Laundry...the never-ending story...

Laundry...this was the primary topic or concern of our friends when we announced we were moving to the UK.  After the congratulations and logistical questions, the questions about appliances, specifically the washer, dryer, and refrigerator began.  Would we have American-sized appliances?  How big are the washers and dryers really?  How long would a load take?  How are towels, sheets, and comforters washed and dried?  Am I going to spend my days in the UK just doing laundry?

Our UK washer and dryer in our mudroom.

The rumors are true.  The washers and dryers are smaller than their American counterparts.  We do not have American-sized appliances, but typical UK appliances.  We are fortunate to have a separate room off the kitchen for our washer and dryer.  Many homes in the UK have the washer and dryer in the kitchen.  Our mudroom houses our washer and dryer as well as additional storage.  It also provides a great spot for sorting and folding laundry.

It has taken me a few loads to figure out exactly how much laundry the washer can handle.  The door and opening is quite small, so I was hesitant to overfill the washer.  Putting the clothes in the washer in a certain way allows me to get more in each load.  One load of laundry takes anywhere from 90 minutes to 180 minutes depending upon the type of wash.  I can luckily fit all of the clothes from the washer into the dryer at once.  Each load takes 60 to 90 minutes to dry.  Many of our UK neighbors have a clothesline or rotary dryer (a fancier clothesline) in their back gardens that they use instead of a dryer.  We have not yet purchased a clothesline, but it is on our list!  I have not yet tackled washing comforters or duvets, but have managed to successfully wash our other linens.  Two towels, one fitted sheet, and two pillowcases fit into one load. 

Two loads of laundry to be folded!

When comparing our laundry from the states to the UK, I do twice as many loads, and it takes twice the time.  All in all, the laundry situation has not been daunting at all.  I typically just take one day to do all of our laundry.  I am sure that this would be different if we had children, who produced much more laundry!

Remember, our lights are always on, but luckily I am not stuck in the laundry room all day long!

~W