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AT Survey: Hidden Hairdryer?

2008-03-05-dryer.JPGCurious as to whether others stow their hairdryer after each use (like we do) or follow the live and let live approach of leaving it out (or using open storage), we decided to put together a quick poll:


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Surveys, appliances - small, organizing, hair dryer

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Comments (49)

I keep it in a basket, along with all brushes/other hair stuff & products, but it's out on the countertop, so I don't really consider that "put away"

posted by lizb on 2008-03-05 15:13:21
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don't use one

posted by Pixie on 2008-03-05 15:15:16
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I always put it away. I live in a tiny studio so it just feels better when everything is tidy.

posted by Laura on 2008-03-05 15:16:59
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I'm having an electrician install an electrical outlet inside our drawer to keep it tidy. (Yes, I'll unplug it every time!)

posted by Carla Marie on 2008-03-05 15:22:25
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I leave mine plugged in, but it's always stowed the vanity drawer.

posted by kimg924 on 2008-03-05 15:23:22
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Pixie - ditto. It's not even good for your hair.

posted by cara on 2008-03-05 15:23:50
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I keep my dryer and my straightening iron on top of the radiator but our bathrobes cover it so I guess it's put away...

posted by Kristjana on 2008-03-05 15:24:43
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Always away, they're ugly and too big to leave out in my tiny bathroom...I'm jealous kimg924 and cara, wish I didn't have to use one, my hair would be wet for literally almost the entire day if I didn't.

posted by sweetheart on 2008-03-05 15:26:29
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Eep! I've been wondering about this lately. On a day-to-day basis, I leave it on top of the toilet (as I have very little counter/storage for it); however, when people come over, it's the first thing I throw in the closet!

posted by gretchen on 2008-03-05 15:29:46
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I unplug my hairdryer or straightening iron and leave it out to cool, often as I'm running out the door to work in the morning. I put them away immediately when I get home at the end of the day. I'm paranoid about throwing a hot hot iron into a closed cabinet with no ventilation when I'm leaving the apt. Kindof like unattended lit candles- scary.

posted by kkf on 2008-03-05 15:30:38
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I have nowhere to put my dryer away whether I unplug it or not -- so it usually ends up sitting on top of the toilet tank. I've been looking everywhere for a wall-mounted cup holder that I can slide my hair-dryer nozzle into to hold it out of the way. Does anyone know where I can find something like that? They make them a lot as bathroom fixtures with toothbrush holes in them, but I can't seem to find any on their own.

posted by aria on 2008-03-05 15:31:38
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I hang mine on some pretty hooks that I hung near the mirror. I made sure the dryer is made of shiny chrome or stainless so it's not so ugly.

I toss it an the irons in the hall closet if I'm expecting company.

posted by clickchick on 2008-03-05 15:35:02
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aria - try doing a search for "hairdryer holster." You will get a number of hits around $15.00.

posted by hmr on 2008-03-05 15:35:39
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I put mine away under the sink. I hate the look of them.

posted by lorijo on 2008-03-05 15:38:23
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Stays on the counter all the time. I also don't make my bed everyday. I'm kind of a slob, now that I think about it.

posted by linb on 2008-03-05 15:43:42
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I don't use one either. I also haven't put a brush through my hair in years. The joys of curly hair.

posted by MCNicole on 2008-03-05 15:49:38
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Mine lives in the cabinet under the bathroom sink, but that's mostly because we don't have ANY counter space, nor do we have any shelves wide enough to hold it. I used to keep it in a basket on top of the toilet tank along with brushes and a curling iron, but the cords kept getting tangled or the basket would get knocked off and I finally got sick of it so now the whole damn basket lives under the sink.

