Clothesline Tips

Still have some concerns as you think of saving dollars and energy by drying your clothes the old-fashioned way?  

I'm not sure if that's allowed in my community:

Check out Project Laundry List, where you can find out about the right-to-dry movement.  Four states now allow line drying in any neighborhood, regardless of local restrictions.  You can learn more about ways to try working with your neighborhood association.

I don't have room for a clothesline:

Clotheslines can be sprawling across your backyard, perched on your porch, or even indoors.  Laura Shafer and her husband run LineDry.com, where they sell everything from beautiful redwood outdoor models to tiny apartment-sized retractable gadgets.

I don't want my clothes to feel stiff:

Shafer says a good snap when you put the clothes up and take them down will help to get wrinkles out and fluff up the fibers.  She also says you can put the clothes on air fluff in the dryer for just 3 to 5 minutes to get some stiffness out of them.

I don't want my clothes to fade:

Shafer recommends turning clothes inside out to keep fading down.  She lists lots more tips at LineDry.com

My dryer seems cleaner than the outdoors:

My Aunt Ruby says Grandma Imel always made sure to bring her clothespins indoors when they weren't being used, to keep them fresh and clean.  Shafer says giving your clothes a little snap also shakes off anything that might have gotten on them.  Line-drying enthusiasts point out that sunshine is a wonderful sanitizer.

Misc:  

Shafer views the clothesline as an art canvas.  She suggests this thoughtful scrapbooking tip:  remember to take photos of some of your children's clothes while they're on the line.  Years later, you'll be glad you did.