Here is my first Vlog folks-be gentle. And know that I usually don’t look QUITE that chubby-what an icky muffin top. . .
**********edited to add the following****************
Since several folks have mentioned my tip of hanging socks in pairs, I wanted to make sure I clarify. I hang the socks in a pair, but I only catch one side of each sock in the clip-so the “inside” edge of each sock is held in the clip, and the “outside” edge hangs free. If you clip all 4 sides together the fabric will hold in more moisture and they will take a bit longer to dry. Experiment and see what works best for you.
Jen says
Who would think that hanging out the laundry would be fun? Not me…but this was fun to watch and even encouraged me to want to try. Hmmm.
Good job Jenn!
Cici says
Great jog! You made hanging out laundry interesting and informative!
You forgot to mention that lind dried laundry smells better too.
Jessica Morris says
that was great!! good job ๐
Anonymous says
I have been reading your blog for quite sometime, and would like to thank you for all your hard work and advise! Thank you!
Anonymous says
Good work on your blog. The muffin top stuff is bs. Women are supposed to have boobs. Would you rather be a pirate’s treasure a sunken chest?? ha ha ha Have a good weekend silly.
Amyrlin says
I started hanging up my laundry on a rack inside my kitchen thanks to your blog about months ago, I dry the towels and heavy items in the dryer still, My budget billing on the electic bill got knocked from $255.00 to $191.00 monthly. You have encouraged me to hang a clothesline on my patio(townhome) for the larger items and lets see how much more I can save, I think your blg is awesome and has really helped me in my domestic goddess adventures….
Sarah says
I don’t in any way mean this as an insult to you, but i found it astounding that people would need guidance on hanging out laundry? Are washing lines a ‘dinosaur’ in the US now?
Southerner says
Great job, Jenn! We didn’t have a dryer growing up so the only time I have used a dryer is from the time I was 18-22. When I wanted to stay home with my first child I started hanging them out again. I have 5 kids and so have graduated to three folding racks. We cannot have a clothes line in our neighborhood. I have a rod in our LR so I hang everything that I can on our rod- I even clip two towels to a hanger and hang long ways. I use the folding racks for shorts and undies. I place my racks over the floor vents and they dry quicker. In the summer I put them out on my deck in the sun. I also turn brights inside out so they are not faded by the sun. I LOVE the way clothes smell when dried outside.
Jenn @ Frugal Upstate says
Jen-I don’t know if you’d actually say it is fun, but I find it sort of zenlike-usually it is quiet, and although I’m busy I can sort of zone out and think. .
Cici-yes, a lot of folks really love the smell.
Jessica-Thanks. It was pretty good for a first try, but I expect to get better. See-all those years of theatre and military briefings are good for something ๐
Anon 1-Thank you so much. I know it sounds corny, but it really does mean a lot when folks say that my blog has helped or encouraged them.
Anon 2-I’m not so concerned with the chest, I’m more concerned with the weird rolls around my waist. Yes, I’ve totally gained 10 lbs in the last year or so, but it usually isn’t QUITE so obvious. . . blame it on the camera ๐
Amyrlin-That’s a great savings for you, just using the drying rack. Wow! Thanks for sharing! And thank you as well for the kind words-I’m always happy to hear that my writing has helped someone.
Sarah-Honestly, I only have 2 friends who hang out laundry. You do see some clotheslines up around town, but I live in a small town upstate. Many of the other places I lived during the 11 years I was in the military I never saw a clothesline. I think americans overall use the dryer these days.
Southerner-Wow, I should have asked YOU for advice. I had to figure this stuff out the hard way ๐ Good points about other ways to hang laundry inside. I’m thinking of running a clothesline in the basement this winter.
midge says
I grew up in a family of clothes hangers, dryers were never used in the summer. So my Aunts and Mom and grandma’s taught me how to hang clothes. And while watching your v-blog ( which was good, but you might want to pratice talking slower)I had to keep telling myself everyone does it differnly, as my brain kept saying that’s the wrong way to hang clothes. The way we do it uses more line space but alot less pins.
My Dh thinks it’s funny that when I wake I check the weather and that decides when the laundry is done. I do throw the whites in the dryer mainly due to the amount ( 9 people living here)
Elizabeth says
Great video! My 13 yo could have used it this summer as I made hanging the laundry primarily his job. I thought that he would have learned from helping me before, but instead of nagging I figured that LOTS of practice would lead him to develop his own style. We run our stuff through the dewrinkle cycle for 10 minutes on the advice of our allergist and it really helps — I was going to give up on hanging stuff out because the $ saved on energy was less than the $ spent on more allergy meds. Now we have the best of both worlds.
