apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

Washer, but no dryer in the apt. Had a combo for 10 years (Malber -- ventless) but replaced it with washer only caUse the drier is really lousy. You need gas or 22O volts to really dry well. However, with all the heat you get in NYC apts, things dry very quickly in winter. If desparate, I will use driers in our basement -- but it's so sleazy down there -- ewww!

There isn't an option 4, "have washer/dryer in my apartment building" -- I took the first one to mean that the washer/dryer are actually in the person's apartment. I just have to walk down the hall to the laundry room, there's one washer and dryer on each floor (and 8 apartments on each floor). First come/first served, and it's a Canadian dollar coin for a washer load and another Canadian dollar coin for a dryer load. We're supposed to be getting new digital front-loading machines soon, and the price will go up to a dollar and a quarter for a wash or a dry. Sure is better than going to the laundromat, but I'd love to have a washer/dryer in my own apartment!

I drop my laundry off at an old-fashioned laundry run by a nice Korean couple. No do-it-yourself options, but it's same day -- even shirts -- and they will deliver.

As for the price differential -- yeah, doing it myself would be about a third of the cost, assuming I could ever find a machine in my building that was both free and working when I have time to do the laundry myself.

It seems to me -- and I could be wrong -- that the trend is for new apartment units to have some sort of washer/dryer in the kitchen.

A man named Bruce comes to pick up our laundry in his Lexus! It gets washed and returned, folded nicely and stinking of Bounce, for $40 every two weeks. There are two of us, so it's not so much money and well-worth it as far as I'm concerned. Even though my underpants occasionally disappear.

I would never do drop-off service, because my biggest gripe about laundry is dragging it there and back ... I don't actually mind doing and folding it, etc. If I have enough time to do it, it's actually kinda therapeutic for me.

Pick-up service makes a little more sense, but still ... I'd rather just do it myself at the laundromat, although later this year I'm getting a stacking combo for my apt. Can't wait!!!

I'm not comfortable with anyone else washing my underpants. To me, that sounds silly and weird.

My first NYC apartment had a washer and dryer, and that completely ruined me. Both apts I moved to after that one also had to have a W&D. The last one (in a Red Hook loft building) had a laundry rooms on every floor, and I could barely even deal with having to walk across the hallway to do my laundry.

I just don't feel like sharing some things. Nor do I like having to stockpile quarters or schlep all of my stuff to a laundromat!

I love the photo you found on Flickr Regina!

I feel your pain with the laundromats that have more dropped off laundry than they can handle... I once had a washer "taken" from me (I had waited for one and was just reaching for my things) by an owner with too much dropped off laundry to do. Needless to say I found another Laundromat that doesn't offer a drop-off service. I also try to go early in the morning before it gets busy. I actuall find it a bit therapeutic, especially folding! I also have too many things that have specific washing instructions to send to someone else to do!

i would *love* to have my own w/d, but not happening in my pre-war studio coop! anyway, ever since i moved to nyc 2 1/2 years ago, i've dropped off my laundry to the tune of about $10 every other week. however, i recently moved to ditmas park in brooklyn and the place i use now is not very careful and other nearby options seem just as bad... so i'm thinking of looking into pickup service. any recs out there, in south brooklyn?

I am VERY picky about my laundry, and do it myself to avoid the heartbreak of missing/destroyed items. My do's and don't list for my laundry is too particular to trust anyone else with. I don't want my favorite sweaters coming back barbie-sized, and my jeans faded. In a pinch, I may drop off sheets and towels, but that's it. I end up hanging most of my wash up to dry over my shower rod anyway- 4 washer loads will usually produce only one dryer load for me. It's better for the environment than powering up those superhot dryers!

Except for the first year after I moved back here, I have always had my own laundry room. I hated driving my clothes to the laundry and back again. ICK! It always seemed to rain when I needed to do laundry, and I always ended up dropping things. When my son was born I thanked God I could just drop few icky things in the wash, because the stuff that comes out of babies is very scary 100% of the time.

Now, I wash my husbands dress shirts but send those out to be ironed. We have a great relationship with the guy who ownes the laundry and he has only lost one shirt in over 3 years (and he ponied up the $ for that lost shirt that very day!)

I drop it off because it is about the same price. Like on Sunday I dropped off 21 LBS (about a weeks worth), and it is $11.50 For me to do it myself it is $1.50 to was and another to dry. This will take 3 loads to do it all. So for the time saved it is completely worth $2.50!

you need another option:
I only date boys who have a W/D in their apartment.

