Today is Earth Day so I thought I'd share the way I've been "doing my part".
Last summer I bought a clothesline and a bag of clothespins from the dollar store. I hung the line in between a tree and our fence near the gate on the side of our house. Initially, I just wanted a place to hang our wet towels and bathing suits from the daily pool usage.
I then moved on to hanging our sheets to dry. I love the smell of air dried sheets.
I slowly began to add clothes to the line.
It was summer and in Florida that means evening downpours - every evening. So you have to be disciplined about getting the clothes off the line.
Then I broke my foot and this all came to a screeching halt.
In November, once I'd been cast less long enough, I began to want to hang my clothes out again. I did a little google.com research and found a great tip:
~ Each night check the weather.com website for chance of rain for the next three days.~
This allows you to plan how many loads of laundry you need to do. If tomorrow's forecast is clear but the next has a chance of rain you may choose to double up the first day.
Sounds simplistic, but it never occurred to me. duh!
I've since added a second clothesline just under the first but tucked behind the next post and I have enough room to dry 2 full loads.
During the winter months when the humidity is low here in Florida, but the temperature is milder and the sun is not as bright or long..........I put a load of laundry in the washer before I go to bed. The next morning I am able to hang the laundry out as soon as possible.
I feel very Mother Naturist while taking the time everyday to hang the laundry out and that's what working for me.
To see what works for others visit We Are THAT Family.
15 comments:
I’m from the Netherlands and it’s surprising to me how many things that are very logical to us in Europe are still “new” to Americans. Like, using a clothesline. I have a dryer too, but I won’t use it on a sunny windy day. Why waste the money and energy? Many people over here have little vegetable gardens and several people in my town (myself included) raise a few chickens.
Everybody recycles because our town’s trash service offers containers that have a “green” (compost) side and a “grey” (non-compost) side. Glass bins are in every grocery store parking lot, every town has a paper-pick-up service (usually a local charity that makes a little money selling the paper to factories) and we’ve been doing this for ages.
Thanks for helping the rest of the world become more earth aware as well! Sounds like you’re doing great already.
Dutchnic:
Thanks for visiting AND for commenting! I think what is "new" to me is actually the intent behind the line dry. Acutally, growing up there were many years of clothes lines (inside and out) and during our first few years of marriage and babies we didn't have a dryer. It's just that those were times of financial necessity and so it wasn't something I was choosing to do. It was not really thought about at all,except that younger self would have never understood when I had a dryer why I'd choose to not use it. Does this make sense? Our town still doesn't offer curbside recycling but the recycling dropoff locations are so pleniful that it is not that difficult. I think it's so much more of a mindset change that's happening. And America is famous for being wasteful :) We have to choose to go back to a more simplistic and resourceful way of life. These upcoming finicial difficulties many will face will help this,I think.
I love to line dry our laundry! I love the smell, the green factor and it saves money! I do not think it is a new concept here in the US, it is more of a returning to the old fashion way of doing things.
My mom used to hang the laundry out to dry every day and it smelled so nice. I keep meaning to get into this, you have inspired me to Just Do It! Thank you! And thanks for stopping by my blog, I thought your comment was clever :D
My sweet neighbor hands her big 'ol undies out for all to see on her clothes line - kills me everytime! :)
I always feel so Little House On the Prairie when I hang my clothes out on the line. I'm the only one in my neighborhood that uses a clothesline, but it was one of my favorite things when we finally got a house - I could line dry! Just wish I could find a way to do it in the winter when it's -30 degrees. :)
i just hung my own stuff today. i live in a neighborhood with and HOA and am on a corner lot, so kind of noticeable. i love my picket fence but kind wish i had a privacy one so i would feel more comfortable doing it.
It would probably totally freak my neighbors out if I hung clothes out on the line. My grandmother used to and I have a friend that does. Maybe I should get brave. I bet it saves you a ton on your electric bill.
Thanks for visiting my blog today! I hope you never have to use the Sharpie tip. ;-)
We love using our clothesline! We hung it under our deck but I may move it out into the yard.
Yes, container gardening is a good way to start. Just remember that containers will dry out faster than things in the ground so you need to be dilligent about watering.
Manuela
Your so good that way!!
I was wondering about the humidity. We're renting, in New England. How long does it take a load of laundry to air dry when it's so humid??
thanks for all the comments today. And worry not, I purposfully hang our clothes with our unmentionables hung in the middle so no one can see it from the street. :0
Aunt Lolo: the humidity is bad here from about now through Oct....however it's also when the sun is strongest. It takes a few hours to dry and even shorter in June - Aug...but it must be in direct sunlight. In the "winter" months here in Florida it can take about 4-6 hours, but it will dry in the shade, especially if there is a breeze. I looked up on a website and I forget the exact temp. but it said what degree you should NOT line dry. I only had a few of those days here. However, the rain poses a whole other side:O
HI, thanks for stopping by today. I love your tip. Unfortunately our northwest weather doesn't always work for hanging laundry. I've honestly never done it...I should try sometime.
We had a clothes line when I was a kid and that was my job - hanging and bringing in. I still opt out of using the dryer on some fo my things but only some.
I think using a clothes line is a great idea! Very eco-friendly!
I started line drying last summer when my dryer died and it couldn't be repaired for 3 weeks. In that time I got into the habit of doing a load first thing every day (so I could get it on the line to dry all day). I loved the smell of the clothes, I loved the sunshine and fresh air...so I do it whenever I can now.
I have sheets and a sleeping bag out on the line today. Better bring 'em in!
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