Anonymous says
Love the video. I thought I knew how to hang laundry, but I learned a lot. Like hanging the socks together. No sorting would be nice.
My husband built a clothesline in our basement, so we can hang even in winter.
Lib says
GREAT JOB! I hang my laundry to dry. I did learn a great tip from you:o) Hanging socks in a pair, I always hung side by side.
Thanks &Keep up the Great Post!
Have a great wk.end!
Blessins',Lib
Keeley says
Awesome tutorial!!! =)
Steph at Problem Solvin' Mom says
Loved it!! ๐ you’re a natural.
Angie says
I’m not surprised at all that such a tutorial is necessary. Hanging laundry is so rare, but most people don’t realize how much money it will save them. Thanks for the tips. I would add (along with Southerner) that when I take off my dirty clothes, I make sure to throw it in the the laundry bin inside-out, so that it washes inside out. That way the detergent doesn’t fade my clothes as fast. That also makes it easier to hang my clothes inside out on the line, where the sun’s damaging rays can be further decreased. Great job, Jen! And, I know what you mean about how unkind a camera can be. They say the camera adds 10 lbs., and sometimes I think there must be 3 or 4 of them on me! ๐
Heather B says
I have hung out laundry a few times in my life (at a previous house when I had a clothesline) and I found your tips VERY useful! I never thought to hang clothes upside down, duh! Thanks for a great vlog, you did great!
margot1257 says
Great video, Jen. I learned to hang laundry years ago at my Granny’s cottage and I bought my own solar dryer (aka umbrella clothesline)a couple of years ago. Wish I’d got it sooner.
Two suggestions re the previous comments: 1) Even if you are planning to use your gas/electric dryer, it is very helpful to hang up whatever you can overnight first. I have a wooden clothes rack in my basement and hang towels, sweaters etc. It’s amazing how dry they will get in just 12 hours, saving you energy when you finally put them in the dryer. 2) For socks: We keep a cup of large safety pins on the dresser and pin the sock toes together before throwing them in the hamper. After washing, I just drape the pinned pair over the line so they hang one on each side. At least on my umbrella dryer, no clothes pin is needed. Then I just throw them in the drawer still pinned. The pin goes back in the cup when I pull them out to wear. Saves all the matching and folding, and missing socks are never a problem!
Anonymous says
You folks have mentioned lots of advantages to hanging out your wash but i haven't heard anyone mention my favorite perk… Its good for the environment. Solar & wind power in its purest form.
Jenn @ Frugal Upstate says
Now now anon! I mentioned right at the start of the video that not only was it frugal but it was good for the environment. ๐ Once again I am living at the corner of “frugal and green”.
Nicole says
I loved it! In recent years our family has become enthusiastic hanger-outers. What surprised me the most (and this was my husband’s idea), that even when we hang clothes out on not-so-nice cool or cold days, and we get a lot of those here in Pennsylvania, that the clothes always dry. Might just take longer than a nice July afternoon.
Ewokgirl says
You did a wonderful job with your video! I started hanging my clothes this past spring. I use indoor drying racks, though. Like Angie mentioned, I also turn our clothes inside out to wash them. I tracked our electricity usage and compared the month I started hanging laundry to the previous month (similar outdoor temps, meaning similar indoor electric usuage here in sunny TX). I lowered our electric bill by $22.
I do still use the dryer for sheets, towels, and socks, undies (not bras), and pajamas. But everything else air dries. After everything is dry, I toss it all into the dryer on air with a quarter of a dryer sheet and tumble it about 15 minutes. It softens things, but doesn’t use heat.
Lucy says
Long time reader, first time commenting. I thought your line drying tutorial was great, you were a total natural! Completely comfortable, who knew I’d enjoy boring laundry so much. ๐
Carolyn says
I love your Vlog. Such a professional. I like your pulley system. I am gonna show Hubs the video and see if we can do something like that too!
Great job!
Anonymous says
You are not fat so, please don’t go anorexic on us. Just take good care of you. Too many people diet themselves to death. You can live a little just don’t do it every day.
Jenn @ Frugal Upstate says
anon-Thanks for your concern-don’t worry, I don’t think I could ever become aneorix. I just love food too much. And I’m not saying that lightly-a good family friend growing up was and recovered and now is a national public speaker on it.
But I have gone from 136 when I was in the Army to 142 when I married to my current 152. Yes, that’s over a period of 20 years and yes, I’ve had 2 kiddos. But I’m only 5’2″, and I’ve got rolls and lumps where there weren’t any and I am aware that I need to exercise and cut back on the junk ๐
I also need to choose more flattering clothing for the vlogs-usually my clothes don’t SHOW so much of a roll around the center there!