We should have a washer/dryer ettiquette survey. How do we feel about removing someone's clothing from a machine? I recently encountered a neighbor (that happens to live on my floor) who will always pull my things out of the washer and the dryer. I get there 30 seconds after her and it's just not polite, I am there on time, right when it finishes its cycle. And on top of that, there were other empty machines, so she emptied mine, filled them, AND filled the other two machines! Then she did the same with the dryer 45 minutes later. Am I the only one that feels it's imappropriate to touch other people's belongings?

I took a sublet years ago, and bought out the furniture at the end incl a washer dryer. I moved recently, and paid a plumber to set up the piping to/from. Its totally worth the space it takes up.

I have no room for a washer & dryer at my place, so I have to hit the laundromat, but I don't mind that. For one thing, when the facilities are in-house, laundry is a non-stop hassle, stretched out over the course of a week. Taking the dirty clothes down the street removes laundry from the dailiy TO DO list, gets everything clean, dry & folded in under two hours, provides uninterrupted quiet time--this is also why I don't walk up the escalator on days when I have to go to the Merchandise Mart: somedays it's my only chance to stop racing & stand perfectly still for 30 seconds--and it also gives me a chance to catch up on what's new with Paris, Brad & Angelina without, you know, lowering myself to the point of actually purchasing one of the tabloids. If I did that, I'd always be afraid of being in a subway accident or something and having my next of kin find The National Enquirer spread out on my kitchen counter.

I have a laundry room in my apartment. $1.25 to wash. Same to dry. I hate it. Even though we have front loading machines, which is nice.

I can't even tell you how many times my stuff--wet or dry--has been pulled out of a machine and dumped somewhere. If I am ever in a bind and HAVE to have a dryer, I'll take someone's stuff out and fold it ONLY if it's towels or something. I stack it neatly where they can see it.

I don't bother people's personal clothing, as I think it would feel rather violating to them.

And I am absolutely sickened every time I have to clean someone else's hair and funk out of the dryer lint traps.

Thanks for the space to gripe.

thankfully i have a laundry room on my floor, and there's NO WAY i would want a w/d in my apartment. I paid waaaay too much money for the space it would take up. same reason i'd rather have the gym down the hallway instead of weights stacked to the ceiling in my bedroom.

My laundry costs about $12/week for pickup/dropoff service. I use the building's laundry machine for sheets and towels (heavy items that are easy to fold.) There just isn't enough time in the week to justify spending a night doing laundry.

First of all, I love how goodnightdean thinks.

Secondly, I drop off because it's barely any more money. $1.75 to wash and $1.75 to dry, or $0.80/pound -- that translates to roughly $20 every other week, plus this way I don't pay for detergent, softener, etc. Also, I detest folding clothes, and they do a better job than I ever would, anyway.

I drop off at a local laundry, and handwash anything delicate at home.

The way I look at it, I'm not paying extra for the laundering, I'm paying for the free time to not have to spend at the laundromat.

I go to the local laundromat - 5 minutes away. The owner isn't putting any money into this place - the machines are old and rusting and overflow on occasion but it's convenient.

I do my laundry every other week - I usually have 1 small and 2 medium loads. Prices range from 1.25 for a small machine to 4.50 for the giant loader.

My building also has 2 washers/2 dryers in the basement, but it's too skeevy down there. I use them as a last resort.

I've thought about using the local drop off place, but the thought of any critiqueing my underwear stops me.

In Brooklyn I broke down and bought a portable washing machine. I stored it in the closet and wheeled it out and hooked it up to the kitchen sink when I wanted to do laundry. It could handle a fair amount of clothes/towels/ etc. Perfect for items you want to handwash too. Saved the hassle of dragging heavy bags to the laundromat.

I have this set in my washroom, and it's great. I hang at least half of my laundry and hand-wash delicates, so I don't use the dryer as often, but they're remarkably efficient little machines. Sure, the washroom is a little cramped now, but it's worth it on those Sunday nights when I panic and realise that I've forgotten to do laundry. Again.

