the story of why we have a washer & dryer in our family room

03 January 2011

AKA My love/hate relationship with surprises.
Soooo, my sweet husband surprised me with an awesome gift for Christmas. I couldn’t believe it when the delivery guys showed up…I hadn’t asked for them, I really had no clue, and I am not an easy person to surprise because I make it my business know everything that’s going on around here.
december 2010 070 1The guys were wondering where to put the old washer and dryer and my husband told them they could take them downstairs to the storage room. (When we had the basement finished, we had them put a washer and dryer hookup in our storage room so someday we could have a laundry upstairs and downstairs.)


Me: “Ummmmmm, you can’t do that.”
Husband: “Why not?”
Me: “Ummmmm, there’s not really room right now~there’s a lot of presents down there and stuff.”
Husband as he’s heading downstairs: “That’s okay, we’ll clear a path.”
Me running after him yelling: “There’s not really room to clear a path!!”
Husband as he opens the storage room door: “Whoa.”
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december 2010 110december 2010 107
december 2010 106 {okay, and this is after Christmas…imagine it with a few bikes, piles of presents, you name it}
Me: “I can explain!”
Husband to guys that just came down with the washer: “Um guys, just put it over here in the family room for right now.”
Me: “Honey, if I knew they were coming, I could have had it all cleaned out and ready.”
Husband: “We are doing a major clean-out after the break, right? And most of this stuff is going to Goodwill…right?”
Me, hanging head: “yes.”
So there they sit. Guess what I’m going to be up to this week?
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That is why I love and hate surprises. Love them because he is the best…so thoughtful and I love how he jumped through many hoops to keep me from finding out.
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Hate them because you show up without any makeup in your sweats and everyone is taking pictures, or in this case, a room that I’ve been throwing junk treasures into since summer and closing the door behind me.
Do you like surprises? Do you have a secret junk room?

59 comments

  1. Congrats on those front loading beauties. We don't have basements in Texas, and every bit of upstairs space I have is crammed with kids' rooms, so my decor is always out (except Christmas, which lives its longer life in our 700 degree attic).

    You'll feel great putting that extra room to rights and knowing where everything is (although I bet you already did, right???)

    I do love surprises, but it's hard to put things over on me, too. I have always been too nosy for my own good - even found Christmas gifts, peeled back the tape to see inside and everything.

    Happy 2011!
    Laura

    http://www.paringdown.com

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  2. I have the "few years older" version of that washer & dryer. I love it! Hope you do too:)

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  3. Ha, looks like our master bedroom and closet did before hubby took a shovel to it. Ok, maybe a little messier (I did need to be able to get to my bed).:-)

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  4. Is it weird that I think your new washer and dryer are pretty? Can a washer and dryer be pretty?! LOVE the shot of the baby loading the washer. Train 'em early! I have not-so-secret junk stashes. And our laundry room seems to be the catch-all for stuff when we have company. :s

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  5. Surprises in tiny little tiffany blue boxes? I wouldn't have a problem with that! Big surprises would throw me as well. I'd be in a towel with wet hair when they showed up!

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  6. Love the messy room pictures...I thnk we all have a room like that... Thanks for keeping it real!

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  7. Hillarious! I just love you!

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  8. As far as surprises go, that is a really good one. I just might be buried with my front loading washer and dryer, they mean that much to me.

    Oh, the stories I could tell of my own secret stashes. In our last house, we had this horrible damp, dark basement. One evening, we found out we were having last minute guests. I had a sink overflowing with dishes that I didn't have time to wash, so I threw them all into a garbage sack and took them down into the basement. Then I completely forgot about them. A week later, my husband was looking for one of his tools in the basement and found my stash of putrid dishes. Oh the horror! The shame! He hasn't let me live it down, yet. I should be wearing a scarlet D.

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  9. But the new ones are SOOOOO beautiful!!!! I never would have thought I could get so excited for someone over new washer and dryer.

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  10. we got front loaders a few years ago and it has been the best investment ever

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  11. My husband makes the "junk and goodwill" comment to me all the time too. Men... they just don't get it sometimes. Everyone has to have treasures room or at least a treasures drawer. Great story. :)

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  12. so...i can relate. one time i got a call that company was coming over unexpectedly and i threw the dirty dishes in the oven (because of course the dishwasher was full already, and not clean) and then forgot about them. and then preheated the oven for dinner...wondering what is that burning smell???

