I find myself wanting a tumbledrier...

[doodleboo]

Tell me why i should / shouldn't.

Cannot take my pants drying in the lounge for much longer, washing has reached crisis point since DC2 showed up...

[Flossish]

My lovely mum was slightly horrified by my putting washing away when still a little damp (basically it has been on the indoor airer for days and I have more washing that HAS to go out) and rang me last night to say she had got me here

I'll let you know how we get on as it should arrive tomorrow {lucky daughter emoticon]

[FourArms]

Thanks littlefrog, may consider that once we get to Autumn.

[Nappyzoneneedssleep]

We have one - dont think its a condenser one as dh had to fit a pipe through a hole in the wall. Its fab - i try not to use it to much but in a wet week like this week the airers have collapsed under the weight of the clothes so i have used it to finish them off. If i finsh them of i find i have to iron less which is a huuugggggggggggggggggge bonus as i can just smooth them out.

[littlefrog]

The dehumidifier - I got it from Argos about 2 years ago (after a disastrous first purchase from b* Dixons who had mislisted a HUMIDIFIER as a dehumidifier...)

Is a bit like this

Basically we went for the cheapest, and it's been fine (we got it to dry out plaster, not for laundry; and BIL used it after a flood).

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[LaDiDaDi]

We have a condenser dryer and use a similar system to sweet kitty.

[doodleboo]

Thanks for all the responses! Will suggest it to DH (may have to chop a hole in the kitchen or keep it in the lounge but it sounds sensible, will have a look at the links later.

Riven I really hope things improve for you soon.

[FourArms]

The dehumidifier sounds good littlefrog. Can you link to the type you have?

We have a condenser dryer, which is fab, but I try to use it as little as poss. In the winter I tend to do a couple of washes a day, then tumble what isn't dry the next morning before I hang the next lot on the airer.

Riven if it's a condenser dryer, it can go anywhere, we used to have ours in the dining room. Just need access to a plug. Or could you save towels and sheets and do a laundrette run once a fortnight and wash and tumble them there?

OP - I'd get the most efficient one you can, but ensure it's a condenser as the hose is a nuisance otherwise. When you need to use it, they're a godsend.

[sweetkitty]

I am so sad every morning it's load in washing machine, load into tumble drier. Once both are finished load in tumble drier upstairs and put away/ironing basket, load in washing machine onto airer and another load into machine for the morning.

On a very rare day we might get a load hung out. In this weather the radiators aren't on but it's too wet to hang out it would take a load 3 days on the airer alone and with 3 DCs can't wait that long.

[expatinscotland]

i have one.

a hot point.

i use it in emergencies like d&v bugs and also for 20 minutes or so for towels and jeans so they try without being crunchy.

[Fizzylemonade]

I have AEG condenser sensor tumble dryer, plumbed in by my own fair hands so I don't have to empty the water bottle

I use mine lots, my dh is 6'3" and built like he is meant to play rugby (and he used to) so I could only fit 2 t-shirts of his on one radiator! Even with those radiator drier things that you hook over.

I do try to tumble only what is necessary and I am lucky to have a utility with a kind of shower rail in it (dh did that bit) so I hang up t-shirts and shirts etc and they dry from the heat emitted by the tumble drier and from the breeze that blows through the garage as I open the door from the utility to the garage.

But, jeans and towels I always tumble dry.

I do try to balance this out with cloth nappies, energy efficient light bulbs, I recycle everything I possibly can, freecycle stuff, buy stuff from 2nd hand places etc etc. [tries her best emoticon]

[nowirehangers]

Have never had one to everyone's
But we do have an aga, which we inherited with our house and that is such an energy gobbler I've justified it by using it also as a clothes dryer - some people are horrified to see knickers draped all over it but I don't care!
You can live without one if you have a reasonable sized house and outdoor space but if not with dcs I think it's entirely justifiable. Do what sweetkitty does

[sweetkitty]

We got one after DD2 was born, we live in Scotland so drying outside is a no no for about 11 1/2 months of the year.

I have a system where I hang the washing overnight on an airer and then finish it off in the tumble drier the next day, cuts down drying time and cost by about 2/3rds and you still get the fluffy feeling from the tumble drier and easier to iron too.

[AbbaFan]

I don't know how anybody lives without one.

I use mine all the time. I find anything that is dried on a line really 'crusty'.

My kids refuse to wear anything line dried as they say it itches them!

Get one ready for winter.

[littlefrog]

we have a dehumidifier that we use when the washing really piles up - uses as much energy as a (greedy) lightbulb, and if you leave it on overnight everything is dry (apart perhaps from waistbands of jeans, sometimes).

[meglet]

We have one and hardly use it in the summer. Don't know how we would survive without it when DS has a vomiting bug. The air curculation in our house is rubbish so washing usually takes ages to dry on the airer and ends up smelling. It does eat electric but I couldn't do without it.

[Dropdeadfred]

Gosh thats hard...do you have not have access to respite care that could allow one of you to work more hours?

My friend has a little girl aged one that she has been told will not walk or talk...they have already been offered respite care...her husband works ful time though, so it is difficult for her to be constantly taking her to hospital appts alone etc

[Dropdeadfred]

Gosh...just recently your posts have mademe very for people in your position. I don't mean that in a patronising way....

Are you alone with dd all day?, must be hard if your DH is working....

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[Dropdeadfred]

Does the service not have nappies designed fro older children? seems crazy...she may as well be wearing pants if they are just going to leak straight away....
Have you told them how crap they are?

[Dropdeadfred]

Riven...thats awful. Are there no better special nappies you could buy for her?