Okay, I have no idea how that link managed to convert back to AT, but this is the set:

http://www.compactappliance.com/xq/JSP.detailmain/Ariston_Stackable_Washer_and_Ventless_Condensing_Dryer_Set/itemID.14716/itemType.Product/iProductID.14716/qx/shopping/product/AW125ASL75.htm?mtcpromotion=BizRate%3ELaundry%3EStackable%20Units%3EAW125ASL75

We have a W/D in the basement of our building, and it is the most frightening basement I have ever been in. It's the kind of basement where they find the dead bodies in Law & Order. But I still do my own laundry because a. it's cheaper and b. I'm picky about how I wash my clothes. Most of my stuff gets washed on cold, and some of it on cold/delicate, or in a lingerie bag, and then I air dry about half of it in the apartment. I sometimes think about dropping off sheets and towels at the local laundromat, though.

We do a combo of both. We drop off a laundry bag and do a laundry bag (usually two loads) in our basement laundry room. It is really nice to get everything back folded from the laundromat, though.

Laundry comes out to about $3 in my apartment, which I use only for very large items that I can't take back to my parents house (super energy efficient washer and dryer). However, the need for a large washer is rare in my house. I use a Wonder Clean- I got mine used off ebay, but new they are ~$45. They are handpowered but easy to use and I can do the equivalent of a load of laundry in just 10-15 minutes. It uses a lot less water and soap as well.

We sacrificed space in our kitchen and bought a portable washing machine. Bought it on amazon and it was delivered in perfect condition by UPS. During the summer we harness the power of the sun and dry on a clothesline. During the winter or raining days we have an drying rack.

Down sides:
It has a small capacity so we have to do laundry often
Takes getting used to

Up sides:
Cheap & easy!

Hear hear, goodnightdean!

I use the w/d at my boyfriend's house. When I hear the words "young", "male", and "homeowner" used collectively, I kick my feminine wiles into high gear.

For me, the human cost of doing my own laundry is far too exhorbitant to actually do it myself. I think I once figured out that after I paid for the $1.25 per load (or whatever) for the washer, and the .25 per 10 minutes of drying, and waiting for them to be free that I was paying myself less than minimum wage on the savings over dropping it off.

So, I always drop it off. They do it better, anyway. Seriously.

There's nothing more soothing than folding clean laundry while watching a little tv...
Laura from Murray Hill -- you know people have touched your clothing before, right? When they manufactured it (perhaps), when they hung it up in the store, when they put it in the shopping bag and handed it to you...I honestly don't mean to be snarky. Other people's squeamishness is just not comprehensible sometimes.

We have a laundry room in our building. There are aprox. 64 families here and I swear some times I think that many literally wait till there are no clean clothes left before they wash!
There are 2 huge washers, 4 small washers and 4 huge dryers. The laundry room is open from 8am-9pm. So, you must have your clothes dry & folded by closing time. There is never a "good time" to wash. I've gone down many times with a load and there will be one tenant with each washer taken and have their family members bring bundles more down. This wouldn't bother me if they'd simply offer the nxt machine but that rarely happens. And yes, for what your paying I think I might try that drop off technique.

For a few years I lived in a building that had to laundry room in the building. I hated it! When the time came to find a new place, having a communal laundry room in the basement was at the top of the want list.

Of course, having my own machine in my apartment would be decadently luxurious, but I don't expect I'll ever be able to afford a place where I can do that.

And I would NEVER let strangers do my laundry. In my building, there are lots of people with maids & nannies, and I see them in the laundry room all the time. Some of the funky things I see them doing with people's laundry would give me the heebie-jeebies if that was my laundry. Let's just say that if your maid is doing your laundry, you shouldn't assume it is actually getting clean!

Clairepetrol, do you mind sharing how much that cost you?

when i lived in a building with laundry in the basement, i did that. then i didn't, so i dropped off. it was an extravagance, to be sure, but i realized it was worth the extra $7-$10 to have those three hours of my life back. i used the BMT cleaners in brooklyn, just off the union street subway stop on the R, and loved them.

now i live in the same town as my parents, and i'm slightly embarrassed to admit, i do my laundry over there. but hey, it makes them happy to see me once a week, i get a free dinner out of the deal, and they have a pool, which is nice this time of year!

