Suburban Homesteading – Frugal Living

The dog days of summer are not quite over yet, but the soft, sweet, wafting early morning breeze tells me that fall is fighting its way through our hot September days.

Its days like this that I really enjoy seeing my laundry hanging on the clothes line. Vivid colors and bright whites flapping in the breeze is a quintessential farm look and looks so homey. But does that mean I have to give up my clothes line once the cooler days of fall arrive?

No way!

The benefits of a clothes line can be enjoyed year-round. So, if you’ve been on the fence about setting up your own eco-friendly clothes dryer now is the perfect time.

Need a little incentive? Here are my 10 reasons to use a clothesline all year long.

1.       A clothesline uses no electricity.  Kind of a no-brainer, right?  What may not be so evident is the $300 dollars-a-year I save not using my dryer.

2.       Clotheslines are more efficient because I can run my clothes through the washer and not have to wait for the dryer to finish. In just a few hours all my laundry is hanging on the line, letting the sun do its part while I do other chores.

3.       Clothes last longer. The heat and agitation of a dryer can speed up the breakdown of fibers, while a clothesline helps preserve your clothes, especially those made from delicate fabrics.

4.       Hanging clothes on a line is therapeutic. Honestly, it is. The few minutes I spend hanging clothes allows my mind drift away from our hectic world and into one that is calmer and more serene, one where hanging clothes on the line is your only important task.

5.       Line dried clothes smell like a fresh outdoor breeze. No need for chemical laden dryer sheets that can cause irritation or allergies.

6.       It makes my heart smile to see a line full of clothes. It’s a visual accomplishment.

7.       Clothes dry faster outdoors than in a dryer. This is especially true in my area where the wind blows well into October and clouds rarely gather.

8.       Folding clothes is faster when they’re not waded up from being in the dryer. I have a trick here, too. I put certain clothes on a hanger before hanging them on the line. When they’re dry, all I have to do is gather up the hangers and put them in the closest.

9.       Fresh air and exercise. Moving, stretching, breathing deeply are all health benefits from hanging clothes on a line.

What’s that you say? Winter is on its way.

10.   Get yourself a portable drying rack or set up a clothes line indoors. Damp clothes help humidify dry winter air while giving you many of the benefits of outdoor drying.