apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

i've thought of this with my kitchenaid...since i only use it like three times a year (i inherited it from my grandmother, who used it practically every day in her kitchen) and i store the friggin' thing in the closet. it's really heavy!! a friend really wants one...maybe i should loan it out to her.

similarly, i took a long term loan on my friend's sewing machine (she wasn't using it...ever) since i really wanted to start getting crafty. of course, i still haven't used it hehe but whatever ;)

Sounds like a lot of work to me.

I posted the other week in my Facebook status asking if anyone would lend me their slow cooker. We might be the only couple who never registered for one, but we have limited space (and money) so I wanted to try it out before we bought one. Anyway, a friend posted that I could have hers, she never used it. And I've been slow simmering away ever since.

I think this is a great idea, and doesn't necessarily need to involve a lot of work. I plan on asking to borrow an ice cream maker later this summer. Especially if you share the makings most people are glad (after the initial surprise of being asked) to lend an appliance.

Until very recently, I had to borrow a friends large stock pot because I didn't have one, or have room for one.

I also borrow my neighbors hand mixer because I don't have one of those either. I rarely need one, so I don't buy one of my own.

If you live close enough to friends with handy kitchen things, I think it's a great idea to share and swap! It would be nice, like Squirrely, to try a rice cooker without committing to one.

you can go to lendlist.org and set up a group with friends where you can list everything you're willing to lend, and check out things to borrow (and if they're currently being borrowed).

I've been thinking about this a lot, since it seems silly for every person or couple to own a blender, a food processor, a waffle iron, etc., and since my pasta maker doesn't get used nearly enough to justify the cost.

I think it's a good idea, except most people I know tend to bring out the big appliances only used twice a year around the holidays, which might not work out as well, unless you share a food processor with someone who needs it for their Chanukah latkes but will freely let you have it for Christmas cookies or something like that.

Luckily, my parents never have holidays or bake, so I manage to borrow things from them when needed.

In terms of kitchen appliances, the only thing I have that doesn't get used almost daily (like a toaster oven) is a stand mixer, which was a hand-me-down.

My sister and I co-own a raclette maker. It works out well, and cost half as much!