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Nifty Thrifty:  I finally did it!  |
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shepherdwagen
Farmgirl in Training
41 Posts
Susan
Winterset
Iowa
USA
41 Posts |
 Posted - Nov 10 2009 : 11:18:12 PM
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I got rid of my clothes dryer! I now have extra space in my breezeway, perhaps to put one of my wooden dryers.
One of my nephews (27 y/o) keeps scratching his head & looking at me like I'm nuts-"How will you dry your clothes?"
"I'll hang them out on the line."
"What about in the winter?"
"I'll hang them in the house"
"What about sheets?"
OK that might get a little problematic, but my mother has told me about my grandmother hanging the wash outside in the winter, till my grandfather built her a clothesline in the basement. I wouldn't hang anything in MY basement, but I think hanging the wash outide, even in winter, is doable. And if I can't get to the line for the snow, there's always the laundromat--but ONLY for sheets & blankets.
Wish me luck!
"I've childproofed my house, but they keep getting in." |
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Ga Girl
True Blue Farmgirl
2355 Posts
Karen
Meansville
Ga.
USA
2355 Posts |
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Sarahpauline
True Blue Farmgirl
672 Posts
sarah
Ringgold
GA
USA
672 Posts |
Posted - Nov 11 2009 : 05:19:12 AM
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Good for you! My family is from northern MN, and when my grandma hung out her blankets and sheets she would put them on the line, then when they froze solid she would bring them in, thaw them out in the basket, and then take them back out again. It was a pain, but for sheets and blankets, thankfully she always had a lot so it wasnt an every week thing. But yeah, thats what she did. We dont have a dryer, a washer or a fridge. Extreme simple living here. :) I do miss the fridge though...
Not all those who wander are lost...
www.SarahPauline.com
www.AbraxasBaroque.com |
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ClaireSky
True Blue Farmgirl
1792 Posts
Julie
Arcadia
WI
USA
1792 Posts |
Posted - Nov 11 2009 : 06:29:14 AM
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Way to go Susan! I gave up my clothes dryer too. I just use it in emergency situations which are rare.
Julie
Farmgirl Sister #399
West-Central WI Farmgirls
Folks will know how large your soul is by the way you treat a dog...Charles F. Doran |
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ceejay48
Farmgirl Legend/Schoolmarm/Sharpshooter
13641 Posts
CeeJay (CJ)
Dolores
Colorado
USA
13641 Posts |
Posted - Nov 11 2009 : 06:37:14 AM
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Hey Susan,
Me too!!! We didn't have washing machine when I was growing up because we had to haul our water. There was a laundromat in town . . .and this was NOTHING like laundromats of today. We would wash loads and loads of clothes in a wringer washer . . . run them thrugh the "extractor" which squeezed more water out and then we brought them home and hung them out . . . no matter the weather. They would freeze in the winter, we'd bring them in and hang them in the house . . . didn't make sense to me!!
As a adult and after we built our own house I swore I'd NEVER hang clothes out again. But, that changed a few years ago and I hardly ever use my dryer . . . we have an 8 ft. game fence right in front of our house . . . makes a great clothesline. I can hang things in rows!!! Smells wonderful . . . I love crawling in bed on clean, air-dried sheets!!! We live in the country without smog or stinky air issues!!! YAY!!!
CJ
...from the barefoot farmgirl in SW Colorado...sister chick #665 |
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Roxy7
True Blue Farmgirl
1083 Posts
Robin
Denver
CO
USA
1083 Posts |
Posted - Nov 11 2009 : 06:55:02 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by ceejay48
Hey Susan,
Me too!!! We didn't have washing machine when I was growing up because we had to haul our water. There was a laundromat in town . . .and this was NOTHING like laundromats of today. We would wash loads and loads of clothes in a wringer washer . . . run them thrugh the "extractor" which squeezed more water out and then we brought them home and hung them out . . . no matter the weather. They would freeze in the winter, we'd bring them in and hang them in the house . . . didn't make sense to me!!
As a adult and after we built our own house I swore I'd NEVER hang clothes out again. But, that changed a few years ago and I hardly ever use my dryer . . . we have an 8 ft. game fence right in front of our house . . . makes a great clothesline. I can hang things in rows!!! Smells wonderful . . . I love crawling in bed on clean, air-dried sheets!!! We live in the country without smog or stinky air issues!!! YAY!!!
CJ
...from the barefoot farmgirl in SW Colorado...sister chick #665
We live in central Denver. I wonder how clean my clothes would be if I dried them outside? lol. |
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Autumn Leaves
True Blue Farmgirl
463 Posts
Jennifer
Northern
California
USA
463 Posts |
Posted - Nov 11 2009 : 07:21:39 AM
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I dry mine outside whenever possible even in the winter and then just throw them in the dryer for 5 mins each load to fluff. I am having a hard time with indoor drying on the really bad days. I don't really have a large enough place to hand the big stuff. Hubby's jeans are on the metal staircase railing but, they keep sliding to the end and falling off. Need to come up with a better idea there....
