Things You'll Need:
- Clothesline
- Clothespins
- Clean, wet laundry
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Step 1
Select the type of clothesline that best suits your needs, if you do not already have one. There are a variety of clothesline designs available. A retractable clothesline is a good choice if you want something you can put away easily. They are easy to order online. An umbrella-style clothesline is relatively inexpensive, easily purchased at your local home improvement store and is easy to install. Be sure to situate your clothesline in a convenient location, preferably near your backdoor, ideally in a location that gets plenty of sunlight and air circulation.
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Step 2
Purchase some clothespins. There are basically two types of clothes pins. There are peg-type clothespins that are all one piece. Pegs slide down over the clothes to hold them to the line. There are also spring clothespins that are made of two pieces of plastic or wood, held together by a spring. These pinch open and closed to fasten your clothes. You can order them online or possibly locate them at your local discount store or grocery store. There are bags to store your clothespins, or you can construct a homemade container for them.
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Step 3
Wash your clothes as usual, then carry them outside to the clothesline in a laundry basket. You may choose to hang your underwear inside the house on a clothes rack for privacy, or put it on an interior line, hanging larger items on the outside of the clothesline to hide your unmentionables from view.
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Step 4
Shake wrinkles out of each item before hanging. As you hang your clothes, smooth wrinkles out of them with your hands. This will greatly minimize your need for ironing.
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Step 5
Overlap the corners of adjacent items so that one clothespin can hold two items. Clip socks together in pairs and hang them together on the clothesline.
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Step 6
Fold sheets in half so that they will fit on the line. Hang pants and jeans upside down with the legs apart for fastest drying and to minimize wrinkling.
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Step 7
Remove laundry from the clothesline promptly when it becomes dry. The longer it hangs, the stiffer it becomes. There is also the danger of soiling the longer the laundry hangs outdoors. On a sunny day with a light breeze, a load of laundry can usually dry in an hour or so, about the same as in an electric dryer! An overcast or humid day might take a little longer.
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Step 8
Fold your laundry easily as it comes off the line.