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  13. Ahhh. I love the realness of your photos..... I love/hate surprises as well. Usually, my gifts are predictable so I love the extra effort to surprise. I have the "few year older" model as well and I still love them. Merry Christmas to you right.

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  14. Hee hee this made me laugh alot - great pics too!
    Rachie xo

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  15. I love this post... He tried and was so proud and you must have been mortified :( Love that shot of your little guy doing all the laundry. Can't wait to see them in their "real" home!

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  16. Wow, you just made me feel so much better about MY disaster!

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  17. Oh - I love surprises but am not a fan of looking bad infront of my hubby! Enjoy your week!

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  18. My whole entire basement looks like that one room of yours. It's terrible. I have lots of junk. I have become VERY disorganized and I just throw everything into the basement. I literally have a path in the junk so I can get to the washer and dryer. *hangs head in shame* haha!

    Anyway...woo hoo on the new washer and dryer. They're beautiful!

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  19. I am new to your blog and am loving it here..You crack me up with this story..Happy for you on the Christmas gift..Sad for you on the set doing time in the family room..lol...I say hang a wreath on them until you get your storage area cleaned for them in their new location..haha..Can't wait to read more..Also I love your home and decorating style..So glad I found ya..

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  20. What a sweet thing for husband to surprise you! If only he had given you a 2-day heads-up though. Heh heh.

    I'd have to tell you that our laundry / storage room is waaaaay worse than yours. My hubs decided to empty every tool known to mankind into them so that he could empty and drywall his workshop. I can't even go down there it's so disgusting.

    Make sure to post a before and after for inspiration... I'll be needing it!! :)

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  21. that is so funny, i try to hide things from my husband but he has a nose for clutter and actually sniffs it out...lol

    great score on the washer and dryer.....my dream is two washers and two dryers, laundry is done twice as fast!!!

    i (heart) your blog~!!!!

    hugs, cindy

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  22. We have awarded you the Stylish Blog Award. Thank you for all your inspiration. You can view at http://3krazychics.blogspot.com/

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  23. I hate surprises, much for this same reason. Like today, when my nice neighbor (who I happen to know has an immaculately kept house) stopped by and I was still un-showered, in probably the junkiest T-shirt I own with the kids' lunch dishes (and crumbs!) still all over the kitchen table and the Christmas boxes all strewn about the dining room/living room as I chose today to de-Christmas the house. I was mortified, but she was gracious enough not to act aghast. : )

    Such pretty laundry stuffs, what a good hubby!!

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  24. Lol, this is too funny! I have a secret junk room: our office. My husband and I both know what lies behind the door, but I keep it shut at all times..it's gotten to the point where we can barely open the door. The hubby says it looks like an episode of Hoarders!

    We're currently TTC so the office will soon become a nursery. yikes. Not looking forward to that job!!

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  25. How refreshing to see how we really live and how we try so hard to keep it all together, I too have this crazy attic, where the gifts were by the way! You are hysterical and honest, thanks for the peak.

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  26. Ha! I love it! I am right there with ya at the moment. Our basement is trashed!! Between Christmas, and doing uniforms for 140 players and their respective coaches, our basement looks like a warehouse gone wrong...way wrong! Uniforms get distributed next week, then I am off to the dungeon to purge once and for all!!

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  27. Ha ha! Love surprises....but like a little warning if it involves me or the house looking decent! LOL We worked on cleaning out our basement this past week....lots of my "treasures" were discovered by my husband!

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  28. I can't stop laughing! That is soooooo me! Right down to the quiet little "yes" when asked if that stuff would be leaving the house. My craft room has become that room..

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  29. I've been there before and it makes me happy to know that I'm not the only one!!! Thanks so much for keeping it real! Love your blog!

    Angie @ Angie's Daily News

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  30. To funny! Enjoy your surprise.

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  31. Wow what an awesome gift!! I hope you are enjoying your new washer and dryer.

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  32. When my husband & I first got married, we lived in a two bedroom apartment. The second bedroom was the "junk room". When it was time to move...we ended up HAVING to go in & dealing with the "junk room". My in laws came over to help us pack one night & the junk room was on the agenda. It was SO embarrasing!

