DIY :: Replacing Appliances

Ok, so maybe we weren't drunk when we decided to go buy a new microwave and dishwasher this weekend but this was just too funny not to post. I haven't done this in awhile but one of my guilty pleasures is to grab a glass of wine or three and have a pinning-fest. Afterwards I'm all pin-spired to get my hands on a little project and the vino is giving me the confidence that I could conquer all. I have a list of projects that I want to do around this old house but since the list is long and the budget is tight, I haven't been able to DIY in awhile. *sad face*

And when the dishwasher started rusting from the inside out, replacing it became more of a priority than repainting the dining room for the third time. So, off to Nebraska Furniture Mart we went. Everything in our home (TVs, couches, tables, appliances...) has come from that damn store. It's amazing and I love that place.

We've been needing to get a new dishwasher for awhile now- the bottom rack was rusting away and pieces were breaking off. We could only wash 8 plates at a time and it didn't to a great job of getting the silverware clean. We were always having to rewash forks after a cycle. Not cool. And a couple of weeks ago we noticed the microwave wasn't working like it should. It took me 2 minutes to warm up a leftover piece of pizza. That's not right. So while we were dishwasher shopping, we scooped up a microwave too. They were being delivered Sunday morning so Saturday night consisted of Justin and me removing the old pieces.

Spices, anyone?

Are you jealous of all of my counter space? No? Didn't think so.

We had to google how to disconnect a dishwasher and of course it couldn't have been easy for us. There was a copper water line that had to be replaced and when we turned off the water supply to the dishwasher, water was still coming out so we ended up having to turn off water to then entire house. Justin replaced the shut-off valve the next morning so we could at least feed our child, get cleaned up and flush our toilets.

Instead of paying the $150 to have NFM install the new appliances, Justin and I thought we could handle that too. All you need is Youtube, right? Right! It only took 2 tries to get the new microwave up. Measuring under a cabinet and over a stove is awkward and ended up being a real pain in the ass. Justin eventually got it figured out and it is now resting comfortably in it's new home...

hello gorgeous.

Installing the dishwasher wasn't too bad although I'm sure Justin would disagree since he was the one laying on the kitchen floor trying to reconnect that bad boy. It was slow-going but he managed to figure it out. He's so handy...

no rust. only stainless steel.

You'd think that would be the end of our appliance adventure but after we got this beast installed, we started a cycle to wash our dishes. During the rinse cycle, water started spraying out from the door. We quickly cancelled the wash and removed the panel at the bottom to see what we had done wrong. It wasn't leaking underneath the unit; the connections were all dry and it seemed to be draining properly. We think it either got damaged during delivery or we have a defective machine (boo!). Either way, the Whirlpool peeps are coming out this Saturday to look at it. If they can't fix it, Nebraska Furniture Mart will do an even exchange. So that sucks, but at least we were able to get it installed and it looks pretty.

We are not loving the mix-and-match appliances and we'll eventually replace the stove and fridge but for now this will have to do. We can properly reheat food and by the end of the week (hopefully!) we'll be able to wash our dishes and have them actually come out clean. The Oakley's are moving on up in the world, people. Watch out!