me when I am doing the dishes, so I get some peace!

Original poster
wordgirl · 20/07/2007 10:57

That's my worry Rantmum. Think I will go with Miaou's suggestion and give it a few months before I burn my bridges!
But as dexter73 said there always seems to be washing up to do anyway - stuff that won't go in the dishwasher and just piles up. Whereas if I'm going to fill a washing up bowl I might as well just do everything.
I don't have visitors that often so it's usually just the five of us and the DSs are easily old enough to wash up.

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