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Do NYC apartment building typically have laundry rooms?
What's your NYC laundry experience?
I'm in Seattle right now and most bldgs have laundry rooms. I've had to use them in the middle of the night to get anything done, since they are usually packed. However, it's been nice not having to find a laundromat, especially living without a car.
Since most New Yorkers don't have cars, I would expect that either bldgs have their own laundry facilities or that there are a number of laundromats within the city.
Many buildings do have laundry rooms, but not all. And in those with laundry facilities, they can be like my prior building, available only specified hours (very annoying!). That situation isn't the rule, but rather the exception. But there are also many laundromats - and 'wash and fold' stores, where they'll do the whole thing for you. It IS New York, after all.
I've never had laundry facilities in my building, but everyone I know who does is restricted to certain hours -- usually something like 7 a.m.-10 p.m.
Laundry is the bane of my existence. I found a great laundrybag/backpack which has eased the task somewhat. I actually have two laundromats reasonably nearby. A long block west has one with insufficient dryers (a common NYC situation), including one that probably never gets higher than about 90 degrees. It is next to a little vestpocket park, which makes that place attractive for pleasant days. However, the recent new owners want to develop their drycleaning business (which is stupid, as there are two very good and well established dry cleaners within 20 paces) and have neglected the upkeep of their washers and dryers.
The other laundry has more reliable machines, but they don't accept quarters -- only a card that you have to keep a minimum balance above $3, so it feels like we're being taken. The room is dark and has no comfortable seating -- just a bench.
Whichever laundromat I choose, I have to load up my laundrybag-backpack and maybe another large tote or shopping bag. I don't use a wheeled cart, because they're too unweildy on the four flights of steps involved in the process. I end up washing shirts and u-wear by hand much of the time. It's much less onerous than doing it the modern way.
My most ardent dream is for an apartment with ample closets and its own w/d.
3 words, live it, learn it, love it... WASH AND FOLD! I use it in LI even. You drop it off, then go back and pick it up and like magic, everything is clean an folded. It really costs only a bit more than doing it yourself at the laundromat. Most places also pick up and deliver.
Doesn't it cost like $20-30 to get a bag of laundry done?
I usually spend a little over $4 per week at the laundromat doing my own laundry. I can't afford to spend an extra $20 on something that I can do in my spare time on the weekend.
I hate doing laundry. What I would give for a washer/dryer in my apartment or even one in the building. My local laundrymat is actually pretty nice though, so I shouldn't complain. It is big, bright with lots of washers and plenty of dryers, and it is actually pretty clean (which is nice).
Quote:
Originally Posted by newtoli
3 words, live it, learn it, love it... WASH AND FOLD! I use it in LI even. You drop it off, then go back and pick it up and like magic, everything is clean an folded. It really costs only a bit more than doing it yourself at the laundromat. Most places also pick up and deliver.
I don't use wash and fold (I have a washer and dryer in my apartment) but I also despise doing laundry and if I didn't have the machines in my kitchen, I'd use the wash and fold. It's worth it in time. I work 10-12 hours/day, plus weekends plus nights. I don't get much 'leisure' so for me, no matter what it costs, it would be more than worthwhile.
All the buildings I've lived in have had machines (even when I lived in Washington Heights) that were always available. But wash and fold has saved many of my colleagues from many headaches.
Most walkups in Manhattan don't have a laundry room. You have to drag clothes to the laundromat or drag them to a laundry service for $25 per load. Pain in the butt. Those that have a laundry room (1 or 2 machines) are in dark basements. I call them "rapist rooms".
Almost all newer, more expensive highrises have a laundry room.
urban hiker i know what you saying i mostly see that laundry room in the apartment building hallway mostly outta town in other state. in ny its either you buy a washer & dryer to put in ya apartment or you hit the local laundrymat. it would be more convient for them to put them in the hallway like other states do but hey
Im so lucky I have a portable washer and a clothesline, 4 stories high....
but sometimes do have to go to laundromat for the big bath towels....and in bad weather have to use the dreyers.
I dont know if its me but the dryers dont seem to get as hot as they did years ago, almost to the point that you couldnt even touch the clothes when the cycle stopped....
I like my clothesline better..... free of charge..... LOL
I'm another wash-and-fold addict. I call it "buying my weekend back".
Ironically, we have our own laundry hook-ups in the basement where we could install our own machines, which, of course would be cheaper in the long run. But we're so addicted to Wash-and-fold that we never got around to buying a washer and dryer.
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