How to Dry Laundry Without a Clothesline

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When we think of hanging laundry to dry, a traditional outside clothesline probably comes to mind. But you need space for that, and money to buy quality parts and time to set it all up so that it will be sturdy and durable. Thankfully, there are many alternative ways to dry your household laundry. In fact, many of these ideas were shared by you all!

Drying Rack: this is the most common method for indoor drying, but you have a lot of rack styles to choose from. This classic accordion rack has 18 feet of drying space and doesn’t take up too much floor space.

Hanging Rack: Any rack for hanging can work for laundry, like this over-the-door shoe rack which is ideal for small items like diapers, covers, socks and lingerie.

A few of these simple 10-peg hangers are perfect for diaper covers, wipes and inserts:

Indoor Clothesline: You can rig a temporary or permanent indoor line any number of ways. Use rope or string to set one up in your basement or garage. Do you have a back porch or screened-in porch? Those are great locations for setting up a small clothesline. Or just tie a line between two chairs.

Rod with Hangers: Use a spring tension curtain rod, or a standard closet/shower rod, to hang up a lot of laundry at once. Clothes hangers and clips will both work with this arrangement, so it’s very versatile.

Large items like sheets and towels can be draped over your existing shower rod or an outdoor porch railing.

Portable Hanger: This is a nice option if you want a drying rack that moves from place to place. Clothes hangers on wheels, like this 2-tier rack, are very easy to find at your local hardware or big box store.

A few more hang-drying tips:

• Large items may need to be flipped or turned after a few hours for thorough drying.
• Hang your laundry at night so it will be done in the morning if you want it to be out of sight the next day (i.e. when company is coming).
• To speed drying time, set up your permanent or portable rack near a heat source, sunlight or a fan.
• If you have a dryer, fluff your laundry for about 5 minutes in it before hanging up. This will soften the fabric up a bit. You can also use fabric softener in the wash (except for diapers).
• If you have pets and small children, remember that when it comes to laundry “hang ’em high!”

Do you have any other ideas for indoor/outdoor drying?