Originally published May 13, 2014
We have been drying our clothes on a clothesline since we moved to California in 2011. At the time we were living in my in-laws’ basement while we paid off six figures of law school debt. Since my in-laws use a clothesline pretty much exclusively, that’s what we did too.
It’s been years now and it has become just what we do. When we bought a house, one of our first improvements was putting up a clothesline.
If you’re looking for ways to save money on electricity, then using a clothesline will be right up your alley! But reducing electricity costs isn’t the only great benefit of using a clothesline. There are some great bonus benefits that come from using a clothesline to dry your clothes.
Here are a few of the reasons we love using a clothesline.
Save Money on Utilities
Appliances with a heating element are a sure energy suck. Whether your dryer is gas or electric, not using it will save you money, though the amount will depend on where you live and what kind of dryer you have.
Get Outside
Hanging clothes out gives you an excuse to get outside and enjoy some sunshine. It’s easy to get so busy with things indoors that I don’t even go outside (except to tell my kids to come in for dinner).
Enjoy Alone Time
In addition to time outside, my clothes hanging time is typically alone time as well. The kids can manage for the ten minutes it takes to hang or take down the clothes. Sometimes I just enjoy the silence, while other times I listen to a podcast without interruptions.
Naturally Whiten Whites
The sunshine will naturally whiten your whites. Cloth diapering parents probably already know and take advantage “sunning” their whites. The sun naturally bleaches out stains and keeps your clothes looking spiffier!
Extend the Life of Clothes
Did you know that the friction in the dryer wears out clothes more quickly? Your clothes will last longer if you use a clothesline to dry them.
Fresh Scent
Drying clothes in the sunlight gives them a fresher scent. Whether it’s the suns ultraviolet rays sanitizing them or because they are hanging in a dry, airy environment (not a hot, moist one like in a dryer), clothes dried outside have a natural fresh scent. It’s a great way to get rid of stubborn odors on towels, socks, and other stink culprits.
It’s Often Faster
In the summer, drying clothes on a clothesline is much faster than using the dryer. Where the dryer would normally be the bottleneck in the laundry process, the clothesline speeds up the entire chore. By the time I’m finished hanging a load of clothes in the summer, the first things I hung are already dry.
Avoid Setting in Stains
When you’re hanging clothes to dry you can check to see if stains came out in the washer. I don’t know how many times I have intended to check to see if a stain came out before I accidentally threw the clothes into the dryer where the stain was permanently set. If you catch a stain before it goes into the dryer, you’ll have another chance to get it out. Hanging clothes out on the line, gives me a chance to handle and check each item.
Easily Match Socks
I usually hang all my socks together on the clothesline using something like this. When I take the dry clothes off, I can match socks as I take them down. I also fold towels and blankets as I take them down.
It’s not for everyone
Some people just prefer their dryer, and that’s okay too. I have a friend who grew up exclusively using a clothesline. When she went to college and discovered the convenience of an electric clothes dryer she said she could never go back to using a clothesline.
For some, using a clothesline is particularly challenging. If you live in a really humid climate, a clothesline might not work very well. Some home owners associations have regulations against drying clothes in your yard. If you do your laundry at night, then a clothesline probably won’t be very effective (though I’ve been known to hang a load at night so it can be ready for the first morning rays).
Where there’s a will, there’s a way
I have heard from readers who have made a clothesline work in situations where others might not. For example, Celeste says:
I live in a one bedroom 740 sq foot condo. I have a rack that I bought at the Amish market that we hang stuff that can’t go on a hanger. Hanger items go on the shower rod in the bathroom. This system works all year because it’s against condo regulations to hang clothes outside.
There are plenty of other ways that you can choose to save money. However, if you are looking to cut down on your utility bills, then give the clothesline a fair try!
How about you?
Do you use a clothesline? Why or why not?
I have my first wash hanging on my clothesline my husband just built me. I have wanted one since we moved into our home 4.5 years ago. No more random racks all over the house. Our dryer is on its last leg and it is only 4.5 years old and i dont want to replace it after just replacing the washer. The washer was the same year as the dryer. We are going to try to not use the dryer for the entire summer. I am so excited for my clothesline!
Congrats on your new clothesline! That’s exciting! That’s sad that you had to replace your washer so soon! Not using the dryer for the entire summer is a good goal/challenge! You can do it!
The allergy-prone person who posted may not be that she is allergic to her clothes. Could be she is allergic to something in the air. I discovered after I stopped hanging clothes outside (which I loved), some of my allergies subsided. I still usually hang on indoor lines (other than sheets and towels) because of the money savings. Just wish I could get that wind-dried smell and fluff inside!
Great idea, I’d love to try it someday. Right now all our clothes would be icicles. Icicles blown into some farmer’s field. Thank you Snake River Valley, always windy, always cold. Except for two months of summer, when it’s windy, but mostly only cold at night. The stain-checking idea is great. I am absolutely terrible at keeping stains out of my children’s clothing.
