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Old-fashioned pulley clotheslines

(45 Posts)
Grannypanties Sat 13-Dec-25 21:47:07

Hands-up if you still line-dry.

Holding my hand up!

The better part of 45 years for me now, with no intentions on slowing down/quitting!

When I had babies in the home, my clothesline was my best friend! Couldn't have gotten by without it.

RosieandherMaw Sat 13-Dec-25 22:00:01

Old- fashioned?
1) I hang clothes outside if there’s half a chance they won’t come in again wetter than when I hung them out
And
2) nothing old- fashioned about the pulley in my utility room. I wouldn’t be without it. (It’s my Scottish upbringing perhaps)
With energy costs as they are I bet a lot of tumble dryers are being seriously underused.

Mollygo Sat 13-Dec-25 22:00:42

Every time it’s fine enough, the line is out and I line dry.
I have an airer over the bath to dry indoors but . . . when I’m offered free electricity, I admit to putting on the tumbler.

Farmor15 Sat 13-Dec-25 22:02:24

I've always had one- part of kitchen has high ceiling so it's up out of the way.

Grannypanties Sat 13-Dec-25 22:03:23

So lovely to hear from you Rosie and Molly!

I agree about the cost of living and cutting back wherever we can, hence running the electric tumble dryer only when needed.

Grannypanties Sat 13-Dec-25 22:04:01

Yes, Farm, I've seen those before! So handy!

keepingquiet Sat 13-Dec-25 22:10:16

Hung my washing out today!

Grannypanties Sat 13-Dec-25 22:14:47

I envy you, Keeping!

We're down in the minuses now so it won't be until springtime that I start up again.

NotSpaghetti Sun 14-Dec-25 02:39:48

Me too keeping quiet...
Cold but smells great!

JamesandJon33 Sun 14-Dec-25 06:18:35

When ever I can I line dry. Wet days it’s an aider in the spare bedroom.

TerriBull Sun 14-Dec-25 07:42:09

I'd like a pulley in the utility room, friends have one but they have a vaulted ceiling, we don't, so I would imagine walking into a face full of washing . I just stick an airer in a spare bedoom. I try not to use the tumble dryer.

Mollygo Sun 14-Dec-25 09:13:32

4 hours free electricity 0800-12.00 today, so the washing’s done and in the tumble dryer. I would still have hung it out if it wasn’t pouring down outside.

silverlining48 Sun 14-Dec-25 10:59:56

Always hang washing out if I can. Last week on a sunny ish day did a full load of sheets, it had all dried by 4 pm when it was dark and i got it in.

FriedGreenTomatoes2 Sun 14-Dec-25 11:48:00

I can’t think of the last time I used the tumble drier. Why push up electricity costs needlessly when, for us, there’s no rush to have clothes dried. I put the washer on late afternoon, put the clothes on a maiden and dry them overnight in the bathroom which has a super towel rail. On a sunny day I put the maiden out on the balcony just remembering to add pegs as our apartment is two floors up and it gets windier than on the ground floor - when there is a breeze of course. Job done.

Romola Sun 14-Dec-25 11:55:01

Old-fashioned rack on pulley with dehumidifier beneath. I don't possess a tumble dryer.

Georgesgran Sun 14-Dec-25 12:00:47

My sister in law who moved to Cheshire when she married, also uses a ‘maiden’ which I’d never heard before FGT. Up here in the North East, they’re clothes horses.

Jane43 Sun 14-Dec-25 12:11:44

I line dry when I can except for towels, I have never found a way to line dry them without them going hard so I tumble dry them.

Mollygo Sun 14-Dec-25 12:16:31

FriedGreenTomatoes2

Why push up electricity costs needlessly?

I absolutely agree with that. We’re on 4 minute showers, use the air-fryer more often than the oven and use a Drysoon and an airer on the landing.
But on a cold, rainy day like today, when my power company says, e.g.
You have earned 8 hours of free electricity on Sunday between 8 and 12, and the cost of what you use will be refunded to your account.
It makes me leap out of bed at 7.30, strip the beds and wash on the bedding I’d usually wash on Wednesday and then wash the clothes I’d usually wash on Sunday evening, then finish off with a hot dog bedding wash.

I tumble what I can and put the rest in the Drysoon.
I didn’t believe the free electricity at first, but the refunds keep appearing.

Mollygo Sun 14-Dec-25 12:39:08

Sorry 4 hours this week not 8.

FriedGreenTomatoes2 Sun 14-Dec-25 13:22:19

I don’t blame you Mollygo that’s savvy to use it. ✔️

lixy Sun 14-Dec-25 13:47:30

We always line dry - have never owned a tumble drier.

Our laundry goes out in the garden whenever possible. On wet days we have an airer in the shower room and sheets are draped in a complicated tent arrangement over the shower door so they are above the bathroom radiator. Drives me potty but keeps my OH happy!

Glad to see that free electricity is really available to some people, that’s great.

Mollygo Sun 14-Dec-25 13:54:46

lixy
We have to earn the free electricity by using more outside peak times than we do during peak hours.
Sometimes difficult to organise when peak hours are 4pm to 7pm and we like to have dinner around 6pm.
We generally use so little during the day, except on washing days.

silverlining48 Sun 14-Dec-25 16:01:25

We don’t get that option, not sure why as my friend in another area does.

Mollygo Sun 14-Dec-25 16:16:57

It’s EDF. There’s a target tracker on the app on my phone. You get encouraging messages like this one.
Keep going!
You're on track to earn 12 hours of free electricity on Sun, 21 Dec.
Check our tips from other Sunday Savers to see if you can move up a level - and earn 16 free hours.
My sister, with a different company will suddenly get messages to say she’s got 1/2 price electricity for a certain time in a certain day. She says there’s no apparent reason.

Tenko Sun 14-Dec-25 17:14:32

I’ve got a pulley clothes airer in my utility room . It has a very high ceiling ,so the clothes don’t smack you in the face . Although bed linen does .
I dry outside as much as possible and have an ordinary airer as well in the utility room .