Exercise Your Right to Hang Out

I've written about this before here, but I just saw a trailer for a new documentary called Drying for Freedom.

I air dry my clothes. I prefer it outside, but when that's not possible, I dry them inside. I LOVE hanging my laundry. When I'm outside pinning my clothes to a line, I am happy. It's like I'm transported to another world. A world where pinning a t-shirt just right is the most important thing you can do at that moment.

I realize you may not feel the same way. But you too can air dry your laundry, yes, I know you're busy and there's no room and it makes your jeans and towels too stiff and it's winter, but here goes:

• You can hang your laundry outside in the winter, even in the cold northeast (down to about 20 degrees, or hang the laundry indoors to add moisture to dry winter rooms).
• For apartment dwellers, there are many new lines you can adapt to out-your-window hanging (or just hang it indoors). Here are some more tips.
• For those without adequate lawn space, there are wall-mount lines. 
• Teeny tiny apartment? Check this one out, or this one if you have a balcony.
• At my last apartment (no laundry room, no yard) I used one of these pulley systems and loved it. 
• If you live where hanging your laundry is banned, DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. Twelve states have banned condo and homeowner associations from banning clotheslines. Check out Project Laundry List to find out more about what you can do to change these rules in your state.

And, if you balk at the cost of any of any of these, get this:

• 6-10 percent of residential energy consumption goes towards the electric clothes dryer.
• Clothes dryer fires account for about 17,700 structure fires, 15 deaths, and 360 injuries annually. The yearly national fire loss for clothes dryer fires in structures is estimated at $194 million. (via laundrylist.org)
• You can make a difference with just a small step.

Do you hang your laundry outdoors? Indoors? Is it something you'd do if it was easier somehow?