Solar-Powered Clothes Dryer

I love my clothesline.  There’s little more enjoyable than taking a break to go outside with freshly laundered clothes.  Sunshine and empty lines beckon me to hang out for awhile.  I breathe deeply, taking in the clean, fresh smells.  And, I take a break.  I often go outside to calm myself if I’m worried.  Or, I energize myself by getting up and moving, sometimes stretching as I go, so that I get a little mini workout.  The activity is satisfying to me. 

I’m one of the lucky girls to have her own old-fashioned clothesline.  My husband put me a beautiful one up in our backyard several years ago.  I used to call it my solar powered clothes dryer.  My retro-self loves to call a rose a rose – my beloved clothesline – it is what it is. 

Several years ago a friend asked me if it bothered me to hang clothes.  On the contrary, it is a respite for me – a time of relaxation, quiet, and contemplation. 

Some of the benefits of hanging your clothes out to dry: 

1)   If your dryer is electric, hanging your clothes saves money. 

2)   You get up and move during your day – hey, exercise is exercise. 

3)   You get some fresh air and sunshine – we’re almost all deficient in vitamin D these days. 

4)   It’s an opportunity to visit with a friend – you can be on the phone outside while hanging clothes, and your family is unlikely to interrupt. 

5)   If you want time with a particular family member, ask them if they would mind helping you.  Chances are they won’t, and you have a good opportunity for a time to just talk. 

6)   It’s gentler on your clothes than putting them through a dryer all the time. 

7)   The sunshine deodorizes and disinfects – no chemicals required, and its free!

8)   Clothes are often dry quicker than they would be in the clothes dryer. 

9)   A return to simplicity does not have to make life harder.  The practice of hanging your clothes to dry can help you readjust your thinking and realize that simpler living does not always require more time or strenuous work. 

Watch for my upcoming post on how I make my own laundry detergent.  Saves money on detergent, time (you only have to buy ingredients every few months) buying premade from the store, is more effective, and takes less space – the ingredients for months worth of detergent require little shelf space.  More later!