Ha ha! During the winter we use the dryer inside, though we are having an unseasonably warm January, so I probably *could* use the clothesline if I wanted, even though it’s technically winter!
I have a 10ft section of chain on my umbrella type clothesline. I hang shirts on the hangers and then the hanger goes through a section of chain so they dont blow off on to the ground or all clumped together.Works like a charm!Oh,and I got the chain at the dollar store 🙂
Great frugal solution Wendy! Thanks for sharing!
I have one problem with a clothesline, b irds. I know it is my fault because I feed them, but they look on the line as a neat place to sit and then you iknow what happens. Any one know how to prevent this?
Maybe put your bird feeders on the other side of the house? Or maybe hang them up at the time of day the birds aren’t around? Or just be sure not to leave the clothes on the line any longer than necessary? We don’t feed birds, so I haven’t had that problem! Good luck!
I live in Australia and am totally amazed that drying clothes on a line is a novelty idea. There are very few climates where line drying isn’t possible at least some of the year. Many households here don’t even own a dryer. And those that do use them only when there is prolonged rain. As for some areas not being allowed to hang clothes outside – that is just unbelievable to me. Such a waste of a free natural resource not to use the sun!
That’s great that clotheslines are the norm “down under”! 🙂 Unfortunately, we are great at wasting free natural resources up here.
Depends on the time of year here.
When we have snow and days below zero and wind chill, kinda puts a damper on the whole clothesline.
Hopefully if we can buy a house in the country again, I’ll get a clothesline
I LOVED hanging clothes on the line for all of the reasons mentioned…and one more: there was no dryer buzzing at me along with the phone ringing, oven buzzing, microwave dinging, someone knocking at the door, and everything else that seemed to “magically” all happen at the same time! The clothes patiently waited for me to get them in my time, not theirs. At the time I worked outside the home and hung clothes in the morning before leaving and had to retrieve them sometime later in the day.
I also hung shirts, blouses, and tops on hangers to save time. When dried, they could be just taken directly to the closets. My slacks and hubby’s pants were hung with the legs together so they could immediately be placed on hangers after they dried. Jeans…..never!
We are now retired and have moved into a community where clotheslines are not permitted. I hang as much as possible on racks and shower rods, but sheets go into the dryer. I miss air-dried sheets the most!
Oh my goodness! Our dryer has the loudest buzz ever! And if you don’t get it the first time, it will keep buzzing every 5 minutes. They market it as “wrinkle guard” or something!
This post motivated me to ask my husband if we could put up a clothesline again. I haven’t had one since 2006 when we lived in the country. I now have a lovely 50ft stretch of line up from my house to a tree and have already hung 3 loads to dry in the past 3 days! And I had forgotten how therapeutic hanging laundry is — lovely!
That’s great Susan! It really is therapeutic!
Instead of building one, try an umbrella style dryer. I think mine cost about $35, plus $5 for the rebar stake you need to pound in to the ground to slip it over. Also, I find that the gentle cycle on my old fashioned washer creates less wrinkling as it doesn’t spin as hard and removes less water. You might also ask for one (umbrella-type clothesline) on freecycle; some people try hanging out clothes and then decide it isn’t for them. I have spotted several in the backs of people’s garages over time.
That’s great Sue! I hadn’t thought of using the gentle cycle to make clothes less wrinkly. The umbrella-type dryer would be great for people who are in small places and want a quick set-up. Thanks for sharing!
Love this post! You made me go and do my laundry, just so I can the clean clothes on my clothes line!
Ha ha! That’s great! 🙂
I love my clothesline. My family has been drying clothes outside for generations. I remember many times we had to dash outside when it started to rain to bring the clothes in before they were completely soaked:) I still hang my clothes all spring and summer when the weather permits it. Best invention ever..:)
Fun memories and family traditions! 🙂
When my kids were younger I used to hang the clothes to save money. As they got older we have been so busy. Last week my dryer just stopped working forcing me to hanging laundry again. Unfortunately it has rained almost every day.
My husband felt bad and finally fixed the dryer. This took time away from one of his 2 jobs. Through this I told my husband that on nice days I will be hanging the laundry again. I love saving money both on the utilities and the fact that our clothes will last longer. Not to mention I love the fresh smell of the laundry! I also get things folded right away. It is well worth the time for me.
There is always a silver lining! I’m glad that the broken dryer helped you get back to a good habit!
Great idea for matching the socks as you take them down. I hate sorting socks.
It’s definitely convenient to have them all lined up there!
I like the idea of hanging my clothes to dry outside (And we have the space for it – we do sometimes hang out the diaper shells). But for some reason, if I don’t use fabric softener in the dryer (and it has to be a specific brand/scent!), I’m basically allergic to my clothes – they’re so scratchy and itchy that I just give up and re-wash then put in the dryer. We’re also those crazy people that do laundry at night even though our electric company doesn’t offer a time of use plan. It’s just how our lives work.
