Before I moved to Wales, I had a tiny (10x15) back yard, that was part garden and part cement. But there was just enough room for a clothesline, which I loved! At my house in Pigtown, with its 12x12 back yard of 100% cement, and no sunlight, I wasn’t able to put up a clothesline because there was no place to anchor it on either end. When I wrote about clotheslines here, the post elicited a lot of responses. 
When I was looking at my new house, I noticed that there were the old iron T-bars at either end of the back garden for a clothesline. I was so excited to see that, and couldn’t wait to start using it. I even bought some great wooden clothes pegs in anticipation. 
Today, a partly cloudy day, was the day I started with the clothesline. I washed some 100% cotton sheets and hung them out to dry. 
After about an hour, I checked to see whether they were dry, and they were. It would have taken about the same amount of time in the tumble drier, but it only used the sun and the breeze for drying. I don’t think it’s appropriate, especially where I live surrounded by neighbours, to hang everything out to dry. But sheets, towels, and linens are perfect.
I also have a little hanger with clothespins that I got at Muji in NYC last year. It’s very handy for hanging linen napkins. Click the image for the link.
Do you have a clothesline?
I love my clothesline! Not only is it fast, but the sheets smell great too. I read somewhere that in the old days, people had three or more lines in parallel, and used the sheets to hang in view, to hide "unmentionables". Connor looks happier today.
ReplyDeleteI Colorado where there is virtually no humidity, the clothes line is always faster than the dryer. I use mine all summer for linens and white t-shirts and tank tops (seems to keep them fresh looking longer). Unfortunately, I can't do towels though. They take forever in the dryer, but I can't stand the stiffness when they are dried on the line.
ReplyDeleteAnon@16:36... I always said my happiest day in Wales was when I discovered the laundress down the road, who had a tumble drier and she could do my laundry. I loved my fluffy, tumble dried towels!!!
ReplyDeleteYou bet I do, but a circular, folding one that can go back in the garden shed once done. My yard is highly fenced so you really can't see it, but...modesty prevails. I love my wooden pins, including the truly old-fashioned ones with no spring action. I have a little cloth bag to hold the pins and a hook to hang it from the line. Nothing. I repeat nothing can reproduce the smell of sheets hung outside to dry.
ReplyDeleteI LOVE a clothesline! I am waiting for one to be put up as soon as our laundry room is done. I've had them before and always love how wonderful things smell from the line. There's nothing sweeter than getting into bed with freshly line dried sheets.
ReplyDeleteI think it's beautiful to see sheets and linens hanging on the line.
I am considering giving away my clothes dryer! I always, always hang up everything...and I, unlike others, adore the towels all stiff! I had a wonderful, long clothes line in our last house, but here, would you believe, it is in the "covenents" that we cannot hang clothes outside. Yes indeed, it was almost a deal breaker in moving here! However, I now have a fairly decent line in the laundry room which gets lots of sunlight and sheets and towels generally dry in a day.
ReplyDeleteSeriously: is anyone looking for a used dryer???
I love to dry my clothes in the summer outdoors. I am so used to it from back when I lived in Germany. There is a certain smell to sun dried garments.
ReplyDeleteAnd definitely environmentally friendlier then a dryer!
I have a rack here which I use on the deck and a clothesline in the basement.
Love your line out there!
Enjoy your summer, I am off for now!
xoxo
Victoria
When I was young, my Mother always hung sheets out to dry and they always smelled so fresh!
ReplyDeleteSince in a condo, I cannot, however it is a great energy saver!
xoxo
Karena
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Yes I do, 2 retractable lines that go from the garden barn to the big barn - I can wind them up when not in use and not disturb the view. But as soon as it's over 55 in the spring, it's sheets on the line. You sleep so much better on line dried sheets, absolutely divine!
