Have you heard? Dryers are so 2007. Get with it and join me in a Clothesline Challenge! Amy from Gift of Green (spend a minute on her blog; you’ll like it) put this all together and you can join in too! It runs in May, June, and July.
So how does it work? Well, you decide how much you really need your dryer. Being that Grand Rapids is not exactly sunny and warm right now, I am making good use of some indoor clothes lines hanging in my basement. They are relics of the cloth diapering days in the Binder household. Man that seems like a long time ago! I also have a folding drying rack I have set up in front of my dryer because it’s inconvenient to move and it discourages me from using the dryer.
I have been doing it for a few weeks now, and I have learned a few things. First, I have to keep up with my laundry. There is no “laundry day”. Every day is laundry day; at least one load. This is because I simply don’t have the space for much more than one load hanging at a time.
Second, my clothes smell really, really good. Something about the dryer heats all of the smell out, or something.
Third, I need an exemption for kids’ whites. I cannot handle putting up 1000 little pair of underwear and 2000 socks. This is only one load a week.
Fourth, I am saving money and making my clothes last longer.
So come on now; who else is in? You can join at any level (I know; I sound like a public broadcasting fund drive) that works for you. It starts at 10% clothesline usage and goes all the way to 90%. I hear there are even some giveaways. I hope they are clothespins, because I am kinda running out…
9 Comments
May 11, 2008 at 7:23 pm
OK! I am a clothesline virgin. But my fear is my clothes being crunchy from no fabric softener. Enlighten me so I can do the challenge too.
May 11, 2008 at 8:16 pm
Oh, you big binder, you! Thanks for joining – the socks are time consuming. The good news is, that with all this rain, I’ve finally found a use for all those pesky 2T and 3T hangers from Target and Old Navy.
May 11, 2008 at 8:44 pm
I have been contemplating this for the summer. Then I think, who am I kidding, I am too lazy. But I give it a try a couple of times and get back to you.
May 11, 2008 at 9:19 pm
I’m not allowed to have a clothesline hanging outside in my neighborhood. Also, my basement is so damp that I’m afraid of my clothes smelling like mildew. Please enlighten me!
May 11, 2008 at 11:21 pm
I’ve always hung my own clothes (minus the whites) to dry – I hate having my clothes shrink in the dryer and it really does help them to last longer. That being said, I have a hard time keeping up with the girls’ laundry while using the dryer – I can’t imagine trying to find the time (or space) to hang all of theirs.
May 12, 2008 at 9:03 pm
This is our virgin year of doing this outside. We’ve done it in the basement from time to time over the years with slow, crunchy, and not so good smelling results. Let me tell you how fab and different it is outside…we love it. Definetely have to keep up with one load or two on sunny days. Now, if I could just get them folded faster
May 12, 2008 at 9:27 pm
Soooo happy to be able to get stuff on the line. I have a problem with crunchy towels so I have to pop them in the dryer for about 10 minutes to get that feeling out, but 10 minutes vs 60 minutes is so much cheaper!!
May 14, 2008 at 10:28 am
I, too, just bought an outside clothesline. But, I’m mainly using it for towels, sheets, and jeans (plus, it’s small and there really isn’t room for more, unfortunately). Then, like Emily, I put them in the dryer for just a few minutes to soften them up. I figure anything I’m doing is better than before!
May 21, 2008 at 12:33 am
A little behind the eight ball in bloggy world. But bring this challenge on girl. I am signed up and ready. Now I just have to get my line up outside.