Old Fashioned Porch Clothes Line
DO YOU STILL USE AN OLD FASHIONED CLOTHES LINE? MINE JUST HAPPENS TO BE ON THE PORCH LIKE YOU’LL SEE AMISH USE. TODAY I’M JOINING JENNIFER AND SEVERAL OTHER BLOGGERS IN THE COZY LIVING SERIES. MAKE SURE AND CLICK ON THE THUMBNAILS BELOW TO SEE WHAT EVERYONE ELSE IS SHARING THIS MONTH!
CLOTHES LINE PLACEMENT
This is the second time I’ve had a clothes line at the cabin. A few years back I did away with it because of it’s placement. Let me tell you it wasn’t a well thought out plan at the time. Hubby went to so much work putting it up for me that I used it off and on for severals year without saying anything. Then one day I just couldn’t take it any longer. I took it down and went back to using the electric dryer.
Problem #1: We live on a dirt road.
Problem #2: We also have a dirt driveway.
Problem #3: The clothes line was right beside where we park.
Problem #4: If clothes were hanging out when someone drove up the drive all that dust drifted across our clean clothes.
Now you can see why I did away with it!
WHAT YOU’LL NEED
Every now and again I get the bug to dry our things outside; especially our linen sheets. It’s been nagging at me for a while now so I picked up 3 eye screws, an eye hook, clothesline, and a clothes line tightener and put one up one our porch.
If you’ve never used a clothes line tightener you’re missing out. This little contraption makes it possible with a pull of the line to tighten up sagging clothes lines.
My old line had to be taken down and retightened over time. It would stretch and the clothes would drag the ground. When hubby wasn’t around to do it for me I used a Y shaped stick taller than the line to prop it up.
Never again will I have to do it the hard way; the tightener takes all the work out of it. Just pull the stray end threaded through the tightener and the ball bearings inside won’t allow the line to retract. Brilliant a tight clothes line once again.
PROS OF LINE DRYING
- Everything smells amazingly fresh when dried outside.
- The sun is a natural stain remover.
- It saves energy and money by not using an inside dryer.
- The sun is a natural antibacterial so it sanitizes.
- It’s Eco-friendly and some might say even trendy.
CONS OF LINE DRYING
- It does take a little more time to complete a load depending on how warm it is and how windy it may be.
- If it’s raining clothes can’t go out on the line.
- Planning laundry around the weather is a must.
- You may have to iron if wrinkles bother you.
- You may not like the look of all your dainties hanging out for the world to see.
IT’S THERAPY
To me doing laundry and hanging it out on the line is like therapy. I enjoy the time it takes to pin things out. To me it just feels right! I’m in touch with nature when I’m outside, Its time I spend by myself, and I get a lot of thinking done while I do this chore.
Laundry’s always been my favorite chore anyway and for some reason standing back seeing sheets flap in the wind makes me happy.
IT’S RELAXING
Many of days I hang out our clothes, sit on the porch with a good book, and just watch the laundry flap in the breeze. What could be more relaxing than that?
For me I crave a simpler way of life. I’ve always said I was born in the wrong time frame. But I must admit I’m not so sure I’d want to beat our clothes on a rock down by the river, so I think I’ll keep my washing machine (he-he).
Vinyet Etc. / Creative Cain Cabin / Duke Manor Farm
One of my favorite things is sheets on the clothesline. We have a summer place on the lake where I will hang out the wash as often as I can. I can understand your feeling of being born in the wrong decade!
Carol, sheets are my favorite too.
Just visiting, but i love to hang some of my clothes on the line, my sheets, towels old quits. It is relaxing and the sun will get them so nice and white and they do smell so good.
I line dry until it snows! Love the fresh, clean smell and the fact I’m not “feeding” the electric company. Never hang out the undies as I live close to a state highway 😂
Marlene I agree. It’s amazing what the sun can do to brighten up laundry. Thanks for visiting today and taking the time to leave me a comment. Hope you come back again 🙂
Marlene, hanging out your undies cracks me up. I’m lucky I have no neighbors so mine are just exposed blowing in the breeze lol.
