As I promised, I want to begin introducing you to my frugal living methods. Yes, I know they are not unique; many people apply these same tactics for frugal living, saving money, and cutting the cost of electricity. I do not consider myself to be in the “going green” category; instead, I consider my “methods” to be cost-efficient, money-savvy, and being good to the land our Father gave us.
Today, I am tackling (as I type!) line-drying our laundry.
Have “Laundry Mornings” instead of a Laundry Day
I have had to change how I do laundry to accomodate line-drying instead of using the dryer. Instead of having a “laundry day,” I have to have “laundry mornings.” I only have so much line, and if I let my laundry pile up, I can end up way behind (as I am today). Doing your laundry in the morning is easy if you have a schedule and stick to it. There will only be one or two loads to wash and hang, and voila! Your laundry is finished until the evening.
Having laundry mornings have eliminated (most) of my “put laundry away” problems. I have a lot less to tackle at one time, and most of my items get folded and put in their proper places, rather than piling up in a laundry basket or on the dryer.
Invest in a good clothesline
One thing I was always afraid of was my line breaking, and all of my hard work being lost. Fortunately, I have found a nice, retractable clothesline that did not cost much. I have mounted the main “house” onto a sturdy tree in my backyard, and the hook into a support beam on my house. The line has a metal loop that hooks to the hook, and the line stretches across my backyard. When it is not in use, the line retracts back into it’s “house.”
While I have not used this type of clothesline, I have been told the rotary works well, and is very nice. It is simply more expensive, and I would rather not have this in my backyard! But, to each his own… and whatever works, right? There is also another type of retractable clothesline that I have not tried, and I do not know anyone who has. If you have, please leave a comment about your experience! I would love to know how these work!
And then, there is the line-and-pole that has always been around. In my opinion, this is the best option… if you have a “crafty” Hubz who can set it up for you 🙂 But, if you do not have a lot of room, or do not want to “see” your clothesline all of the time, the retractable line is the one for you.
Whatever you decide, think about your needs first. Where is the best place to set up your line? Do you have a good, sturdy place to mount a retractable line? Do you have a large lawn that can accomodate a larger line?
Have plenty of supplies
I’m sure the cashier at Dollar Tree thought I was nuts when I piled TEN bags of plastic clothespins onto her counter, but, I really needed to stock up (I live 1 hour from a Dollar Tree!). I LOVE their plastic clothespins. Unfortunately, you cannot purchase them online 🙁 But when you are line-drying laundry, you will need clothespins… and lots of ’em!
I prefer plastic clothespins over wooden clothespins for our nicer clothes. The wooden ones are better for holding up wet jeans and towels, but the plastic clothespins do not “pinch” as much. They offer a sturdy hanging experience without leaving marks.
In addition to my clothesline, I have hooks attached to the roof over my patio. This allows me to hang clothes with hangers. I hang clothes with the plastic “pinch” hangers from stores or upside down with clothespins to regular hangers.
I have a basket (from Dollar Tree) that holds all of my clothespins. You can also store them in a plastic grocery bag or in any type of homemade bag or can. I previously stored my clothespins in a clean formula can!
Laundry baskets are a must for hanging AND removing your laundry. I have a basket that “sits” on my hip that I unload the wet clothes into for hanging, and then use when I remove the clothes from the line.
A few more tips
Have patience! This can be a little overwhelming at first. Sometimes, it can feel like you are doing more work, and it is just not worth it. Keep at it! When you get your next utility bill and see your savings, you will see how “worth it” line-drying your clothing really is!
Do not try to do it all in one day. Even if you are behind, break it up into one or two loads a day. It will be so much easier. I will discuss my laundry schedule in tomorrow’s Works for Me Wednesday.
Fold as you go. This may seem obvious, but it is very easy to get in a hurry and just pile it up to accomplish later. Guess what? Later never comes. Fold as you go!
Know you are doing a good thing. You are saving money. You are being great to the environment. You are using God’s resources well. Feel good about it!
The cons of line-drying
It was inevitable… I want to keep this post as encouraging as possible, but I have to tell you about a few snags you will run into when line-drying your laundry.
Rain. Yes, I know it is obvious, but it’s (hopefully!) going to rain. And it might rain a lot.
Fire. Unfortunately, we have had several fires in my area in the last few months. Other than how devestating fires can be, the smoke wrecks havoc even several miles away. I was unable to do laundry at all – even inside my home – because the smoke from fires 45 minutes away permeated my home.
Pets. My dog has no interest in our clothing. He could care less! He doesn’t even bother the clothes if they fall on the ground. Your pet(s), however, may not be that indifferent. When you are hanging your clothes outside, you might consider moving them to another part of the yard, inside their pen, etc.
When facing these obstacles, you have two options: line-dry in your home or use your dryer. First of all, using your dryer is not a crime. I am not against using the dryer; I still use it for drying towels, underwear (I just can’t hang those out for my neighbors to see!), socks, and some pajamas. Using your dryer on rainy days is absolutely fine.
Your other option, hanging the clothes around your home, is just as frugal as hanging them outside. I will tell you from experience, it takes the clothes a LOT longer to dry this way, but it works. Although, it can make your home feel like a laundromat!
However you do it, line-drying is cost-effective, energy-saving, and very, very “green.” If you are skeptical, I challenge you to hang a small part of your next load outside on hooks or the swingset. See how you like it… and let me know how it went!
Do you line-dry your laundry? On what do you hang your clothes? Have you seen increased savings on your utility bill?
Good article Amy! I’m a dedicated air dryer and you definitely have your facts straight.
The new horizontal washing machines are a big advantage to hang drying clothes because they have faster spin-out speeds and those faster speeds mean your clothes are very well wrung out when you take them out of the washer.
Here is the coolest clothes drying rack I have found. It folds up really small. Since the top rotates it can be near a traffic path in your house and if you get close enough to brush into it just spins like a turnstile. Putting it right below the ceiling fan works nice in the winter.