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  33. sweet story.... great gift, and every(normal) person has a junk room. I also have the LG washer & dryer... make sure you leave the washer door open when you are not using it, and wipe the rubber seal inside the door. I have two other friends and we all have had issues with the moisture inside.... but you will love it!

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  34. giosmama26@yahoo.com1/3/11, 8:52 PM

    That is a super awesome gift. What a great hubby. That is too funny about your junk room. My office used to look worse than that. I got to cleaning up this weekend though. It feels soooo good now.

    Can you please tell me where you got that adorable basked that stands on your *I'm so embarrassed cause I don't know what is which..* HAHA but yah, the one that stands with the "washer or dryer" that has the lamp on it????!!

    Happy New Year!

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  35. giosmama26@yahoo.com1/3/11, 8:53 PM

    I meant to ask where did you get that adorable basket NOT basked. haha..

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  36. Haha that's awesome. Um yes, plenty of secret junk stashes around here. :) Man, you and Young House Love scored with the new W/D's! How exciting!! I would LOVE to get that as a gift. :)

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  37. i feel you. would you believe that our w/d hook up is in a nook off of our living room... and our w/d doesn't fit in that nook... so my w/d are stacked... *next* to the nook.

    i like to think i'm flexible... :)

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  38. YES! I TOTALLY do! It's sad. and when you open the door, it's like an episode of hoarders! LOL. Okay, not really.
    but EVERY space in our home is usually super organized, so when anyone sees the "junk room" in our basement, they gasp! LOL... it's quite embarrassing.
    I REALLY need to get on it!

    I'm so excited for you and your NEW washer and dryer! SO FUN! What a good hubby! :)
    I hope you have a FAB new year!
    ~Shelley

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  39. What a great gift! I'm pretty excited for any (positive) surprises.

    I'm really glad to see that someone else besides me has random decorative objects sitting in storage, waiting to be switched out around the house.

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  40. Wow - what a wonderful surprise. Way to go, hubby! BTW, we were watching "It's a Wonderful Life" last night and I heard "320 Sycamore" and I thought - oh, that's the blog I follow! Then I checked in today and saw "granville house" on your address. I guess I'm just slow, but I missed all that. You probably explained it once, but I wasn't following at that time. Anyway, classic movie, great idea, and I enjoy your blog. Linda

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  41. I love this story on so, so many levels. Thanks for sharing and normalizing my life. ;)

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  42. What a wonderful surprise!!

    And yes, I have secret stashes throughout the house and panic ensues every time my husband gets ready to go into one of those areas. I keep thinking I have to clean that up before he busts me, but then I get busy doing something else and forget until the next time. It's so easy just to close a door and forget it lol!

    Some lucky Goodwill shopper is going to LOVE you :-)

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  43. Oh, Melissa, I'm so glad I'm not the only one who has a stash of junk of which her husband is (usually) blissfully unaware. It lifted my heart to think of your running down the stairs after your hubby, protesting his opening that door. . . .

    Hope your new year is off to a wonderful start with lots of (clean, dry, folded and put away) laundry!

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  44. My guest room closet looks like a bomb went off in it. I have cleaned it out several times and within a month or two it looks exactly the same. Its so bad we cant even walk in the "walk in" closet. My husband just shakes his head and mumbles to himself. In my defense the only storage closet we have in the house is the coat closet downstairs and we dont have a garage or large storage room. Glad your hubby was able to surprise you with your new front loaders.

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  45. What a thoughtful suprise...don't you hate it when our husbands are so incredibly thoughful & it complicates our life? LoL. Thanks for being brave enough to share the picture of your storage area. I think most of us have a place like that in our homes that we would never let anyone see. If I could pad lock mine believe me I would.

    When attempting to purge old junk/treasures might I suggest posting on freecycle. Go out to www.freecycle.com & sign up for your area. post what you're trying to get rid of & people will email responses to come over & pick you're old stuff up. All you'll need to do is put it out on your porch at a pre arranged time & it will disappear (like magic)thus proving the old adage "one mans trash is another mans treasure". It works wonderfully...unfortunately you still have to be brave enough to go into that stoage area & sort thru things to post them & put them outside but it's nice to get rid of stuff & know someone else can use it.

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  46. I got a surprise gift of a new washer & dryer too this year! not from my husband though... my aunt & uncle. I was given a day's notice though. she texted me (from out of state) to say there was going to be a delivery the next day in the afternoon. that's all I knew! when the sears guy showed up and said he was delivering a new washer & dryer, I jumped for joy. he thought he had come to the wrong house b/c he didn't know it was a surprise. haha!

