Hung Out to Dry: Fresh Ideas for Your Clothes Line
The Hills Hoist has taken a backseat with these practical, and good-looking, lines and racks on which to dry your clothes
Hands up if you like doing laundry? That’s right: there are not many of us out there. It’s a bit of a chore (literally) to wash all your clothes on a weekend, then spend precious time hanging them out.
Part of the reason I think doing the laundry is such a task comes down to the fact it is inconvenient. Think about it: just a few decades ago, the average Australian lived on a suburban quarter-acre block with a decent-size backyard complete with a freshly-mown lawn, a pretty garden and that old Aussie icon – the Hills Hoist – set smack bang in the middle of the lawn. Generally, the laundry was at the back of the house, so you would wash your clothes, then exit into this backyard oasis and hang out your delicates while the sun shone down and the birds chirped away.
Okay, that may be taking it a bit far, but you get my point. It’s a far cry from the cramped communal clothes lines many of us apartment-dwellers use or the clothes horses we place in between outdoor furniture on our balconies. As for the old Hill Hoist, it may still be practical. But attractive? Not so much.
In essence, we need to make it easier for ourselves by implementing more modern styles so washing and hanging becomes less of a chore and a bit more … chic. Here are some different designs and ideas you could adopt in your own home. If you are renovating, I would urge you to think about these laundry/washing ideas as you plan. The more of an afterthought your hanging options are, the more they will be limited down the track.
Part of the reason I think doing the laundry is such a task comes down to the fact it is inconvenient. Think about it: just a few decades ago, the average Australian lived on a suburban quarter-acre block with a decent-size backyard complete with a freshly-mown lawn, a pretty garden and that old Aussie icon – the Hills Hoist – set smack bang in the middle of the lawn. Generally, the laundry was at the back of the house, so you would wash your clothes, then exit into this backyard oasis and hang out your delicates while the sun shone down and the birds chirped away.
Okay, that may be taking it a bit far, but you get my point. It’s a far cry from the cramped communal clothes lines many of us apartment-dwellers use or the clothes horses we place in between outdoor furniture on our balconies. As for the old Hill Hoist, it may still be practical. But attractive? Not so much.
In essence, we need to make it easier for ourselves by implementing more modern styles so washing and hanging becomes less of a chore and a bit more … chic. Here are some different designs and ideas you could adopt in your own home. If you are renovating, I would urge you to think about these laundry/washing ideas as you plan. The more of an afterthought your hanging options are, the more they will be limited down the track.
Adopt a disguise
This contemporary home in Melbourne features a clothes line that blends into its surrounds. It has been constructed in the same style and materials as the rest of the backyard hardscaping and carefully hidden behind tall plantings. This makes it look less like a domestic necessity and more like an inclusion of the backyard design. Do you have an outdoor area with lots of natural wood? Then why not look for clothes line options that incorporate that same material? If you can’t find anything that fits the bill, look to getting something custom-made.
This contemporary home in Melbourne features a clothes line that blends into its surrounds. It has been constructed in the same style and materials as the rest of the backyard hardscaping and carefully hidden behind tall plantings. This makes it look less like a domestic necessity and more like an inclusion of the backyard design. Do you have an outdoor area with lots of natural wood? Then why not look for clothes line options that incorporate that same material? If you can’t find anything that fits the bill, look to getting something custom-made.
Inject a bit of fun
The inner child in me loves this design. The folding mechanism looks like it belongs in some sort of cartoon and is ideal for hanging those smaller items. Don’t just assume there are only a few standard clothes line styles out there. Do your research! I like how the owners have also used the space below as a gardening station. I bet when this clothes line is retracted against the wall you would hardly notice it.
The inner child in me loves this design. The folding mechanism looks like it belongs in some sort of cartoon and is ideal for hanging those smaller items. Don’t just assume there are only a few standard clothes line styles out there. Do your research! I like how the owners have also used the space below as a gardening station. I bet when this clothes line is retracted against the wall you would hardly notice it.
