Laundry Closets - whoever thought they were a good idea!

Ok, so today's blog is going to be a little rant. 

I don't think I ever truly appreciated a real laundry room more, than when I had to pull out my stacker washer/dryer yesterday to re-attach the dryer vent. We noticed on the weekend that there was a little too much lint accumulating around the machine. Since we didn't get time to deal with it over the weekend, I figured since I had some time on my hands before work that I would tackle it. It couldn't be that difficult right? 

WRONG! I do not know how anyone is even able to repair these machines jammed into these little closets. I pulled out the machines and of course in the process the hose in the drain came out...Now there are a couple things wrong in this picture. Not sure why in a building that is less than 10 years old that the water hoses are rubber and not metal braided hoses. Especially when if they fail it can affect our neighbours below...so we are going to get those changed. But how does it make sense that the drain is half way up the wall (the area I have circled below) and of course the hose that comes from the machine is not a long one.....

So now, I not only have to re-attach the dryer vent hose, but now I somehow have to figure out how to direct this short hose down the drain. The only way to get in behind was to pull the machines out and squeeze between the door frame and machines because there is not only very little room to pull them out, but with all the cords and hoses you can only pull it out so far. I managed to get the lint cleaned up and re-attach the hose...but then I had to figure out how to get that drain hose into the drain....That is where the real fun began...at this point I am starting to build up a sweat as I realize I have to push the machines back in somewhat and climb up on top of the machine. Of course, I decide to do this while my husband is at work...I mean come on I should have been able to do this no problem right. Again wrong, and of course he calls as I am in the middle of it all and laughs when I explain what I need to do in order to get it working. Needless to say I kept my phone close in case I got stuck in behind the machines that I climbed up and over. (Not that I would have liked to make that call..."PLEASE HELP I"M STUCK BEHIND MY LAUNDRY MACHINES....") I could have waited for him to come home, but by this point I was determined to get this fixed. Crazy I know. 

As I climb up on the machines, I realize it is a long way down in behind....so I decide to climb down and then hoist a step stool over and lower it behind. Which worked out perfect...until I had to get it back out. I had pushed the machines back enough to get the hose in and fit the stool back there, but hadn't really thought about how I was going to get the stool back out. So I climb out and end up taking my house coat strap and an hanger to help me hook the stool (thank goodness it was a 2 step stool with a handle). I must have been a sight to see, a grown ass woman lying on top of stacking laundry machines reaching down behind to try and rig a housecoat strap in order to lift up a stool. All while praying I don't end up head first falling behind the machines. 6' from the top down is a long way when you are upside down. 

I won't be repeating this anytime soon, going to call in the experts next time. I will gladly defer to them in the future, that is for sure. Let them figure out how to deal with these situations. They deserve the money they charge for a service call. But as a realtor I truly get it when people look at these tiny closets and dread having their laundry in a closet. I might even know more than them why they shoudln't like having a laundry closet. 

Bettina