The 1st March marks the start of meteorological spring... so that means it's time to get the washing line dusted off and in full use, right?
I would love to say that this is totally true, but let's face it, March doesn't necessarily mean outdoor drying weather, so here are a few hints and tips I've picked up over the years. Feel free to pop your top tips into the comments!
- Plastic coat hangers/clothes hangers are fantastic for drying sports tops or shirts. As these are generally quicker drying items of clothing, you can hang them on a rail with just a small space between them, saving on drying space.
- Old fashioned drying pulleys are amazing! I had one in our old house and can highly recommend them if you have decent height ceilings. Because heat rises, it means you are hanging your washing in the warmer air, so it will dry quicker. It's also lifted up out of the way if you are short on floor space for clothes horses. I now have these drying racks from Ikea in my utility room and they work just as well (except I can't raise and lower them to help hang/remove the washing!).
- Peg hangers that have lots of pegs on one hook are a great way of hanging up underwear to dry without using up all your hanging space. Pair up socks on each peg and you'll also save time sorting them when it's time to lay them by.
- Use the space you have: if you don't have lots of room for drying racks, put it in your shower or over your bath. These are spaces that aren't used throughout the day, so it's a great way of keeping the drying out of the way.
- A fold out rack, one that looks a bit like a fire guard, is great for drying bedding. Open it up and place it in front of a radiator to get maximum drying without blocking all the heat into your room.
- Sunlight is a fantastic stain remover. It sounds a bit crazy, but from my time washing and drying cloth nappies, it never ceased to amaze me how some time in direct sunlight helped to remove those stubborn stains. So whenever you can, get those muckier clothes out on the line in the sun!
Which of these tips have you tried?