I love your clothesline on your porch. I also have the feeling that I was born in the wrong decade. A Simple way of life sure is appealing .
Cheryl I agree it’s almost impossible to live a simple life anymore, but I sure am trying in small ways.
Planning around the weather is my biggest con though I usually hang our clothes and laundry throughout the summer and into early fall. With our spring being so cold and windy I have resorted to using the dryer right now. I have 3 lines in different places around the back yard and with 2 of them somewhat protected under the Aspen trees, if it rains lightly they stay dry. Because our wash machine is in a shed (aka Man Cave) and only fed via a garden hose, it freezes in the winter and I either have to wash by hand or go to the laundromat 30 minutes away. The plan is to put up boards over the insulation this fall so we might have more days of using the wash machine this winter-hopefully. It is a challenge living up here in the mountains of Colorado at over 8,000 feet, quite a challenge, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything in the word-anything.
Victoria, wow you’ve got quite a challenge in getting laundry done. I can’t imagine how much extra time and work it makes for you. I guess I should be thankful I have it so easy.
I have such great memories of hanging clothes out with my grandmother and also out with my mother in law. There’s nothing like fresh air dried clothes. They smell amazing!
Danielle, Aw I love all the memories I have with my Granny. They are to be cherished for sure.
I love hanging clothes outside. The dryer tends to wear your clothes out faster, plus there is always the possibility of shrinkage. I line dry as much as possible. Love the line on your porch! Even if it’s raining, they are sheltered somewhat.
Theresa, shrinkage for sure. Maybe I didn’t gain weight after all it’s the driers fault. LOL
I so remember coming home every day from school and taking clothes off the line…that was my sister and my job…We did a happy dance when my mom got a dryer! … unfortunately we are unable to have clothes line in our neighborhood….there are certain things that do well line dried and love the fresh smell..
Shirley, what great memories. As kids we see it as work, but now I see it as a relaxing task.
I love hanging our clothes out to dry. I have two drying racks and would love a line. Such a big savings on the electric bill.
Dawn, I love the idea of hanging clothes out to dry. My grandmother had a couple of clotheslines in her yard and I loved playing between the sheets as they were drying. It felt almost magical. I also loved the smell of her sheets when spending the night. Thanks for the trip down memory lane! I may have to get my own outdoor clothesline!
Jennifer, What fun! It seems we all have childhood memories of clothes hanging out. It was a simpler time for sure.
oh Dawn, i just love clothes hanging outside to dry. It reminds me of my grandmother’s who 1 let us run through the clothes and the other would fuss everytime. I may get the inspiration from your beautiful post to get a line up and start hanging. Undies and all. Have a great weekend!
Laura, For sure hang everything out. Who cares what the neighbors think, lol.
I remember helping my mom and grandmother hang the clothes out to dry and running to get them when the rain showed up unexpectedly! I also remember when my mother first got a dryer and how excited we were. Now I’d love to have a clothesline but our backyard is on the smaller side so I’m not sure where we would put it-and living in town, I’m not putting it in the front.
Margaret, I’m had to run in the rain and get my clothes many a time too. What great memories you have, it makes me smile hearing about them 🙂 I’m lucky and have acres of land and no neighbors so I can hang out my unmentionables anywhere I want. LOL.
Love your lines on the porch. It feels really old-timey to me. I’ve had several clothes lines at different houses & LOVE hanging out my sheets & towels. Way back when we would hang the undies between or behind the sheets. At least I did. I was in my early teens & certainly didn’t want the neighbor men to see those private things! (Still don’t & I’m WAY past teen years! LOL)
Jeannie, I have been hanging things out regularly now that the temps are above 30. It takes all day for them to dry some days but I love how they smell so it’s worth it. Your undie story cracked me up. No one can see where I live so I let them blow in the breeze for all to see!