So, you’ve washed your clothes and cleaned the clothesline….now what?
Whether you are existing in a post-disaster situation with no power or you are choosing to rely less on the grid that provides power for your home, finding ways to effectively dry your clothes, in no matter what amount of space that you have, can be daunting if the only option you’ve seen is the large telephone-like limbers that take up the entire backyard of someone’s home. There are many options that I’ve found and collected on Pinterest, and I’ll share them here, plus some other ideas that might be helpful.
This is a traditional clothesline in North America. It takes up a large amount of backyard real estate. The great benefit of it, though, is that you get a lot of exposure to breeze, and can load a lot of clothes onto it.
Another option is an umbrella type clothesline, whether you use the inverted umbrella shape, or the rectangular shaped stand that takes up much less yard real estate, allows you to load a lot of clothes on it (I can get 2 loads of laundry on mine if we’re not doing sheets). A benefit is that you can actually place a piece of PVC into the ground in concrete, then place the post inside the PVC, thus making it removable when not in use if space is needed or during bad weather. A drawback is that it can sometimes take a little longer to dry, especially if you tightly pack the lines, because air can’t move through as easily as with the telephone line type clotheslines.
Here are some other options for outside clothes drying that can also be adapted for indoor spaces such as garages, etc.
Then of course, we have the long-standing option of using a crank and pulleys to create a line between two places – whether apartment buildings, out buildings or even across a room or garage
Here are some indoor options for you:
This version gives you the option of both hanging and laying items flat (you don’t want to hang wool or knit sweaters or other objects that might stretch badly)
This version is actually good for lightweight clothes – and strung across a room, and then can retract – but it is not good for heavy-loads.
Other options:
- Extra shower curtain spring rod across a shower for extra hanging room
- Hanging clothes on a clothes hanger and hung on door frames (though this takes up a lot of room and isn’t stable as hangers fall off easily
- Simple rope tied between two trees and clothes pinned to it
- Using hangers over a fence or on a chain link fence section
- Laying across tree branches, flat surfaces, etc.
Whether you are drying your clothes off-grid to save the environment, save yourself some money or are without power, there are endless options to get your clothes dry. Being prepared with ideas ahead of time will help out!
 More Tips for drying your clothes without power
Follow me on Pinterest
Katy Willis is a writer, lifelong homesteader, and master herbalist, master gardener, and canine nutritionist. Katy is a preparedness expert and modern homesteader practicing everyday preparedness, sustainability, and a holistic lifestyle.
She knows how important it is to be prepared for whatever life throws at you, because you just never know what's coming. And preparedness helps you give your family the best chance to thrive in any situation.
Katy is passionate about living naturally, growing food, keeping livestock, foraging, and making and using herbal remedies. Katy is an experienced herbalist and a member of the CMA (Complementary Medical Association).
Her preparedness skills go beyond just being "ready", she's ready to survive the initial disaster, and thrive afterward, too. She grows 100% organic food on roughly 15 acres and raises goats, chickens, and ducks. She also lovingly tends her orchard, where she grows many different fruit trees. And, because she likes to know exactly what she's feeding her family, she's a seasoned from-scratch cook and gluten-free baker.
Katy teaches foraging and environmental education classes, too, including self-sufficient living, modern homesteading, seed saving, and organic vegetable gardening.
Katy helps others learn forgotten skills, including basic survival skills and self-reliance.
She's been published on sites such as MSN, Angi, Home Advisor, Family Handyman, Wealth of Geeks, Readers Digest, and more.