08 April 2009

the clothes line



For a while now I have been considering installing a clothes line on the farm.  Now please don't for one second assume that I am doing so to replace my handy-dandy dryer.  Not a chance.  The thing is, I love the idea of clothes coming in off the line smelling of fresh air and sunshine.  I love the "idea" of running out just before it rains to whisk the clothes off of the line.  I would love to find a vintage laundry basket and clothes pin bag to hang on the line.  Yes, I know, not the most practical reasons.  I wish I could say it was to save energy - really I do.  And honestly, that is a fabulous bonus to using a laundry line.  But really, how great would it be to hang your whites on the line and have the sun help bleach them out?  To get into bed with fresh, crisp, clean white linens?  


{Honestly, they use them absolutely everywhere else in the world, why not my little farm?}


So yesterday, in the glorious sunshine, I installed a laundry line.  I decided to install a retractable one, as I know that there are many months here in Seattle where we have absolutely zero need for a laundry line.  But truly, I love it already!  I hope to do a load of laundry this afternoon, if the rain holds off that is, and hang it on my line.  Now I just need an incredibly cool basket and bag for my pins...


{I really need to spruce up my laundry room...  


{What I would do for this laundry room...  
courtesy Lynne Rutter}


{how fabulous is this vintage laundry basket?}


{I really think this would look marvelous on my line...}


{I love this gorgeous antique laundry bag from the UK}


{Cat over at Vintage Housewife has these flashy beauties in her yard!}


19 comments:

From the Old InkWell said...

I love this post! It made me smile! :)

Joyce said...

K- not too long ago I was talking to my husband about clothes lines!! I was saying how much I wish we had one and that no one uses them anymore and wonder what our neighbors would think.

You are so right there is nothing like fresh linens on your bed. Ahhhh...
I feel in love with the first vintage basket, but the one that touched my heart was the vintage one with the gal on it. My mom had one just like this growing up. This one looks in great condition. I will have to keep my eye out for one now that the weather is getting nicer for all the yard, estate and rummage sales.

Thanks for the walk down memory lane! Have a golden day!

ellie mae said...

I grew up with a mom that only used a clothes line and only used the drier when the weather was bad. Actually she still does.

Love everything especially the wire hamper with legs. That is just too cool.

Lateda said...

I love your blog! :)Great post.
I love clotheslines:)
and Farms:)
Oh' how I would love both!

Jeanne Oliver said...

I would love to put up a clothesline...but my neighbors would call the Home Owners Associataion:-) If I ever live in the country I will in a heartbeat! Great photos.

Here, There, Elsewhere... and more said...

Great post - I love the aroma of clean fresh outdoor dried laundry and although I'm guilty of using my dryer all the time; I do dream of a time when I will have more free time to devote to what I consider today to be boring chores :)

Anonymous said...

I love the idea of fresh air sheets!
Oh, I need this blog! You make me realize its not so bad to live in Seattle! :) (such a sun girl...)

ellie mae said...

I just tagged you. If you would like to play along just visit my blog for the instructions and you can also read what I wrote about myself.

Debi Ward Kennedy said...

Hey sweet thing, you can get one of those cool wire rolling laundry carts (from your photo) from THT Design.com! They are new but look vintage. I had some in our space at Faded Elegance and they sold like hotcakes! ;0)

Debra said...

I bet you are going to love your new clothes line. Just this weekend I washed and hung out my sheets and made our bed up fresh late in the day. The smell of the air-dried sheets was dreamy!

Gigi Thibodeau said...

What a lovely post! It sent me straight back to my childhood. I used to help my grandmother hang laundry when we'd visit her on her farm in Nova Scotia. Actually, she had one of those old washing machines with a hand cranked wringer on top. I used to LOVE sending socks through it. It was the 1970's, but country life in Nova Scotia felt more like the 1940's still. I live in the city these days with no place for a line, but I still adore all clothesline tools! I sometimes even use an old clothespin bag as a purse, and I use vintage laundry baskets for storage all over my loft.

FrenchBlue said...

nothing is better than line dryed 100% whtite cotton! I could decorate with it all the shapes and sizes of it:)

Nomosian said...

the problem with clothes lines on some items are the wrinkles. We used a clothes line for a few years and that was my only complaint. On large items likes sheets they seem to work really well (as long as you don't forget about them overnight!)

Amy (the b-line) said...

I would love a clothesline as well and I'm determined to put one in this year! Love the photos you've shown here.

Robin Johnson said...

I agree with you, line drying is wonderful. Right now I don't have a offical line, just some rope hung between a tree and my deck post but I love it. During the summer I save all my girls dresses to wash at one time. Love to see all the colors fluttering in the breeze. Can't explain the feeling of acomplishment it gives me, I always feel so calm and loving afterwards.

Poke Salad Annie said...

I never knew laundry could be so beautiful! Great photos!

Laurie said...

The pics are so pretty. I am inspired to install a clothesline of my own!

Lori said...

I love, love, love my clothes line ~ especially for sheets!! You have to put one up on your beautiful farm.

Mary Q Contrarie said...

Clotheslines are very nostalgic. However since I live in an apartment I have found that a clothes drying rack provides those same benefits AND I can use it even if it is raining outside!