Keeley says
Dude! I’m totally the same weight and height as you. =)
Yeah, I feel the need to lose a few pounds as well….how many pounds do you think we lose hanging out our clothes? All that bending and lifting surely is good for something? =D
Anonymous says
You can lose a small amount of weight but, it really is not noticeable. The diet companies make a killing by making women feel badly about themselves. Love you and don’t give into that. Too many people have died from this. If you want to lose 10 pound go for it but, please do it the right way. Cut the carbs, eat low fat and be sure to get enough protein. Fashion models like Kate Moss are drug addicts who smoke and just drink coffee. This will eventually kill them. We are not supposed to look like 10 year old boys anyway. Have a great week and take care. I lost a relative who refused to eat due to weight ect. If you do not eat enough the gasses stay in your body and can make you look even bigger. Be sure to take care. Life is so priceless. Once we lose it we cannot get it back. Bye for now.
Amy K. says
Love the video!
Only one critique: the music in the intro and ending were both louder than you speaking. Might just be my computer, but thought I’d let you know.
I’ve line dried the past 2 summers, and we’ve only had 2 bird poop accidents. For a line under trees, I think that’s pretty good. The house came with the type of line I grew up with – two T’s cemented into the ground, about 12 feet apart, with 5 lines strung from T to T. My fiance doesn’t like his undies on display, so I hang shirts and pants on the perimeter, and the delicates in the center. Not quite as private as your solution, but it’s our compromise.
I don’t have quite the cost savings as some posters above, but my fiance is also not a fan of the stiff texture of line dried. I like my clothes to have some “body”, but I grew up with line dried, he grew up with machine dried. *shrug* Our compromise is to use the line to pre-dry, and toss everything in the dryer with a dryer sheet on sensor dry ’til the end. This usually cuts drying time to 15 minutes (from 40 in the winter) and reduces our electric use, natural gas use, and wear on the clothes. T-shirts come out tolerably firm, though towels are too stiff and need to be 100% machine dried.
Anyways that’s what works for me, thought I’d chime in. Thanks again for the vlog – I have friends who are considering line drying, and ‘ll have to send them this way!
Leanne says
I’ve really missed line drying this year with the weather being so bad. I’ve a few racks I use indoors but it just isn’t the same. The clothes doing have that lovely outdoorsy smell.
Just to mention a good way to hang shirts and t-shirts is at the
underarm. That way you don’t have to worry about the puckers at all.
Can’t wait for more vlogs.
Amanda says
Hurrah! Well done, Jenn!
Love the discussion of hiding undergarments from the neighbors. One of our neighbors hangs her bloomers out in plain sight–my husband is often horrified!
I’ve also seen it suggested to hang unmentionables inside pillowcases or between sheets.
jackie says
That was a wonderful video! You were great!
Liam's Mom - Gina says
You are really a natural! Great work in front of the camera! I loved your tips!
Anonymous says
I just want to add a question/comment. I too hang out clothes…as did my mom and grandma…etc. I was taught to hang out jeans from the back of the waist band and to unzip them and take out the pockets. I was told to do this so that the breeze could blow through the pants/legs better. (drying them quicker) Any thoughts?
Melissa says
My first visit to your blog, and I really enjoyed it! ๐ I’ll definitely be back. I don’t hang clothes outside due to our allergies, but I DO hang most of them up to dry on a rod inside the house. The only tip that I can add is, if you hang most of your clothes on a hanger (childrens’ clothing ~ adult clothing would leave hanger puckers on the shoulders ’cause its heavier), you don’t have to FOLD those clothes when they dry…they can go straight into the closet. ๐ And, for sheets and towels, I do dry those in the dryer, but program my dryer to come on at night when 1) rates are lower, and 2) you don’t sense the heat from the dryer heating up your a/c’d house.
Jenn @ Frugal Upstate says
Thanks for all the kind comments and great laundry related ideas folks. I learn so much from you all in the comments!
Michelle Liebgott-Osinga says
My dutch mother always hung clothes as I grew up, and I do also. It is funny though, the dutch do it a bit differently. We once sawan American hang pants upside down and we both assumed she just didn’t know what she was doing. If you hang pants from the waste, at the seam, you get much fewer wrinkels than if you do it by the pants legs (not to mention much easier as well.) Also, we always hang shits by the underarms, because that is where you notice the pin marks the least. I guess in every country things are different though, even with laundry!
Anonymous says
This is the post that hooked me, mostly because I grew up when clotheslines were the norm, not the exception, and I could not imagine NOT knowing how to hang laundry. You were spot on!
Sheila
Mr Steamy says
Good article on drying clothes on a line. Hanging socks together using a clip may prevent loosing pairs later on. Thanks.