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  47. I think every blogger has to have a junk room! My husband just reorganized our entire basement. A man that won't wipe a counter or put away his clean clothes! He did such an amazing job that right now the basement is currently the most organized area of our home. He was also kind enough to set aside boxes and boxes of things of mine that need to go to Goodwill. Some of it was just BOUGHT from Goodwill! My head was hanging as well :). Too much stuff. And yes, I have a strong love/hate relationship with surprises as well! But I am loving your new washer/dryer! What a sweet hubby!

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  48. Oooo, lucky you! Our junk room is the basement...the whole basement! It's in the process of being cleaned out, though.
    I think I would like a surprise (as long as it didn't involve anything embarrassing for me), but my husband has never once been able to surprise me in 18.5 years of marriage. Never.

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  49. That is an incredibly cool gift and a fun surprise. My attic looks like your storage room. I need to add it to my list of things to do this year!

    I am craving a new w/d as well. We have an older model (very similar to your older model). Hmmmm...

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  50. First, I'm roaring! :)
    Second, wow- American sized laundry machines...is green oozing through your screen?! I am so thankful for what we have and I am looking forward to the shock of being able to put more than what fits in a 5 gal. bucket into a machine and having it take less than 2.5 hours to complete a cycle!

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  51. I have a hard time with surprises as well. Not that I am not grateful or even unhappy about the service. And it usually something I have been longing for or in dyer need of. But for me I don't know how to react the right way when it throws a serious wrench into my plans, room or life...aka having to store them in the living room because you have other things you have to go through. I am always very happy, but it usually ends with me getting rid of things in a hurry to make room. And it makes me feel a tad bit frantic and then ungrateful/sad that I am not all smiles and hugs. I love the idea of surprises but the actual act for me anyways is a hard thing to swallow and often gets stuck. So I am right there with you. And I do have to add, those washer/dyers are beauties, I know with my 5 kiddos they make a world of difference with managing life better!

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  52. hahahahaha I love my pair but I got to pick them out! haha Our daughter's washer 'bwoke' so she got a beautiful red one like mine. The dryer still works so her hubby says she'll have to wait for it to 'bwake' (grandbaby words!) Bless her heart, she's patient and they're on a budget :D I have to say, though, never seen a storage room quite like that. Bet you got inspired quickly ;)

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  53. BWA HAHAHAHA!! So funny. What a great surprise. And it's always nice to have an extra W/D set in your family room. :)

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  54. Great great story. Especially loved the part with the teeny tiny "yes". Gotta tell you, though, your idea of a "messy, crowded" laundry room made me laugh. I grew up in a home where my mom was a hoarder. Your photos were her house on a "good day". Ahhh, thanks for the memories!!
    http://mothersofbrothersblog.blogspot.com
    MOV

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  55. Ahh I appreciate this post so much because I can relate completely :) My junk is literally overflowing out of the office right now. I thought I was the only one! I do the same thing, stockpile my goodies with full intentions for one project or another only to find an overwhelming mess. So Sunday is my cleaning day! Love your blog, your creativity, and your bright outlook ;) You just have no idea what an impact you make!!

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  56. This post was worth it just to read the RESPONSES! :)
    I love washing and drying...it's the folding and putting away that gets me.

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  57. giosmama26: I got the basket at Hobby Lobby clearance last year (the one by the lamp) The other big square one with all the laundry stuff in it came with the coffee table I cut up.

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  58. My husband and I discussed purchasing a new TV, the day of arrival he was working, I saw the truck drive up and was so excited, they came to the door with the tv, placed in place, they went back to the truck and came to the door with a snow blower, shocked because that was not talked about.  I told them to just leave in the living room, after they left our daughter and I lugged it upstairs.  When he came home from work I was in the bedroom, he asked if there was anything else, I said do you see anything else and I went about my business,  our daughter came running into our room, telling me that daddy was on the phone with the delivery company.  It turned out to be a blast.

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  59. I feel like I have spaces that are on the verge of junky and it freaks me out! I think I have issues. It really only takes a holiday, a house full of sick kids for an organized storage space to go from calming to a disaster zone. I think your husband was very sweet to surprise you like that! :-)

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