Line Drying Laundry

Today I'm going to go "off the kitchen counter" and a little to the left.  In fact, I'm going outside to my "dryer."  Yep, outside!  I'm part of a growing population that has reverted to line drying my laundry!  "Why?" you might ask.  "Why would you line dry your laundry?  That sounds SO archaic".  Maybe, but I LOVE line drying!  Seriously, why wouldn't I?  I live in a perfect (most of the time) climate to line dry year round, it saves money, it's better for the environment, and it saves wear & tear on my family's clothes!  Plus, most Spring & Summer days it's even faster than using my dryer.  Yes, I DO have an electric dryer for emergencies!

Like most of my domestic endeavors, I didn't start off singing the praises of the clothes line!  This activity started more out of frustration than anything!  My dryer BROKE!  For the second time tin the TWO years that we had had it, it BROKE!  I was frustrated & stubborn!  There was NO way that I was buying another dryer OR paying to have it fixed once it was out of warranty.  Off I went to Wal-Mart to buy a clothes line & clothes pins!  I made the decision to try the line dry thing for at least a month before I fixed the dryer.  Here I am 5 or more years later & our household hangs out about 95% of our laundry to dry!  I've even converted my husband who does his own loads & hangs them out!  One of the few exceptions I make is my youngest son's clothes during allergy season-orange blossom pollen for him.  It doesn't make much sense for me to clothe him in pollen!

There are a few keys to line drying!

• Not everyplace guarantees the "right to dry."  Happily, I live in one of the Right to Dry states!  Many HOAs restrict or prohibit the use of clothes lines.
•  Watching the local radar is a MUST!  I have had a few times when I forgot to check before hanging out & found myself running through that rain to pull clothed off the line ! LOL
• Your towels will turn out scratchier than you're used to.  I actually kinda like them that way, but a little white vinegar in your laundry load will help.
• You can learn more at Project Laundry List's website!  They have some great statistic, facts, & tips on line drying! 

We did eventually fix the dryer.  My husband googled & YouTubed, and ordered the part.  It's still not as fast as drying outside, but it'll do in a pinch!  You know, those panicked nights when you realize the soccer uniform hasn't been washed for tomorrow's game, or on the rare occasion when we have DAYS of rain & for decency reasons something, anything HAS to be washed!

  As happy as I am with this old fashioned way of drying my laundry,  I'd gladly accept a futuristic way of  folding it & putting it away!  Any suggestions?