That’s funny that you “need” the fabric softener. For a lot of people it’s the opposite- the more chemicals and scents the more allergic they are. Hey whatever works!
i LOVE hanging clothes on the line, and we had a HUGE line when we first moved into our apartment. However, it was attached to our neighbors large maple tree, and when they cut it down last year, the line came down too. We’re hoping our landlord decides to put up a new one this year, but I’m not holding my breath, since its been a year and a half since it came down. The electric bill definitely reflects the increased dryer use :-/
My neighbors have an awesome system. They have 2 lines set up outside their downstairs outside door, and 2 more set upstairs accessible from a large window… and they hang their laundry out year round!! Which, here in upstate NY, is pretty impressive when they’re hanging laundry out right after the snow storm the day before lol
That’s sad that taking out the tree took out your clothesline as well! I hope you can figure something else out. Maybe your neighbors with the awesome set-up could help you out!
I love hanging clothes outside. But our “warm” weather (“warm” being a relative term here in Alberta, Canada) doesn’t last very long. Our cold weather lasts a very long time. I put up with beet-red frozen fingers hanging out clothes, towels and sheets until we get a good hard frost in the fall. Then I have no choice but to dry everything indoors. Mostly that’s been the dryer in the past few years, as we have a serious lack of space to set up an indoor drying area. But I’m making that a priority for the next place we live.
That’s an impressive commitment Nathalie!
The only things I put in the dryer are towels and onesies. I’m always shocked when I clean the filters at the number of ‘dust’ that’s in it. Basically it’s a slow clothes shredder. So I put my clothes on a little clothes rack (but I’ll need a bigger one later – my granny in law loves to wash and iron so she does most of our clothes, and I focus on those of little boy.
That’s true… all the lint in the dryer is your clothes wearing out! I never thought of it that way!
I am one of those people who LOVES their dryer. But I WISH so much that I could love to line-dry, especially now that we have our own home and yard. But, a lot of our clothes need to shrink after each wear, and they stay stretched out or even get stretched out more when we air dry. Also, our washing machine is new (since we moved recently) and it’s designed to have the washing cycle last over an hour, the main reason being that it wrings out a LOT of the water so your dry time is short. The very bad part about this is that the clothes come out of the washer SUPER wrinkled. It’s really annoying. So if we did line-dry, we would have to iron EVERY SINGLE thing. Lastly, I HATE the smell of when clothes line dry. I know, I’m weird. Even when my kids and I are playing outside, when we come inside, I think we all stink, even though I know it’s just the fresh air smell. But now, we live super close to a farm, so if I tried to line-dry again, I bet I’d be paranoid and smell “farm” on the clothes whether or not the smell truly was there. Oh well, the idea of it sounds like such fun…maybe some day!
I remember you saying this in the past. It’s okay. 🙂 I’m always impressed at how many of our clothes are un-wrinkled after being line dried. I guess our washer doesn’t wring them so much, so between the weight of heavy wet clothes and the wind, they come out pretty nice. I do dry my husband’s white dress shirts (that he wears 6 days a week) and (maybe I shouldn’t admit this) actually haven’t tried line drying them.
Everyone has their own preferences and quirks. I love the smell of line dried laundry, I tell my DD that its the smell of sunshine…
I find that my clothes need Less ironing when hanging on the line, and i Like that my clothes don’t shrink in the dryer…. they fit better, and are more like the size i bought them at. I love to hang all the comforters, blankets, quilts, throws, etc up in the sun when I wash them in the Spring, it brings that fresh sunshine smell into the house.
I don’t have a clothesline right now but we do have room for one–just need to find someone to build one for me!
We have several drying racks and places to hang clothes on hangers so we line dry a lot in the house or on the deck. Our house seriously needs extra insulation (one of our next home projects!) and not using the dryer as much really helps the temp in the house!
That’s true, the dryer does heat up the house, so it the summertime not using it could really help! Good luck finding someone to build one. I’m sure there are some good tutorials online.
look for an umbrella style turning line… takes up much less room, breezes turn the laundry and you can hang your socks and smalls in the center , sheets on the outside… Best kind of washline you could have.
We used to hang our laundry growing up and while we no longer do, I seriously have a panic whenever it starts to storm. I mentally scan the yard to make sure nothing is outside that shouldn’t be there. I think thats from growing up!
We had an apartment with high ceilings once and we rigged a clothesline on a pulley! Lol. Yeah, it did not show a decrease in our utility bill though. So now, for simplicity’s sake (& my poor brain cells), i just use my dryer.
That’s hilarious that you have that habit from childhood! It rarely rains where we are, so that’s never an issue. That’s pretty impressive that you set up an indoor clothesline, even if you didn’t stick with it (which I can totally understand)!
Hi Stephanie, thanks for sharing.
@ Jerilyn, I actually have a similar experience to you, although with little modification.
As for me, I’ve never used a dryer.
In fact, I’ve line dried my clothes all my life and will never substitute that for a dryer. Talk of the cost of managing it and the uptick in the electricity bill…