Distract with colour
Can you see a clothes line in this picture? Squint and look a bit closer. Trust me it’s there attached to the wood panelling. But thanks to the choice in bold design and colour you would hardly notice it. This is an attractive washing line option for a courtyard because, well, you can hardly see it.
Can you see a clothes line in this picture? Squint and look a bit closer. Trust me it’s there attached to the wood panelling. But thanks to the choice in bold design and colour you would hardly notice it. This is an attractive washing line option for a courtyard because, well, you can hardly see it.
Be strategic with positioning
Okay, so chances are there isn’t a clothes line behind this patio/screen area. But that’s exactly where I’d put it if this was my home. If you don’t like washing lines because you think they mess with the flow and design of your backyard, install them out of eyesight. Breaking up your backyard with feature walls and screening makes this possible.
Okay, so chances are there isn’t a clothes line behind this patio/screen area. But that’s exactly where I’d put it if this was my home. If you don’t like washing lines because you think they mess with the flow and design of your backyard, install them out of eyesight. Breaking up your backyard with feature walls and screening makes this possible.
Bring it inside (and hide it away)
If you find the idea of airing out your underwear within eyesight abhorrent, there’s only one thing for you to do: completely hide them away. Take your cue from this tucked-away laundry, which has a cute little rope clothes line and a neat sliding door so the whole thing disappears in an instant. This line is also handy for those must-dry items if it’s raining outside.
If you find the idea of airing out your underwear within eyesight abhorrent, there’s only one thing for you to do: completely hide them away. Take your cue from this tucked-away laundry, which has a cute little rope clothes line and a neat sliding door so the whole thing disappears in an instant. This line is also handy for those must-dry items if it’s raining outside.
Make your laundry hang-friendly
Similarly, installing hangers in your laundry is super easy and convenient when you want to dry items such as delicate dresses and shirts. It’s much better to contain these items in one little area rather than hanging them off doors and the like in other areas of the home.
Similarly, installing hangers in your laundry is super easy and convenient when you want to dry items such as delicate dresses and shirts. It’s much better to contain these items in one little area rather than hanging them off doors and the like in other areas of the home.
Go all out with something custom-built
Is this not the chicest way you’ve ever seen to hang the washing? Yes, it may be a little too Martha Stewart for many, but it looks so effective. This design could work well in an undercover outdoor area, too.
Is this not the chicest way you’ve ever seen to hang the washing? Yes, it may be a little too Martha Stewart for many, but it looks so effective. This design could work well in an undercover outdoor area, too.
Use height to your advantage
A pulley-system (like the one seen here), allows you to use an indoor clothes line when it suits you. When not in use, you can return it to way up yonder near the ceiling, well out of the way.
A pulley-system (like the one seen here), allows you to use an indoor clothes line when it suits you. When not in use, you can return it to way up yonder near the ceiling, well out of the way.
Look into drying racks
Yes, these do exist and come in drawer-like form. These are particularly perfect for drying all of your knitted pieces that instruct they must dry flat and in the shade.
Discover more design solutions for nifty drying racks in your laundry
MORE
14 Courtyard Updates You’ll Thank Yourself For
Easy Ways to Declutter and Organise Your Wardrobe
Designs for Living: Cheerful Laundries
Boundary Booster: Magical Ideas for Garden Walls
Yes, these do exist and come in drawer-like form. These are particularly perfect for drying all of your knitted pieces that instruct they must dry flat and in the shade.
Discover more design solutions for nifty drying racks in your laundry
MORE
14 Courtyard Updates You’ll Thank Yourself For
Easy Ways to Declutter and Organise Your Wardrobe
Designs for Living: Cheerful Laundries
Boundary Booster: Magical Ideas for Garden Walls
This is the back of a gorgeous little terrace in Sydney’s Surry Hills. The land size is only 65 square metres (which doesn’t leave much room for a clothes line or fully-fledged laundry). A folding line is super-practical in this situation. Simply raise when you want to use, then fold away. Because it doesn’t touch the ground, you are left with more room for your outdoor furniture. And by incorporating a snazzy vertical garden, all eyes will be drawn to the green space instead of the section of the wall housing the clothes line.