I do agree that hairdrying isn't good for your hair though, I only do mine if I happen to wash my hair in the morning on a cold day (usually I wash it in the evening, and only every other day at the most).

posted by bluestar on 2008-03-05 15:50:59
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i have no storage built-in to my bathroom--no drawers, cabinets, shelves, anything, so i store mine in the top compartment of a kartell componibili unit, along with two hair brushes.
http://www.unicahome.com/p4528/kartell/componibili-system-by-anna-castelli-ferrieri-for-kartell.html

posted by j a y . t e e . on 2008-03-05 15:52:34
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I put my blowdryer and hot air brush away in a drawer (it's open on top and in the back, so I don't worry about ventilation). I don't have enough counter space to leave them out. I've already done a lot of decluttering (Week 1 of the Cure?), but I want to do more so I can get everything off the countertop and into a drawer. I like clean, empty countertops.

posted by Pteetsa on 2008-03-05 16:03:01
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Put away - Always. Except when in use. Which is maybe twice a year.

posted by Mella DP on 2008-03-05 16:03:37
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Also don't use...

posted by Christine (the one in DC) on 2008-03-05 16:11:52
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Yeah, don't use one.

posted by brittanykate on 2008-03-05 16:15:07
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Although I use my blow dryer and flat iron on a daily, I put them away immediately after use. Not only does it look neater, but I'd never forgive myself if either of my curious cats burnt their noses. Also, I think that it's inconsiderate to my husband, who doesn't use these tools, to have them laying about. I'm actually a really messy person at heart, who makes a daily effort to be neat.

posted by peej on 2008-03-05 16:41:54
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Seriously, don't buy from Unica Home - they are notorious for being very tardy in shipping (like months tardy)

posted by Gigi818 on 2008-03-05 16:42:44
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i still have not found a great solution to this, a. they need to cool off after using b. that still doesn't mean i want to look at them. so i just wait for them to cool and then store them.

and tisk tisk to all you none hair dryer people, why would you comment at all? this is about what you do with your hair dryer, not about how great your hair is, thanks.

posted by gra.phic on 2008-03-05 16:48:35
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My boyfriend makes me put it away after every use... It's becoming second nature now... I think.

posted by PlanItGirl on 2008-03-05 17:20:18
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Mine is (somewhat) neatly stored in a drawer. I boxed it in the drawer using a few drawer organizers from BB&B . I rigged the cord so that it can't be seen but remains plugged in. I like "quick-draw" the feel of just being able to pull open the drawer, use it, and easily store it back.

posted by silvarga on 2008-03-05 17:30:01
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I don't use it in the bathroom (I need news in the morning), so I ended up putting a long screw through the back of my desk, and hanging it there when I've finished. It's not visible at all from the front, and is easily accessible. Could be modified to suit those little over-toilet cabinets or closets in bathrooms.

posted by plausibledenial on 2008-03-05 18:01:14
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I keep mine on a hook by my vanity along with my flat iron.

posted by leileil on 2008-03-05 18:02:17
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gra.phic - we're commenting because the survey says to explain if you say "other."

posted by Pixie on 2008-03-05 18:06:17
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Mine is usually tossed into a basket with my towels (we have no cabinets or shelves in our bathroom). When company comes over it is put away in a drawer in the hallway. And I use one because it makes my hair look fabulous. I don't care if my hair is not as healthy - I'd rather be slightly damaged and beautiful :)

posted by Nikita on 2008-03-05 18:06:59
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silvarga, your "quick draw" comment made me laugh! so true. i put mine under the sink, but i'm surprised no one mentioned the beauty of the...

RETRACTABLE CORD!

i'll never buy another dryer without one!

posted by pinko on 2008-03-05 18:10:32
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Who are all you minimalists with no dryers? I'm jealous just imagining your zen bathrooms...

Mine would never fit in the tiny drawers of my bathroom cabinet, and gets lost in the abyss of under the sink. But the dryer has a rubber holder type thing built into the cord, so I screwed a sleek hook into the wall and leave the dryer dangling from that. Coincidentally, my hairdryer is pretty space-age looking, and I've actually received compliments on this setup!

posted by firecracker on 2008-03-05 18:32:15
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Always put away. When I needed a new curling iron what helped me decide was the one came with a thick plastic cover so I just put that on and put it in my drawer without having to wait for it to cool down.

