All because of a can of soup....

In December my washer quit. The matching dryer was miffed because it had attempted to quit 3 or 4 times without being allowed to retire, thanks to my husband being handy. The repairs for the washer would have been costly, probably too costly for an 11 year old appliance. My parents would shake their heads at this if they were alive today. Eleven was mid-life for most of their appliances back in the day.

The cost of the new washer and dryer made us gasp a bit but I'm happy with our selection. We don't have a separate laundry room or a basement. The washer and dryer are at the back end of my kitchen. Sounds odd to many I suppose, but it works for us. The cabinets over the washer and dryer match those in the main part of the kitchen and contain boxed and canned foods along with baking supplies.

The new appliances are a little deeper (back to front measure) and taller than the old pair. That makes reaching into the cabinets on that wall a little more difficult. Two weeks ago I was reaching for a can of soup on the second shelf over the dryer. A can fell out. Luckily it didn't dent the dryer top, but while replacing that can, another one jumped off and landed on the washer. You probably wouldn't notice the small dent but I know it is there.

That led to two projects. One was rearranging the three pair of cabinets so that the heaviest items, canned goods, were moved to shelves over the laundry tub. The tub is in a cabinet the depth of the old appliances which means I can still reach most things without using a step stool. The second project was making a cover, sort of place mat, for the washer and dryer.

I bought reversible quilted fabric, bound the raw edges with quilt binding and turned over one long edge to make a pocket to fit over the control panels. The panels slope into the tops of the washer and dryer making me doubt a flat mat of the side I wanted would stay put. Here is the result of a few minutes of sewing:

We have a former bi-fold door that is used on top of the washer and dryer when we have parties. It is covered with something festive, such as a holiday themed tablecloth, and it becomes the bar area or part of a buffet setting. An old sheet was always used between the appliances and door but now this will be in place.

I have more of this fabric which will become place mats and possible a cover for my stand mixer. Blue and yellow are the dominant colors in most of my house. Having the same fabric on the table will tie all this together.

I'd be happier if a dent hadn't occurred, but I am pleased to have turned this into a positive. Onward and upward!