ReplyDeleteI agree with Balsamfir, growing up there were 3 lines one for towels one for sheets and the middle for other items. I'm happy you and Connor have a yard!
second time in a week this subject hsa come up. i was at rachel ashwell's new b&b in round top and there was this clothesline there. they said she installed in as soon as she took over the place!!!!
ReplyDeletecouldn't do that in houston, too many oil fumes i'm afraid.
I can't do sheets and towels (I'm too small to reach with the heavy stuff), but have been drying everything else outside for ages--do not need bleach or much ironing and everything smells so great. Connor looks like he is loving it! Have a wonderful Sunday. Mary
ReplyDeleteI live in a neighborhood with an HOA so I know I can't have a regular clothesline but now I'm wondering about the circular kind. I love a clothesline for freshening quilts and comforters that don't need a wash.
ReplyDeleteMy house came with a clothesline! It's also a great place to hang twinkle lights - I leave them up year-round and just drape my laundry right over them
ReplyDeleteFar too many HOA deed restrictions forbid clothes lines! However, I found a MSL retractable clothes line (marked down at Kmart)priced a four dollars. Installed it within my screened in back porch to use for items I find would shrink from the dryer heat. Have not received a threatening cease and desist letter yet!
ReplyDeleteOur first house had a backyard full of pine trees and a clothesline. And hot summers. I used to love to hang up the laundry with the sound of the swishing trees. We now live in a home where clotheslines are forbidden which is just as well as perimeter fences are also forbidden. (One neighbor had to take down the circular one as well.)
ReplyDeleteAs a child I grew up in a house (damp climate) with a fantastic pulley system of bars hung from the ceiling for drying laundry. I think there were three bars that went up and down. I'm sure it was installed before the use of dryers but was very useful after as well. The new owners stupidly dismantled it.
So happy to see you in your new place with your coveted clothesline! I too have things on the line (vintage linens of my own and for the shop) - what a glorious day for it! In fact, I am on my shaded porch, working on my laptop and enjoying the breeze blowing through the line in front of me...ahhh....
ReplyDeleteWhen I moved to the "country" from New York city twenty years ago, I got a retractable clothesline right away. It was between the electric pole and a cedar tree. I lost two because the deer ran right through them. I don't think it hurt the deer. I used to hang out towels and beach towels but I never remembered to bring them in at night. They sometimes got rained on. Eventually I forgot I had it. Nothing beats hand ironed sheets from the chinese laundry. Ann
ReplyDeleteI have fond childhood memories of hanging laundry outside. There were at least 4 lines, maybe 5. When they weren't hanging laundry we would hang old sheets and make a tent.
ReplyDeleteThe towels won't be as stiff if they are properly "snapped" before hanging. Stiff towels make a gentle exfoliator and they seem more absorbent.
We have no clothesline, I wish we did. I do hang some things on the deck using the umbrella spines or put them on a hanger and hang on the back of the outdoor chairs.
There is nothing like this smell. During the winter I hang our down comforters outside on the deck railing at least twice a week. The smell is heavenly.
Even running another property as a short term holiday stay I use my 'inside the garage' clothesline for all the linen. It's perfect. I don't understand why more people don't dry - what an environment saver. Towels - in the dryer I'm afraid - clients do love fluffy towels (and so do I!)Jan
ReplyDeleteOh so happy that you have a nice clothesline and, yes, we love our air dried clothes. Do not have a dryer! Yesterday, we hung out a load of fairly heavy things...towels, cotton shorts, jeans and they were dry so fast. So lovely and warm. I, too, do not mind the bit of roughness on the line-dried towels, and agree with the comment about giving them a good shake before hanging. There are times when the dampness prevents drying but we have a system to hang them in the house.
ReplyDeleteI don't have a clothesline, but I use my yew hedges and juniper shrubs as "dryers" for my vintage tablecloths and dish towels. They're the only things in my yard that sit in the sun, and they're sturdy enough to keep everything spread out and well-aired.
ReplyDelete