I bought a set of claw hair clips at the dollar store and use them to keep the cords of my hairdryer and curling iron neat. If one of them happens to break (hasn't yet, but you never know), they're easy to replace.

posted by themonkrat on 2008-03-05 18:40:07
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I've never owned one.

posted by OneWallKitchen on 2008-03-05 19:57:00
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Ugh, I am just one of those people who has to design their rooms taking into account the fact that things I use every day i will just never, ever put away... Sure I wrap the cord around it all fancy-like and put it away when I have company but otherwise I just have a nail I hang it on. Call me crazy but taking the 30 seconds to wrap it up, unplug it and stash it (and the 30 to unwrap it the next day) just isn't in my DNA.

posted by eebnyc on 2008-03-05 20:53:08
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I put it away every time...and have always wanted a cordless one...does anybody know why nobody's invented a battery operated/rechargeable one?

posted by theninthcloud on 2008-03-05 21:39:24
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Actually I have been trying to find a solution for my other hair electronics (curler and straightening wand). My dryer is put away. Others are not. I need to find a goos solution for storing them, but I also like things to look neat.

Like Pteetsa above, I too worry about putting away hot appliances.

posted by stillreign on 2008-03-05 23:15:17
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Always put away in summer when I don't have to dry my hair. In winter, put away when I clean up, but sometimes I leave it out after drying (if I don't dry during winter my hair would be icicles the minute I stepped outside).

posted by J on 2008-03-06 00:07:06
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I stash it. It's not the prettiest sight, and anyway, I don't have any space to leave it out.

posted by as3087 on 2008-03-06 04:09:59
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have a wicker basket under the sink to store it. so, I put it away, but it's not out of sight, if you're on the toilet seat, at least

posted by candida on 2008-03-06 05:02:54
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I no longer use one since having my uber-short chic haircut but I always left it out till it cooled down and then put it away

posted by Violetsrose on 2008-03-06 07:47:49
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Our bathroom is too small for much storage. We only have open shelves, so it sits there in open view most days but I put it away somewhere else when guests come over.

posted by 2lastnames on 2008-03-06 08:43:53
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don't own one either... knowing me I'd probably leave it out though.

posted by luz on 2008-03-06 10:56:48
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We have baskets hanging off the wall and the hairdryer is put away in one of them each morning (with the cord nicely wrapped up.)

posted by jenradish on 2008-03-06 13:18:30
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I don't own a hair dryer. My straightener sits in a basket on the counter. I'm horrible at putting things away, so the basket has high sides and the junk I toss in here is less obvious. Every couple of months I go through the basket and sort it all out, throwing away things that I don't need, or putting ones that don't belong away underneath the sink. I should probably do that more often. But then there are a lot of things I should probably do more often: vacuum, dust, change the bedsheets, throw away old papers on my desk, clean out the refrigerator...

posted by lurker2209 on 2008-03-06 17:46:57
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Wow. I can't imagine having the sort of hair that doesn't need styling. How is that even possible?

Mine has just enough wave to make it look like hell if it's any where in between stick straight and adorably curly. Not drying is not an option... (and my hair is VERY healthy) unless maybe I were in a humid climate... I had a great day while vacationing in San Fransico in which I let my hair air dry. It was amazing!!

posted by clickchick on 2008-03-07 00:15:40
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hmr - thanks, i'm a pretty saavy searcher, but I never thought it would be that easy. About to purchase a $14 hairdryer holster from Organize.com. Yay!

posted by aria on 2008-03-07 17:44:28
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When we built our home, I designed a 12" space below the vanitytop to be vacant of cabinets. I added a couple of electric plugs & some hooks under vanitytop height. The hooks are long enough to hang even hot appliances on & they don't come in contact with anything. This has helped tremendously! If you have space - even inside a cabinet - and there is a plug on the other side of the wall, it is pretty simple to have an electrician install a plug there for you.

posted by avantgardegirl on 2008-03-12 10:34:34
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