Hello y’all! Today I am going to go over your indoor air drying options for your laundry!
When my husband and I first got married we had a ton of space in our laundry room, enough space that we could use an expandable laundry drying rack. But 3 kids later our laundry room seems so small and is filled with laundry carts and baskets. (Bye bye drying rack!) But I still needed somewhere to air dry our clothes…I started looking at my other laundry drying options.
Disclaimer- I AM NOT a professional organizer, interior decorator, or life coach. These are simply tips and suggestions that have worked for my family. If you are looking for professional help, please discontinue reading now. But if you are interested in some helpful tips I encourage you to read on!
Indoor air drying options
I found a rack that hangs on the wall and pulls down into a rack during dry time (similar to a hanging ironing board). Then there was the retractable clothes line that strung from one wall to the other. Both of these options sounded great, I could put them away fairly easy when not in use. The only drawback was- how was I going to walk through my laundry room?
Our laundry room is basically a long rectangle with a door that leads outside at the end. The washer, dryer, laundry carts, and baskets line one side. On the other side of the room is an open wall, with a closet by the outside door. There’s really only enough room, width wise, for 1 person to walk through at a time. So the retractable clothes line and the pull down drying rack were not good options for my laundry room.
FIND WHAT WORKS IN YOUR SPACE
After a little measuring, brainstorming, and research I finally found something that worked for me! It takes up very little space, it stays out of the walk way, and it keep my clothes from shrinking in the dryer!
To be honest I have no idea what it’s official name is (or if it even has one), I call it my “curtain rod clothes line”. (Cheesy, I know.) I took an old weathered board we had lying around, that happened to be the right size for our space ( 53.5″ x 6 1/4″). I attached a cheap curtain rod to it (make sure the rod comes with a middle support bracket, you don’t want your rod sagging in the middle). Then I secured the board/rod combo to the wall that leads up to the closet.
I bought a pack of wire hangers, they seem to fit on the curtain rod a little better since they aren’t as thick as the plastic hangers. I’m not usually a fan of wire hangers (I ended up with one in my eye as a child) but I have to say, I love these hangers! I’ve had them for a few years; they haven’t rusted and don’t leave “hanger marks” on my shirts. I highly recommend them!
Tips for finding the best indoor air drying option
- Decide where the best place for your drying option would be.
- Measure the space.
- Write down the pros and cons of each drying option.
- Be creative; not every house or space is the same!
- Remember, it doesn’t have to be expensive to get the job done!
How to create a “curtain rod clothes line”
What you need:
- Board
- Curtain Rod
- Wire Hangers
- Screws or something to secure the board to the wall (I used screws and attached it to the studs)
- Stud Finder (optional)
- Drill (optional)
The first thing you need to do is measure your space. After finding your dimensions cut the board to length. Before hanging it on the wall, attach the curtain rod. Pre-drilling the holes is a little easier but if you don’t have a drill that’s okay, you’ll just have to use a little muscle!
Once you get the curtain rod secure you need to find the wall studs. (If you are securing the board a different way, proceed with the directions that came with it.) Measure and mark the stud locations on the board so you will know where to put the screw.(Be sure that the screw is long enough to go through the board and into the stud!) Once again, the next part is much easier with a drill, but if you have enough muscle to do it by hand…rock on!
Attach the board to the wall with screws. Place hangers on the rod.
And there you have it! My favorite indoor air drying laundry option!
For more home hacks check out my post, Mom Hacks That Are Actually Useful!