Finding that little annoyances take up valuable minutes in my day, I jot down any items needed to fix the problem. As I prepare for shopping, I will look for deals and snag those items.

In addressing the annoyances, I focus on the next thing without the distractions of our swords and batons and our garage door.

The next annoyance we fixed was our washing machine lid catch – a little plastic insert that keeps the machine progressing through the cycles.

Part 3: Washing Machine Lid Catch

Losing our Washing Machine Lid Catch

As we near the ten year mark being in our home, some of the appliances are acting out. Saving for replacements, we are adjusting to the little annoyances nine-year-old appliances make.

One such annoyance occurred when washing a load of towels. During the wash cycle the agitator vibrated the little plastic lid catch off its placement.

Upon hearing the agitator stop, I went to investigate. As I opened the lid, I watched the little white plastic part ping off the side of the drum and heard the ting-ting-ting sound as it fell inside the washing machine case outside of the drum.

Letting out an “Oh, no,” I ended up holding my finger in the compartment for the next 15 minutes until that load finished. Yes, my finger was sore. Needing another load done, I chose to place a screwdriver into the slot for the next load.

Though it worked, I had to adjust the screwdriver a few times as it would vibrate out. Keeping an eye on the laundry was not on my schedule for the day, but I was thankful that the washing machine was still working with less-than-ideal equipment.

Finding our Washing Machine Lid Catch

Putting the remaining loads of laundry on hold until Paul, my knight in shining armor, came home, I accomplished other tasks. When Paul arrived home, he took the case off the washing machine.

Using a flashlight, we located the plastic lid catch. Paul then worked hard to slip that piece onto the metal form. Once the part was back in place, he returned the washing machine case to its position. Ta Da! Our annoyance was fixed saving us money, energy, and time.

Not planning for this interruption to occur, I adjusted as needed to get the task done. Keeping the screwdriver digging into the mechanism could have damaged those prongs with constant use. Had we ignored the issue, we might have needed to purchase new parts or another washing machine.

Taking the half hour to address this annoyance resulted in our washing machine working at maximum performance. I still check the washing machine lid catch periodically for any movement or shifting from side to side. Thus far, all is well.

In using time wisely, I am addressing annoyances around our home. Next week, I will share my last annoyance in this series – though I have more little issues to address throughout our home. Happy fixing!

Question: What annoyance have you solved with a quick fix?