There is quite an outpouring of emotion here regarding the joys and sorrows of laundry...
Regarding the etiquette of pulling someone's stuff out of a machine: I live in an apt. building with a laundry room where some people are there to get there stuff out of machines right on time, and others seem to forget about it for half a day or more... no joke. There are four dryers for the entire building... should one or more of the dryers be unusable for hours at a time because someone left their clothes in a dryer and we're all too "polite" to move it? For a lot of us working stiffs that would mean waiting until the next evening to do our wash. I'm willing to wait 5 minutes or so, but no more. There's even a sign on the wall advising people to do just that... it's only fair, and commonly accepted, I think.

we use the hand washer machine and spin dryer from laundry alternative. http://www.laundry-alternative.com/

on the whole its comes out to, well, very very cheap.

therefore we do laundry in our brooklyn bathroom. we do have to do it frequently, but we also have a baby and this set up enables us to use cloth diapers. which we'd never use if we had to cart them to the laundromat. we do have to go to the laundromat to do the sheets and towels. but thats only a small load like every other week or so.

i saw a link to that washer on AT actually. people were wondering if it actually worked. we decided to give it a try.

I have been totally spoiled by this apartment--which has a washer and dryer. My last apt had one on the same floor, which wasn't bad. My first apartment out of college had none, and there wasn't a laundromat within a few miles--every other weekend, I'd spend a Saturday driving up to the closest one and dealing with the inevitable crowd there. I discovered that people would do your laundry and would occasionally indulge in that...but this was when I was already paying way more than half of my salary on rent alone. So glad those days are over!

i live upstairs and two doors down from a great laundromat. they have super giant front-load machines (as well as smaller, regular sized ones), and are reasonably priced. i never sit in the laundromat, and i usually take the time while the laundry is going to clean house as well. i also have gotten into the habit of washing my chenille rug, which fluffs it up and leaves it smelling fresh.

i have also thought about installing an indoor (or outdoor, for that matter) clothesline. i actually do prefer to hang dry a lot of my clothes (particularly my vintage dresses), and it would also cut down a bit on my laundry costs.

when i lived in bed-stuy, i used to drop off. i liked the women who worked there, but the laundromat itself was a bit sketchy and it was not close to home. i didn't like waiting while my clothes washed. i usually dropped off on my out one day and picked up on my way back the next. it was relatively cheap to get a lot done.

Ingrid- Just to clarify, I'm not concerned with someone touching my clothing from a cleanliness angle at all, but rather that they are moving something that doesn't belong to them in the first place, especially when there are already available machines. I'm just curious as to what other folks do in a situation where their personal items become part of a communal space.

And for the record, it did sound snarky. Give your fellow readers some credit.

Have washer, but no dryer and wouldn't have it any other way.

Currently in the basement of my building (two flights down) and only $1 per cycle. But buying an apartment in a building without machines (and on the 4th floor) so thinking about installing a Malber.

With some trepidation in the laundry dept., I'm about to move from an place with washer/dryer in the apartment to a building with a large laundry room off the lobby. I can see both sides of the remove-others'-laundry situation, but there's a major peeve I have: people who split their one washer load into as many dryer loads as possible so their clothes dry faster. This is particularly a problem when the dryer pricing is per ten minutes.

there are washers and dryers in the basement of my apartment building.
when i lived in soho years ago there was no laundry, and i tell you those that say they will never let somone do their laundry may change their minds, if they didn't have home laundry, because of the time required to schlep to the laundomat, wait for your wash and dry cycles to finish. then schlep back home.with a busy life here in the city i could well understand using a pick up service.

My building has a laundry room that is shared by 12 apartments, although a few units have their own; there are hookups in every unit). The machines use stored-value cards, so there's no need to accumulate change, but periodically one has to go to the lobby of another building in the complex to add value.

I don't hesitate to remove someone else's laundry if the cycle is completely finished. Some of my neighbors go out for the rest of the day when their last load is running (just one washer and dryer per building) and don't come back until it is too late in the evening to use the machines (building regulation).

I am usually prompt to remove my own laundry, but I leave my laundry basket in front of the machine in case someone else wants to use it before I get back.

My bldg has w/d in the basement, but I refuse to use them as they are too expensive! I go to the 24-hr laundromat half a block away.

Hi, it's me again. I forgot to ask a key question.

The one feature I love on my in-unit dryer is the moisture-sensor. I hope not to have to re-learn the art of cooking my laundry for just the right amount of time when I move to a laundry-room building.

Do laundry-room dryers ever have moisture-sensors rather than just temp- and time-selectors? Maybe those fancy card-funded ones?

Just so I can start pestering the Board before the next contract renewal!!!