Warm Wishes
Jennifer
Never let yesterday use up too much of today - Will Rogers
http://jenscountrylife.blogspot.com |
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Roxy7
True Blue Farmgirl
1083 Posts
Robin
Denver
CO
USA
1083 Posts |
Posted - Nov 11 2009 : 07:38:04 AM
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| I have 2 plant hangers in the parlour that I use to dry moist of my clothes. I hang them on hangers ansd let them dry. It makes my nicer clothes last longer and the color stays brighter. I do love my front load dryer though. |
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Alee
True Blue Farmgirl
22941 Posts
Alee
Worland
Wy
USA
22941 Posts |
Posted - Nov 11 2009 : 07:49:52 AM
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Well for sheets and blankets you can always put a clean sheet down on the bed and lay out the wet sheets. Since my dryer is broken right now I have one large clean sheet that I am using consistently to dry sheets and blankets. The blankets take the longest and I would line dry mine if I had a line. I know you can freeze dry your clothes and I always wondered if giving the frozen clothes a good snap before you brought them in would make more of the frozen water come off?
If the clothes can be ironed you can always iron-dry the clothes if they are just in the damp stage. And the shower curtain rod make and excellent indoor drying rack!
Alee
Farmgirl Sister #8
www.awarmheart.com
www.farmgirlalee.blogspot.com
www.allergyjourneys.blogspot.com
Put your pin on the farmgirl map! www.farmgirlmap.blogspot.com |
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1badmamawolf
True Blue Farmgirl
2199 Posts
Teresa
"Bent Fence Farms"
Ca
USA
2199 Posts |
Posted - Nov 11 2009 : 08:28:04 AM
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Jennifer, clothesline clip your hubbys jeans to a hanger, and hang
Alee, be careful when snapping your frozen clothes, I have seen them break in half when froze, lol.
"Treat the earth well, it was not given to you by your parents, it was loaned to you by your children" |
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Autumn Leaves
True Blue Farmgirl
463 Posts
Jennifer
Northern
California
USA
463 Posts |
Posted - Nov 11 2009 : 09:55:45 AM
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Teresa I'm laughing so hard right now, I just came downstairs and all his jeans are in a heap on the floor at the bottom of the stairs. I never thought of your idea but, I'll run and go do that right now, dugh?? It's a wonder I don't hurt myself somedays.......
Warm Wishes
Jennifer
Never let yesterday use up too much of today - Will Rogers
http://jenscountrylife.blogspot.com |
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nubidane
True Blue Farmgirl
2899 Posts
Lisa
Georgetown
OH
2899 Posts |
Posted - Nov 12 2009 : 08:48:12 AM
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Oh SUsan I applaud you! My dryer died a few months ago & I use my line SO much anyway, I vowed not to get another dryer. Then the Great Dane got diarrhea., & it rained for 2 weeks straight & I coud not get the bedding & towels dry inside very well due to humidity etc. My house began to stink of poopy dog, & wet towels. My sis came over during the Dane crisis & said "Lisa, it's 2009, GET A DRYER!" I gave in, & bought a new set(my washer stopped too!) I still only use the dryer in case of an emergency. & with a 12 YO Dane, that may become more frequent.
But I still love the line the best |
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tribalcime
True Blue Farmgirl
2963 Posts
lisa
lexington
ky
USA
2963 Posts |
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dutchy
True Blue Farmgirl
4427 Posts
4427 Posts |
Posted - Dec 10 2009 : 04:33:53 AM
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Y'all remember the pre-dryer times?? The sheetsd ets were also hung outside in wintertime. Sometimes they froze right to stiff planks, lol. I remember it when growing up, we didn';t have a dryer. And we often had the frozen sheets on the line too. Nice and crispy, BBBRRR. But no harm was done so guess it will be the same now, right?
You go girl, I try to hang the laundry outside in summer but have to confess I use the dryer in winter (double standards duh hihi)
Hugs from Marian/Dutchy, a farmgirl from the Netherlands :)
My personal blog:
http://just-me-a-dutch-girl.blogspot.com/
Almost daily updates on me and mine :)
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kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
Posted - Dec 10 2009 : 04:58:44 AM
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I love my clothesline. I still have a dryer but only use it if I have to. That's the first thing we did when we bought this place. Put up a clothes line. We weren't even moved in yet. My favorite things to hang are my towels and sheets. I love crispy crunchy towels to sopp up all that water after a nice warm shower. And then climb into bed on nice crisp clean smelling sheets. Love it!
Kris
Happiness is simple. |
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kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
Posted - Dec 10 2009 : 05:00:19 AM
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Marian, that reminds me of when my kids were little and still in diapers. I had a wringer washer and we used cloth diapers. No dryer. I had to hang them even in winter. I remember pulling them off the line stiff as boards! But after they got warm inside they'd be soft.
Kris
Happiness is simple. |
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Zereen
Farmgirl in Training
18 Posts
Kimberly
Oklahoma City
Oklahoma
USA
18 Posts |
Posted - Jan 07 2010 : 12:43:14 PM
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When I was younger (not to long ago) my father gave me chores. One of those chores was washing the clothes and hanging them on the clothes line. If I got caught using the dryer I was in trouble lol. Now that I'm older and have a house of my own I have decided to put up a clothes line when spring comes. Its going to turn into a fight tho, between my husband and I. He has a plan for every inch of the back yard!
{Deep in my bones} |
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Zereen
Farmgirl in Training
18 Posts
Kimberly
Oklahoma City
Oklahoma
USA
18 Posts |
Posted - Jan 07 2010 : 12:49:36 PM
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When I was younger (not to long ago) my father gave me chores. One of those chores was washing the clothes and hanging them on the clothes line. If I got caught using the dryer I was in trouble lol. Now that I'm older and have a house of my own I have decided to put up a clothes line when spring comes. Its going to turn into a fight tho, between my husband and I. He has a plan for every inch of the back yard!.
{Deep in my bones} |
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Nifty Thrifty: I finally did it! |
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I finally did it!
