Anyway! In case you haven't heard, this part of the country is in a bit of a heat wave. So much of a heat wave that despite our A/C never going lower than 80 degrees, we've still had the highest electricity bills that we've ever seen the past couple of months. So, I'm fighting back.
Our apartment complex (I hope the manager isn't reading this) bans drying laundry outdoors. This isn't unheard-of or even that strange, of course; plenty of apartment complexes, homeowners associations, and the like have similar bans on putting one's undies out for everyone to see. It even made an episode of The Colbert Report:
Even though I dutifully signed the lease that included the ban when I moved in, I've been sneaking our clothes outside onto a corner of our patio that isn't visible from anywhere else. Why? Because I refuse, when I'm already having to battle 100+ temps from getting indoors, to introduce more hot air to my apartment. That's just dumb. Plus, I grew up with line-dried clothes and prefer the smell of the outdoors to the smell of a dryer sheet.
I wish there were a way to get a happy medium between "No, you can't hang out your laundry" and the eyesore that can result from towels hanging off of every balcony. I am not without a sense of the aesthetic, after all, so I am aware that it's not the prettiest sight when there is drying laundry all over the place. Perhaps a policy allowing drying racks, but not clotheslines? But of course, it's much easier to enforce a complete ban than a do-this-not-that policy. Still, I think it might be worth a try. And I'm debating in myself whether or not to start petitioning our apartments to allow outdoor drying, in case they decide to come investigate to see if I'm already ignoring the policy. (And I am. So I hesitate to annoy them too much.)
Do you line-dry your clothes? Or do you live in a place with a ban? Do you live in a place with a ban and line- (or rack-) dry anyway?
12 comments:
Fortunately we can put out a line if we so desire...I actually have a line in the basement for certain items. Due to all the BBQ smoke drifting around our neighbourhood, and the volume of bird splats, I don't think it would be all that great an idea to hang clothes outside.
We are having another little heat wave here as well. I don't like using the ac unless I absolutely have to and I'm here to tell you that today, I have to.
haha that video is about my town!
No bans here. I much prefer the smell of the outside drying to the dryer sheet myself. I grew up with a large 30 ft in length clothes line, no matter the weather!
I say give it a try. I just can't see a clothes drying rack as an eyesore if you're not putting it out on the sidewalk
@Delores: My mum has a line in the basement, too! There are only so many months of the year that you can hang the washing outside in Indiana. Same for you, I suppose?
@Charlie: That's hysterical.
@Donna: Oh, yeah, we have one. I'm not giving up on it until they threaten us with eviction! :/
Hi Su:
Some of my coupon friends have stated that their utility rates are higher in the day than they are at night. So what they are doing is running dishwashers and laundry in the late evening. Utility bills drop. I can only speak for myself, but have noticed that too. Hope it helps you to save while staying cool:)
I don't have a line dryer and haven't even thought to do so until your post. I used to line dry all our clothes! (didn't have a dryer and at that time my little one even used cloth diapers!!!) But I don't do much laundry anymore and when I do it, I usually need it dry pretty quickly. Makes me think about the sheets though... Maybe I'll figure out something. I love that smell too!
I live in the country so I do pretty much what ever I want on my property. I love the scent of clothing dried in the sun and wind. The heat wave you all are having sounds terrible. Wish I could send you some of the rain we've been having.
@Christy: Rates are the same all day long here, so no joy there. Besides, it heats up the house to run the dryer no matter what time of day it is. :/
@Danette: I remember my mum hanging up the cloth diapers all over the house in the winter! There are times when a dryer does make more sense... like when you need your clothes dry in a hurry.
@Susan: We would take that rain!!
Hi, I'm a fellow Campaigner and fellow Texan (Houston)! I'm also a dedicated clothesline user. Although I live right in the middle of the city, I have a spot in my yard that I can hang clothes without the neighbors knowing about it -- I'm a bit stealthy, I'm afraid! But I love the way the clothes smell when they dry outdoors, and I also like not using the gas to run the dryer!
Good luck with the campaign!
Hi, Nadine! You're right in the nasty heat, too, eh? Defs not my favourite!
It cracks me up that we have to be sneaky about hanging up our clothes. Perhaps the pendulum will swing back and it will be normal again, or at least not crazy-weird.
Hi there, another Campaigner checking in!
I'm quite a bit north of you in Oklahoma, and our heat has been bad, but I know it's nowhere near what you all have been getting down there. I'm praying the cold front we got this morning makes its way to you guys!
I wish I had the space on my balcony to dry my clothes outside. I understand completely about refusing to add heat in the apartment, and to top it off, our dryer is on the second floor with the bedroom. 110+ temps outside and a hot dryer running on the second floor make for sleepless, very warm nights.
Hope you get some coolness soon!
Alas, the promised cold front (can we call it that when the temp only gets down to 92?) has not yet arrived. We shall see. Bummer about not getting to put your clothes outside! I read on the weather channel this morning that in July, Oklahoma set a record for the hottest temps of any state, ever-- so I'd say you had us beat that month, anyway.
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