My building has one washer and one dryer on the lower level of the building. The building has 8 units so I tend to do my laundry later at night when everyone else has finished. I am really picky about how things are washed because laundering can really do a number on your clothes. I will only use a laundry service when I am on the road.

"sketchy" is code for full of Black people.

We have a new coin-op washer and dryer in an alcove on each floor, and there are five apartments on each floor. The cost for each of the machines is about half of what it would cost at a laundromat, so it's not a bad deal. We did have one tenant who was leaving her laundry in the machines all day while she went out and did her errands, so the building manager put up a sign saying that you absolutely have to be there to take your laundry out when the cycle finishes or risk having your laundry tossed into the dumpster. Well.....the tenant did risk it, and her laundry did get tossed. We no longer have that problem.......

Does anyone have one of those washer/dryer combos that can go into a closet and rolled out when it's time to do laundry?

Laura (murray hill),
How long should one wait to be able to use a washer that has already finished washing clothes that no one comes to remove from the washer?

For the record, I hate moving other people's loads of laundry - not for any cleanliness issue (they've actually just been cleaned, right?), but for more like the "personal property" reason that Laura mentions. (Although, all right, all right, there is some squeamishness involved in seeing someone's greyed white undies with ripped seams and slack elastic bands.... eek!) But how long can I go without washing my own clothes - and how many extra hours should I waste checking - just because others do not consider it a priority to keep track of their laundry?

And yes, since I don't want people moving my clothes around, either, I make sure I return to the laundry room a few minutes before the washer or dryer is done. (I spend the time reading, or standing on one foot, or stretching. Amazing how long three to seven minutes can take.)

Ugh laundry! After getting all my clothes ruined from dropoff - I do my own. I hate it as I only have time on the weekend.
I live in the village so tiny laundromat and no washer/dryer in the building.
I prefer to go first thing to avoid the rush. Sunday hit the laundromat when it opened - so quiet it was spooky.

If you arent' there to take your clothes out the moment the cycle is done - then you are too late. Recently, I was waiting for a washer and had to pull out a women's clothes. When it came to the dryer guess whose clothes were once again sitting in a stopped dryer? I felt bad taking them out but the owner and everyone standing around agreed the policy was 'if you aren't there they can be removed by anyone'.

put me in the building has a laundry room column. At three dollars total to wash and dry it's kinda spendy, but easier than going to a laundromat. And I am one of those people who forgets how long ago I started the machine and leaves the clothes in it. (I'm also one of those people who can never find her wallet/keys etc!) My solution was to leave the laundry basket on top of the washer or dryer so anyone who needs the machine has a place to put it if I don't make it back promptly. It seems to work.

Any opinions on coin vs. card operation? Ours operates on a electronic card system; you can add value from bills at a small device in the laundry room. It seems really convienient--no hunting down quarters--but the machines don't seem to like to read the older cards and for a while I never did laundry unless the Manager was in the office because I'd end up with a bunch of wet clothes at midnight and a card that none of the dryers could read! They replaced some of the machines and it's better now, though.

In college in Idaho I skipped out on the dorm's spendy washers and dryers and did laundry with friends at the laundromat. We'd take our laptops and do HW. But it always felt strange to be sitting with a laptop and an ipod on a Sunday afternoon surrounded by working class women and their kids, ususally minorities. I would imagine in the city, there's less of a class/racial divide in who uses the laundromats.

I just moved from a big city to a small town to be with the b/f. He has a washer/dryer and I never thought I'd say this, but I am actually (sorta) missing my old laundry mat! First, it was a nice form of informal exercise to walk my clothes to and from, and when I let my dirty clothes situation get a little out of control, I just went early and used several machines. Thus, everything was done in less than two hours. Now, with dirty clothes x2, one or both of us are stuck home for an extended time doing load after load. We may have to experiment with spreading things out over the week to avoid that.

What I do not miss about the mat is large family laundry day, where one family would take up every dryer for cycle after cycle. I understand that a large family generates a lot of laundry, but let a few other sneak a load or two in!

