How to harness a solar energy spill

Really - a post about hanging laundry? I can almost hear my mom and grandmother scratch their heads. Why would people need instructions for that? Well, I often get questions from friends about it, so I thought I'd dedicate a post about the summer part of my laundry hanging system.

Manufacturer's picture of my line (or very similar)

You see, I grew up in Germany. People tend to not have as much space around them there, and the type of laundry line you see in the picture is extremely popular. Here in the US, I've almost never seen it.
In fact, it took me a long time to locate this online shopping source, which has several similar models. I have owned my laundry line for many years now, so I feel qualified to write a little about it.

The advantages: 

•  You only need to dig one small hole to install it. 
•  It is removable and folds up for storage, leaving only a small plastic 'button' in the ground, should the president or your mother-in-law come for a backyard cookout. 
• It takes up a small footprint of yardspace. 
• It allows for privacy when hanging laundry. You simply hang the unmentionables in the center, and be sure to hang large items like beach towels or sheets on the outermost lines. Even a spontaneous visitor in your backyard (and I love those!) won't be a problem. For many people, the privacy issue seems a major hang-up about outside laundry hanging!
• When you're hanging, you stay in one spot. This makes hanging faster and more ergonomical. I also put the basket on a little table, so I'm not bending down at all.

The downsides: 

• The initial cost is somewhat significant, though probably comparable if not favorable compared to a classic 'picture book' style clothes line.
• The folding mechanism of mine broke after several years of use, the day I hung a wet king size comforter on the thing. Oops! Luckily the handy husband fixed it, except it won't fold anymore. Luckily the president only very rarely comes to dinner around here.

I know that in my climate, where the hot summer days are often humid, I need to have the laundry hanging by 2pm to be able to take them down dry at 7pm or so. I can plan around that. If I suspect a thunderstorm later in the day I sometimes break out a vinyl shower curtain that is exactly the size of the laundry rack, and fix it with clothes pins. (Do not ask why, after 10+ years of not owning a shower with a curtain, did I find a vinyl shower curtain in my husband's stash in the basement..... it's sometimes good to be married to a person with slight hoarding tendencies...).

So go out and harness the solar energy that is spilling like crazy these days! You'll even save a bit of money, besides the obvious energy and carbon savings.

  

Disclaimer: Sadly I was not paid or otherwise compensated for this glowing product review :-)