DIY Indoor Clothesline

Hanging your clothes to dry indoors is a great money saving idea.

An indoor clothing line is an efficient and inexpensive way to dry your laundry at home. Not only is it environmentally friendly, it works well even if you don't have a backyard or dryer available. Although the drying time takes significantly longer than a conventional dryer, if you install several lines side by side, or under each other, you would be able to dry several loads at once. This makes an indoor clothing line a simple way to cut down on electric bills and save the time you would have spent changing loads in a dryer.

Things You'll Need

• Measuring tape
• Stud finder
• 1/2-inch-thick nylon rope
• Scissors
• Drill
• 2 screw eye hooks
• 1 small carabiner
• Electric fan (optional)

Instructions

1. Choose the room where you'll be installing the clothesline. A bathroom or laundry room is ideal, but any other well-ventilated room will work.

2. Measure and mark the spot on the walls where you'll be installing the clothesline. If installing in drywall, use the stud finder to find a stud where you'll install the line, for extra support. Ensure both spots are the same distance from the ceiling. Measure the width of the room and cut the nylon rope to the same size, plus an extra 8 inches.

3. Use the drill to make pilot holes in the walls and studs at the marks you've made.

4. Install the screw eye hooks in both walls. Tie one end of the nylon rope to one of the eye hooks. Double knot the rope to ensure it is secure. Tie the other end of the nylon rope to the carabiner, making sure that the rope will be taut when you hook the carabiner onto the screw eye hook on the other wall. Cut any excess rope off the ends.

5. To use the line, hook the carabiner onto the eye hook on the far wall and hang clothing to dry. When you are finished with the clothesline, you can unhook the carabiner and roll up the rope so it doesn't take up any space while it's not being used.

Tips & Warnings

• Use nylon or another waterproof material for the rope, as it will be more durable.

• Opening a window and placing an electric fan in the room will speed up drying time substantially.

• Read all instructions before using any power tools, such as drills.

References

• The $5 clothesline and why we can'tlive without it
• Use an indoor clothesline

Resources

• The $5 clothesline and why we can'tlive without it