Please, help me get this washer/dryer out of my life!

February 17, 2010 8:14 AM

Please, help me get this washer/dryer out of my life!

So, I did something foolish, and bought a stackable washer/dryer unit for my new place before I verified that it was possible to install it (and dragged the damn thing up to a second-floor deck). Previously, my landlord had said he would let me install one and help me do so if I bought one, and so...I bought one. But the circuitry won't support it. Doh.

For the record, it's several years old, looks like it is in great shape, but I can't personally verify how well it works. I was told it was in use recently. This is what I've been telling people when they ask.

Anyways, now I've got this stackable washer/dryer unit that is sitting on his deck (protected, wrapped carefully in waterproof tarps), and he (and I) are getting sick of it being there. It's been almost three weeks now, I've posted it on Craigslist twice, lowered the price to the point that I'm losing money on it (and I'm prepared to lose more), but I can't seem to get any bites. I keep getting people interested, one guy was even like "I'll meet you there and pick it up today! Where do you live?" and then didn't show...etc. It's driving me nuts.

I'm looking for suggestions of what to do with it if I can't get rid of it soon. Reasonably speaking, it needs to move from where it is within the next week or so. I'm prepared to lose up to $50 on the thing, but I'd rather not go lower...although that may not be realistic. Anyone have any ideas? Looking for outside the box stuff here too...

posted by dubitable to Shopping (10 answers total)

You could ask your landlord to have an electrician add the needed circuitry - and perhaps offer to pay or split cost - you could still end up ahead given laundromat costs.
posted by leslies at 8:19 AM on February 17, 2010

Response by poster: You could ask your landlord to have an electrician add the needed circuitry - and perhaps offer to pay or split cost - you could still end up ahead given laundromat costs.

Sorry, I should have mentioned this: that option was discussed, and is a no-go. Turns out it's more an issue of what is possible with the house vs. cost.

Also, to add absurdity to the whole situation, it turns out that the folks in the lower unit have a washer/dryer and I've worked out a deal to use theirs. So, the issue of having to use a laundromat is moot at this point.

That is, I never needed to consider this in the first place, really. *sigh* Did I mention I feel really dumb?
posted by dubitable at 8:23 AM on February 17, 2010

Yeah, if you're taking a hit on this anyways, spring for the electrician to come and update your circuits. It will cost more than $50, but it looks like you're going to lose more than that anyways, so I can't think of a reason not to.
posted by valkyryn at 8:23 AM on February 17, 2010

Best answer: If worse really comes to worse, it's really impossible to update the circuitry and craigslist falls through, you could start calling around to charities (animal shelters? people shelters? salvation army?) Alot of charities send trucks around to take junk away and it could be a tax write-off, if you care about that kind of thing.
posted by amethysts at 8:27 AM on February 17, 2010 [2 favorites]

Response by poster: If worse really comes to worse, it's really impossible to update the circuitry and craigslist falls through, you could start calling around to charities (animal shelters? people shelters? salvation army?) Alot of charities send trucks around to take junk away and it could be a tax write-off, if you care about that kind of thing.

Hmm...I like it...if I'm going to lose money this would be a nice way to "lose" it.

That's the sort of thing I'm looking for, keep 'em coming, thanks!
posted by dubitable at 8:31 AM on February 17, 2010

I took a peek at your profile, and it looks like Freecycle is active in your neck of the woods:

http://www.freecycle.org/group/US/Massachusetts/Somerville
posted by Skot at 8:47 AM on February 17, 2010

Best answer: Knowing Davis Square, if you put up a few fliers, you can probably get it gone pretty quick.

Also, there is a davis_square livejournal community that may either take your washer/dryer or point you towards someone who will.
posted by robocop is bleeding at 9:36 AM on February 17, 2010

Best answer: If he freecycles, though, he can't get a deduction and won't get any money. Besides, the best that has happened there with my washer/dryers is that some sketchy dude shows up and hauls it away for scrap. Here's a weird thing to try -- relist it on craigslist with a higher price. Maybe someone will think it's totally awesome and try to talk you down -- make it look more valuable? If that doesn't work, donate and deduct is probably the best option if you can't update the electrical. (Have you talked to an electrician? Is this a code thing where the landlord is afraid they'll have to update everything? A good electrician may be able to suggest something that you haven't thought of.)
posted by amanda at 9:46 AM on February 17, 2010 [2 favorites]

Those deductions are only useful for people who make a lot of money.
posted by mareli at 11:53 AM on February 17, 2010

Response by poster: Those deductions are only useful for people who make a lot of money.

Yeah, I guess I'm not so much concerned about the deductions as with the idea that, if I'm going to give these things away, I'd like them to do some more social good than just the social good of helping some random person out; if some random dude needs them, he can pay me for them.

If I give them away, I'd prefer to give them to an organization that helps people transitioning out of homelessness, or maybe battered women trying to rebuild their lives, that sort of thing. Or if giving them away could help with the situation in Haiti somehow that would be cool.

But, frankly, I'd like to make my money back. I'm moving and don't have a lot right now. The give-them-away idea is one fall-back if I can't figure out a way to at least make a little money back on these things (that is, not lose everything I put into them).

Thanks everyone!
posted by dubitable at 12:18 PM on February 17, 2010