Summer = Natural Heat

How do you dry your clothes?

Do you use a clothesline outside?
Do you use a drying rack inside?
Or do you think that it takes too long to hang dry clothes, so you give in and just use your dryer?
Have you ever even thought about it?

Now that it's starting to get warm outside, it's the perfect time of year to start using natural heat to dry your clothes (if you don't already). Not only does it work wonders on stains (check out Amy's post on Sunning Cloth Diapers), but it's also a great way to save some money on your electric bill each month by using the most natural "dryer" available... the sun! It doesn't matter where you live or what you live in, you can still use the suns heat to dry clothes. Here are some of my suggestions, depending on where you live.

Traditional Clothesline

Home
If you have your own home and backyard, the ideal setup would be for you to install a clothesline. There are many different kinds available. The Umbrella-Style Clothes Dryer is very popular for smaller yards. The Steel T-Post Style Clothesline is also very popular. This works best if you have a large area in your yard to dedicate to your clothesline. Don't forget the clothespins!


Apartment with a Porch

If you don't own your property, you want to avoid installing a drying system in your yard. Your landlord may not approve and may not let you remove it when you decide to leave. In this case, I would suggest an Expandable Drying Rack or a Winged Drying Rack. These are both great for using on a porch. You can fold them up when your not using them, and pull them out when you need them. If you live on the second floor or above, and have a balcony then you should also pick up some clothespins. The last thing you want is for your clothes to fly away in the breeze!

Tripod-Style

Apartment without a Porch
If you don't have a porch to set up a drying rack on, that doesn't mean you can't hang your clothes to dry. It just means you have to get a little creative. How about a window that let's in the sunlight? That is the perfect spot to set up a Folding Drying Rack or a Tripod-Style Clothes Dryer. Just open your blinds and let the sun shine in!




For Smaller Items

Clip Drying Hanger

I have at least 4 or 5 Clip Drying Hangers that I use for my cloth diapers, bras, underwear, even hand towels and washcloths. They are great! They hold a ton of small items and fit anywhere. I normally hang them from my curtain rod in the bathroom. I also have a Tension Rod that I rigged in my "laundry room", right in front of the dryer. So, when I'm taking the clothes out of the washing machine, I can hang up all of the shirts and pants right away. I keep empty hangers on the rod, so I'm always ready to go.

I hang over 90% of my personal clothes. Mainly because I've had 2 kids and never got a new wardrobe, so I can't afford for anything to shrink. I also hang cloth diapers, all of Delvin's shirts, all of my delicates, and our towels and washcloths. I will use the dryer on things I wouldn't normally throw in the dryer, if I know someone will be needing to wear that item soon. Also, I always tumble everything after I take it off of the line, to make sure it's nice and soft.

Posted in: Laundry,Living Green,Saving Money,Thrifty