Laundry Room Update

So, since we're staying in our current house for awhile, we figured it was time to upgrade our earth shattering-ly loud washer and dryer. We knew we wanted something high efficiency and Energy Star because we're big on reusable/washable items around here including dog potty pads, cotton produce bags and someday, cloth diapers. I did a little research and found these Whirlpool Duet Stackable Washer and Dryer which maximizes the space in our closet sized laundry room. These are a lower end (but still pricey) model without some of the bells and whistles like a steam or sanitize mode, but still include some nice options like a small load setting, a cold water cycle, a whitest whites cycle, and sensor drying.

Whirlpool Duet 3.5 cu ft. High Efficiency Energy Star Washer

Whirlpool Duet High Efficiency Gas Dryer

We've been using this Seventh Generation Free & Clear 2X Concentrated Laundry Detergent for the last year or so and hopefully we can switch from using traditional bleach (which never seems to do anything anyway) to oxygen bleach on the whitest whites setting.

We've never used fabric softening because it's laden with chemicals (including some natural varieties) and decreases the absorbency of most fabrics, but I've had some trouble with large items like heavy blankets and comforters requiring 2-3 drying cycles (in our old machine). I've heard that  Wool Dryer Balls  help reduce drying time by up to 20%, as well as reduce static. 

I hang a lot of clothes on a drying rack to avoid shrinking. I'd use a clothesline but they are not allowed by our HOA (jackasses). I'm going to keep using my old black plastic one (boo plastic!) but this Wooden Dowel Drying Rack from the Container Store would be nice.

One thing I am going to upgrade is our laundry baskets. You know I'm all about Everyday Style, so I'm going to recycle our mismatched, broken plastic laundry baskets and switch to this this 30 dollar guy from Pier 1. Although I'd love this Braided French Laundry Basket from West Elm, I'm too cheap.

I'm going to back in a couple of days with some update pics.

Here

After two years of planning, we still are not able to move home. I was naive to think that anything would be easy. We can't sell our house, I can't find a job. Those two things are the impetus to us moving home. Sure, we could run away to Michigan with no jobs. We could try to short sale or foreclose on the house. Believe me I'm tempted. But it's not like us to make rash decisions, to move ahead without finishing things. 

If a job in Michigan comes a calling, we'll go. But after 40 applications, that's not looking likely. It seems that the best thing for us to do now is stay in Illinois a little longer. For Mike to continue working and making good money. For me to get my precious one year experience. Hey, maybe the housing market could turn around (at least a little). Do I think it's just gonna be easy a year from now, that everything will be right? A little. But I'm not going to be as naive as before. I'm sure a nursing job in Michigan will still be hard to get, even with that year experience. I'm sure, if our house sells, it will be for no where near what we owe. I'm sure, that it Mike wants to be a cop in Michigan, that he will have to take a $1300 training course to get licensed, and still might not find a job. But we'll try, and that's all we can do. 

I'm going to try not to dwell on this setback. As much as it pains us, it's the right decision. We have a good life here, a nice home, a comfortable income, good friends, and our families are still only 5 hours away. So we're going to enjoy our life here, while we're here.