The Lowdown on Line Drying on the Down Low

According to our provincial hydro company; your clothes dryer accounts for at least 12% of your total electrical bill. And that’s assuming that it is at least somewhat energy efficient and in good running condition. You can calculate your own energy use by using this handy Energy Use Calculator

So let’s talk about line drying clothes. Some of the drawbacks include allergies; stiff clothes; marks from clothespins; bugs and bird poop not to mention government bylaws. Yup they have regulations for that too in some urban areas.

Let’s break it down. I’m going to kill two birds with one stone (so to speak). Allergies and stiff clothes can be combatted by finishing the line dry with a bit of a spin in the dryer. It shakes off any pollen that may be hanging on and if you throw in a dryer sheet you can fluff as you go. Wooden clothespins can mark the clothing if they are old and have been exposed to the elements. Try plastic. Bird poop?…..well this one falls into the category of “crap happens” 😉 That said. It doesn’t happen often. For those days when it’s just too cold and wet, there are a number of indoor rack and line options to have as backup. The added bonus to having one of these racks is that they can easily be set up on the patio or deck and still be out of sight.

While it is true that some urban homesteaders are prohibited by law to have a clothesline (unsightly don’t you know) ); to that I saw try keeping it on the down-low. Back in the day it was actually more common to find low clotheslines. You don’t have to go with a traditional line running from the deck to the tallest tree on the other side of the yard. There are some viable options available through Amazon. But I’m also including a link to this blog called ‘Morning Chores’ who has a Pinterest site. There you will find 26 clothesline ideas to inspire you.

Give it some thought. Not only will this help cut costs on your hydro bill…..but who doesn’t love the smell of line-dried linens? 😉 This idea is definitely worth figuring out how to make it work for your ‘homestead’ no matter where it is located.