My Line Drying Thoughts
Hi. My name is Roxanne and I line dry my laundry.
I LOVE to line dry. To dry clothing outside is a combination of being "at one" with nature, and being super thrifty. I love that.
I live in New England. I don't line dry in the winter. That restriction really bugged me. I like the convenience of the dryer, but I hated the energy (read "money") usage. Well, a few months ago we ran out of propane (I have a propane clothes dryer). What to do?
I asked my husband to rig something up in the basement. What he did was awesome and I will get pictures and share what that is soon. But for now, here's what I discovered:
Line drying inside is almost as moving as drying outside.
Here's why: It slows you down as you carefully hang each piece of laundry. It's a bit of exercise as you bend and stretch. The money savings are certainly there. It works for me.
Then, I discovered something that I've not read any where else. It's life-changing information I'm about to share. Are you ready?
You can un-stiffen the clothes by putting them in your dryer for 10 minutes--WITHOUT the heat. Yes, indeedy!
I've read places that talk about using the heat to soften things up, but I found out that it's the tumbling action that does the trick. Since we had no fuel going to the dryer, it would turn but would not heat up, so I just tossed in the clothes and stumbled upon a great tip.
I'm very pleased with myself.
I'd pat myself on the back but the clothespins in my hand would poke me.
7 comments:
If I had the space, I'd line dry. There appears to be something incredibly peaceful about it. I'll definitely give it a try when we have a house.
Perhaps I can encourage an addiction. I try to be a help in that way LOL!
Due to a low time in our finances a few years back, I've actually done the drying thing in an apartment, too!
We lived in a 2-storey condo (townhouse) that was tiny. I would do the laundry and hang it on racks (yard sale finds) all over the first floor before heading upstairs.
Our second bedroom was where the TV and computer lived, so I didn't stay downstairs after supper. By the next morning, they were dry. It wasn't pretty, but it served the purpose of getting my clothes dry as my dryer was broken and I had no car (and no money!) to go to the laundromat.
Another added benefit of line drying in the house during the winter is the extra humidity that goes into the dry, dry air.
NOTE: If you have a moisture problem in your home, DON'T line dry inside.
(Sorry, messed up my original comment).
Ms. Roxanne, if you live in a one story with no basement, can't line dry outside (desert living + windy & dusty = dirty clothes), where would you hang your line? Or do you think rack drying would be better? We have a little laundry room with some space in it that could accomodate a rack or two...
Hmmmm--potential LD (line drying) addict with severe limitations...
In my 2-storey apartment I used ALL racks (ALL over the place!), but didn't have to weave my way around them all evening to get on with life...
I'll have to let that puzzle rattle around for a little bit and see what comes up.
Roxanne
I've been thinking about your dilemna. It's quite a doozy!
Two thoughts came to mind:
Choose certain types laundry to hang dry, such as the heavy and large items (jeans, sheets). They use the most energy to dry. I've hung those on my doors which don't get in my way. My doors were painted.
Another thought is those gadgets that you bolt to the wall that retract when you're finished. You could use those by doing one load a night and hanging the large items as I mentioned above. A small fan directed at the laundry would not be a cheap way to speed the evaporation.
I'm all tapped out. I hate to tempt someone with my laundry zen and have be unable to experience the joy.
It bothers me.
Roxanne
I have some exciting news!
There are lots of cool things on which to hang clothes INSIDE!
Click on "Indoor Drying Options" in my sidebar.
Roxanne
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