This topic couldn't have come at a better time. I have been trying to decide about a. sacrificing my dinette for a w/d ( I have hookups already.)
b. a w/d combo-with the idea of putting some kind of table top on it for use as a breakfast bar.It sounds like the dryer in these types are only for fluffing.(I'm in Texas, its usually hot enough to dry even in the winter)
c.dropping off- the only thing holding me back is the undies
d. now the answer to the undie problem..the alternative washer. 45 dollars sounds too good to be true. I checked the website and there is a countertop spin dryer. Has anyone used this item? I work full time and go to school full time so i am thinking that I can justify the drop off price payment for time.
e. I forgot I could get a full size set and just put a dining set in the living room. It would be completely seperate from my kitchen though.
My preference would be the w/d combo but Target reviewers give the Hari brand bad reviews. Any thoughts or reccomendations?

J,
When you have your own w & d, you don't have to do it all at once! You do it over a couple of days between other activities.

$45/week for drop-off laundry? That would have to be a lot of laundry! I used to do my own laundry at a laundromat, but when I moved in with my husband a few years ago he convinced me that drop-off was the way to go and now I believe it is worth every penny. And Michael K. is right, it's not much more expensive than doing it yourself and my time is more valuable to me.

My building has a laundry room on each floor, with 2 washers & 2 driers -- $1.25 for each. We have a card system, which I like since I don't have to remember to get change, but the downside is that the smallest bill the card machine will take is $5.00 (and it doesn't take change) -- my father's building has one very well-designed laundry room with lots of machines and hanging space plus a sink, with a machine that takes debit and credit cards and directs traffic to the machine you're using (that is, you buy time for machine #3 at one central point), very cool.
As for removing someone else's laundry -- I'll wait a few minutes if there's no other free machine but I think if you're using shared conveniences you should be considerate and come get your stuff. We had a woman living on my floor who would leave stuff for days -- someone would pull it out of a machine, finally, and she wouldn't come get it for a week. (This was the same woman who let her dog roam the halls unsupervised, so I guess there was a pattern)

Moving someone else's laundry: if the machine has stopped and you are not there to remove your own clothes, it's perfectly acceptable for someone else to move them. They dont know if/when you'll return. Just be there before the load is finished, and your problem is solved.

This whole thread has reminded me of how very happy I am not to be dealing with laundromats and apt laundry rooms anymore.
The hygiene angle of putting my clothes in a machine that dozens and dozens of strangers have also used has always creeped me out.

I am moving my kitchenette this summer - and paying for the extra plumbing work - so I can finally get a W/D in my studio. A decent combo unit, to save on precious space.

I have my own machine... always did, always will.

And for those that insist there is "no space"... make space. Very few things are more useful that a washing machine.

Wow- where are all these cheap-o laudromats that charge so little for a wash load? Mine in the west village just raised the price to $3 per small washer load, and 25 cents per 5 minutes of dryer time. So each load costs me $4.75.

Wow! $4.75 for a small washer load?? If you're planning to be living in that area for a while I would just get washer. It'll pay for itself in a few years and you won't have to lug all your laundry back and forth. I also agree with "ColumbusOh" comment. My time is worth just as much as yours. If you're not there to pick up your wash and there aren't that many W/D in the laundromat then I have every right to take your stuff out and dump it somewhere. I just can't believe how how some people are so self centered as to leave their clothes there the whole day or however long once it's done. I have my own washer though I usually have a ton more of clothes to do than what my washer can handle so it's more convenient for me just to go to the mat and do it all in one shot.

I'm with Pete - make the space, you wont regret it.

Unlike the person who said this stretches laundry as a task thats always 'to be done' i think its the reverse. I can throw a load in before bed, toss it in the dryer in the morning, and not have to be ready to unload or worry about other people pawing through my undies. :-)

Also its invaluable when you realise everything you want to wear on saturday night is dirty, and you dont have time to sit in laundromat.

The plumbing hook ups cost me $250 for a guy to come in and install, and i think the machines originally cost about $1000. In the past 2 years i've also had them services once for $125. SO not cheap, but really well worth it.

Being a small part newyorker and a major part copenhagener, I so envy your drop-off options and even the dry cleaner bringing crisp, clean clothes to your door (man). However, we have another option here in Copenhagen: Have a meal or a coffee while you do your laundry. Two Laundromat Cafés have opened here recently - look here: http://www.thelaundromatcafe.com/

Y'know I wouldn't even mind shlepping it to the laundromat if there was actually someplace to sit - or even stand! But you have to constantly move out of other people's way or jockey for position, hoping to grab a dryer. It's so cramped (this place is on Sullivan St.) I sometimes end up standing forlornly out on the sidwalk. I hate coming back in and finding a stranger handling my clothing, yanking it out of the dryer before it's finished. Laundry is cut-throat!

