Tuesday 12 November 2013

Drying Clothes In Winter - A Year On

Around this time last year I fitted a kitchen maid airier to the space above our stairs and I thought I'd do a "year on" post on how useful we think it is.

With two children under the age of two and more than our fair share of sick, wee and the brown stuff, we get through a lot of washing in our house and I think I can safely say that without this we'd be lost!
It's been brilliant, it holds a full load of adult washing (baby washing needs miles of drying space as it's all so small). The heat from the fire goes straight up there from the living room and when it's going, it dries within a day. It was also really useful in the summer, if the weather was a bit touch and go you could remove the risk and hang it up in the house to dry.

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The only downside is my wife is a little clumsy so I won't let her load it (for fear of her breaking her neck down the stairs).
I'm so glad I bothered to put this in, it uses up a wasted space in the house, saves us using the tumble dryer and doesn't even look that bad - in fact it's been a talking point when people have come round! If you struggle to dry all your clothes without covering every radiator in the house then take my advice and fit one of these! (I should try to get some commission before I post this!)

18 comments:

  1. Did make me laugh a bit as my neighbour put one in exactly the same position in their house about 10 years ago. At the time we though she was a bit mad, but she barely uses anything else now :)

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    1. We hardly ever use the tumble dryer now this thing is so good at drying clothes. I think your neighbour has got the right idea!

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  2. We have been seriously thinking about getting one of these, at the moment I think our ceilings are too low and although your above the stairs idea is brilliant it's no good for us, our stairwell is too small a space, more square than rectangular and yes, I think either of us would be clumsy enough to fall down stairs trying to load it.

    Brilliant idea though making such good use of a usually completely wasted space.

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    1. If you can fit one in then do as it will save you a fortune! Thiswas the only place I could think to put one. You can buy smaller ones if that would be better. Theres some great ideas on the internet for it

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  3. We used to have one when we lived in Scotland...I loved it and it looks much nicer than clothes horses.
    Jane x

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    1. This one even makes it smell nice as you walk up the stairs!

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  4. Honestly I've been meaning to ask you about your stair-dryer for weeks now and here you've gone and updated us. Thanks. Glad it's doing the trick for you and the family. :-D

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    1. I just thought it had been so useful that I'd do a "year on" post about it.

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  5. Is it on some sort of pulley system to lower it for loading? This sounds like a fab idea - we have tons of space above the stairs! :-)

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    1. Yeah there is pullies but it's quite heavy when it's full of wet towels so it needs good fixings in the ceiling. Do it you won't regret it!

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  6. Ours is in the kitchen ( nice high ceiling :) ) above the Aga - so in winter when the Aga is on stuff dries really fast and the rest of the time the general warth in the kitchen does the trick really well. I do like where you have put yours though :)

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    1. Mums is above the rayburn in the kitchen and has been for over 30 years (although she has one on the top landig as well). The only downside then is if you cook curry or something strong smelling then the clothes can pick it up, other than that it's where I'd have it but our kitchen ceiling is far too low!

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  7. What an excellent idea, not sure where we would put one though, but will file away the idea in my head for later.....

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    1. I'm trying to make sure we use all the space in our house, I'm planning to extend one day but the better organised the house is the easier things seem to be (mind you I type this in a room full of piles of books!)

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  8. Whatever is hanging from it?
    Whatever they are...they died a long time ago

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    1. My work trousers may smell dead but they've never been alive!

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  9. Growing up in England (in the 60's) everyone had one. My mum used it all the time. Ours was in the kitchen.

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    1. Yeah I think that as power got cheaper eveeryone started using the tumble dryer more. We never had one and kept using this. I guess thats why I always wanted one!

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