Do you find clotheslines embarrassing or trashy?

Question

Over on the freakanomics blog we've been debating clotheslines. Apparently some communities forbid them because they look "trashy" and people are concerned they'll see someone else's underwear.

What say you? Are clotheslines embarrassing and/or trashy?

Answer 1

Clotheslines are solar clothesdryers. People who find something trashy about normal household activities like laundry are people who have some very artificial and very strange ideas.

Answer 2

I personally don't have a clothesline for the whole "trashy" reason. I grew up hanging the clothes out to dry. With 5 kids in the house we had to do this to cut down on the bill. But I personally LOVE the smell of line-dried clothes. And it DOES cut down on the bill all summer---not just the cost of running the dryer but also from not having to crank up the air conditioning to compensate for the heat the dryer puts out.

So I made a decision. I will have my clothesline as soon as I can find the retractable ones. I think the only trashy part of clotheslines is actually seeing them when not in use. Seeing clothes blowing in the breeze is actually a pretty and soothing sight in my opinion. So I'm getting a retractable line and will attach it to 2 large trees in my backyard. When not in use I'll just retract it into the base and it's hidden.

Answer 3

Back when I was a kid, clothesline were a common thing to see at every house. Today they are rarely seen. But look at it this way, a clothes dryer uses 220 volts of electricity to power the motor and heating element, every month you are spending quite a bit of money just drying clothes, The people with clotheslines are saving a lot of money on there electric bill.
The only reason they may look trashy is because we are not used to seeing them like we were when I was young.

Answer 4

My next home will have a clothesline or installed soon after. I find they are a great way to conserve energy, and it serves as a stress breaker to step out and hang clothes. So what if people see a few undies, don't these people have cable? Undies are everywhere, if its such a community issue make an ordanance of no undergarments. Really is a great energy saver.

Answer 5

Hey Z,
I am from the South and the freshest smell you will ever smell is clean sheets line dried in a warm southern breeze. Nothing trashy about a clothesline, shoot sugah that's just God's clothes dryer!!!!

Answer 6

I live in an 100 year old apt. in Budapest,Hungary.
We have a sort of pull down clothsline built into either the bathroom or for some people the kitchen ceiling.
You pull it down and hang up your wet things and pull it up to dry. It is easy since we have ceilings that are over 13' high.
The newer apts. just use a fold ing rack to dry their things.
I have a built-in dyer in my washer but I never use it.
When i go back to the USA, I get into the habit of using the dryer again.Maybe it is cultural or maybe I just don't have the time in the USA to do anything but work to make money and don't have the energy to care about saving as much.

Answer 7

I like to see a clothesline. There is nothing better than sleeping on sheets that have been hung outside to dry.My Mom hung all of our clothes outside. I live around Amish and you see lots of clothes lines when driving by their houses. I want a clothesline!

Answer 8

I don't think there is anything wrong with it. It's just becoming weird since not many are doing it...I miss clotheslines though. It gives me the feeling that I have "existing" neighbors and that I am not alone and that they have household secrets as I do.

Answer 9

if they're in the backyard, no big deal. i get really sick of things that have been just fine for years and years and years suddenly not being acceptable.

i LOVE line-dried clothes, especially sheets, and if it's more economical and enjoyable for me to hang MY things out on MY line in MY backyard of MY home, then that's just what i'll do, d*mn it!!!!

there are communities around me who ban privacy fences because of how it can look, but doesn't it mean ANYthing anymore that it's MY property?!?!?!?!? and they say this is the 'land of the free'...not so much, my friend!!

Answer 10

They are practical, I use it as long as I can through-out the summer. There is a law in part of the town I live in where they are not allowed, what next. I do use a separate line for the under-garments where the neighbours can't see them.