Option #4 - laundry room in building
Option #5 - do it at the beachhouse or ski house

I hate hate hate laundromats. In Toronto, it is relatively easy to rent a condo or new rental building with in suite washer and dryer. There's nothing better than to be able to multi-task (ie laundry&cooking, laundry&housecleaning, laundry&hairwashing, laundry&running out to run errands). My old building had a common laundromat for the residents and someone would constantly steal my underwear (hope you're enjoying the thongs, loser). More importantly, my best linens would always "disappear". Down with laundromats!

Option #6 - Shower with your clothes on... it works.

(dry off with a bike ride) ;)

Stacked washer/dryer on our floor, and several more in the basement (which we never use). $1.75 for a wash, same for a dry; we end up spending about $20 a week on laundry, plus supplies.

brownbaby: "sketchy" is the code for not being able to sit and mind my own business while men direct lewd comments at me, often sitting next to me despite my requests they leave me alone, and touching me inappropriately. bed-stuy being a predominantly black neighborhood, these were indeed black men causing me this grief. i don't care if they were asian, white, black, or whatever. you don't harass girls sitting by themselves minding their own business, and you certainly don't lay your hands on them uninvited. it was not an isolated incident. it happened on more than one occassion with different men. so go ahead and insinuate that i am a racist for not wanting to hang out at the sexual harassment laundromat.

I am so happy about the wash/dry place I use, about three blocks from my apartment in Bklyn, next to my favorite cafe. It costs me about $10 every two weeks. Washing it myself costs about $5... and almost two hours spent dealing with my laundry. No thanks! Plus I love the woman who works there. It's on Union and Hicks next to Everyday Athlete. Well worth $5 every two weeks!

Egads! How much? I remember when I lived in The City several years back... drop off would be only $14, and that's for two week's worth of laundry!

Anyhoo, assuming you have the money, or at least a credit card, look into one of those ALL-IN-ONEs—a washer/dryer in one. LG makes one that you can connect to your sink and runs on regular voltage so you don't need any special plumbing or electrical. (See review at: http://www1.epinions.com/content_210468966020) Best part is that you can take it with you wherever you go. It would pay for itself in about 115 loads.

Hope this helps!

Don't you just love everyone airing thier dirty laundry?????

kkf - I think we live in the same part of the village ;-)

A year and a half ago I had 2 laundromats across the street, one was super cheap and nice, the other outrageously expensive and cramped. Cheap and nice was shut down apparently because it was a front for a prostitution ring.

Having been stuck now with the bad laundromat for a while, I'm switching to the tiny hand crank pressure washer from laundry-alternative.com. I've mostly been hand washing and line drying in my apartment because of the cost combined with lugging everything up and down 6 flights of stairs. I'm hoping the little washer streamlines things for me a bit.

I remember back in 1999 when I went to look at my apartment. It's bi-level with the bedroom and bathroom a-la-on-suite. As I came down the stairs to look at the kitchen, I noticed a door under the stairs, I asked the agent what was down there, he said, "oh, that's the basement, nothing special just electrical boxes, gas & water meters, and hot water heaters and a washer and dryer. I didn't even need to see it, I told him that I would take the place! Three floors for $450 a month and a washer and dryer! Quite a buy for a duplex! In 2002, I ended up buying the building (a duplex- both units have a washer and dryer in it)!

brownbaby -- In that context, I'll have to agree. And that upsets me being a person of color.

I have a stacked set in my bathroom.

BTW, when I was in college (SUNY Buffalo), I would do laundry about once a month. As a result I would be in there for about 4 hours. Spending that much time in the laundromat put me a position to witness some seriously weird stuff.

One day there were about 4 of us doing laundry, I was the only male. One woman (college student) was transferring items from the washer to the dryer via the laundry cart. A man walked in, did a loop through the laundromat, grabbed a pair of the woman's underpants and walked out. While I saw the entire thing clearly, she only saw it out of the corner of her eye. As a result she was a little flustered and wasn't sure about what just happened. I went over to her and told her what I saw. The two of us then walk out and around the corner to see the "gentleman" pleasuring himself with her item. I suggested that she shouldn't ask him to return it.

She was white, I am black and the gentleman was white.

I say all of this because while there may be some truth (somewhere) in what Brownbaby stated, Powkang's reality is real. There is some sketchy business in/around laundromats.