The Clothesline Debate - What's Your Opinion? from Are Clotheslines an Eyesore or an Energy Saver?

triathlontraining Moderated by triathlontraining

Should clotheslines be banned?

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Yes, they are an eyesore

D. Olsen says:

I can see why those community associations would not want a bunch of clotheslines all over the place. Just like the apartments and townhouses with all sorts of junk and toys cluttering the decks. It looks pretty trashy!

Posted July 05, 2008

No, they should be allowed

lyjusinski says:

As you said above, "eyesores" are a personal opinion. I don't see anything offensive or shabby about clotheslines, and I really don't like wasting energy. I live in an apartment so I don't really have a yard, but I use an indoor drying rack instead of the dryer and I've saved a bunch of money and I like the way my clothes smell after hanging up.

Posted November 25, 2009

TheWhistler says:

Actually they are both an eyesore and an Energy Saver, plus they are just wonderful when you have hung out your washing and it starts to rain. When the washing gets so heavy with water it pulls down the line. Still in today's world a lot of people will be moving backwards to a simpler time.

Posted November 11, 2009

HenryE says:

It doesn't bother me at all! Whatever we can do to conserve energy is beneficial.

Posted November 11, 2009

Lori_Lee-Ray says:

If the Homeowners Associations want to pay the exorbitant energy bills, then by all means go ahead. In the meantime, I will continue to hang my laundry on my line and conserve as much as I can. All I can say is if they don't like seeing clothes hanging on the line.. then stop looking in people's backyards! At least that's where mine ie lol. Oh.. one more thing.. if you DO hang them out.. at least hide the unmentionables between the towels and sheets. :)

Posted April 30, 2009

barbara says:

Clotheslines can be situated so that it is not an eyesore. I miss not having one but I use a small metal one and save on energy. NO ONE has caught me yet HOWEVER, I'm not responsible for those looking into my yard...too bad. Its mine. I miss the tall ones...sheets still go into the dryer.

Posted April 29, 2009

Wilona Betzen says:

I am 48 years old and can remember every home in our neighbordhood had a clothes line. They told a story of the family that lived there, you could tell when there was a baby, children, or when someone was ill. The clothes line was a silent talker. I remember it was also a communal time for the Mother's to get caught up on their lives, swap recipes, arrange parties, exhange services, and share advice. I just love the smell of clothes that are hung on a line to dry, nothing like sheets line dried. Like washing dishes with my Mother it was a comforting time to talk, my Mother and I had some of our best conversations washing dishes and hanging clothes on the line. To this day I have never used a dishwasher and have always a clothesline wherever I have lived.

Posted April 09, 2009

TopStyleTravel says:

No, I too remember clotheslines as a child in the backyard. We loved to smell clothes dried in the wind. The sun naturally brightened the clothes. We hung items according to type and color (more uniform look). Now I use an indoor pole in the laundry room and open the window to dry some clothes. They retain color better not being put in the dryer. HOA's like to keep things looking pristine but hanging clothes is ok in a contained area. And not on the fence like I have heard of.

Posted April 09, 2009

Jack2205 says:

When I was a child, everyone in the neighborhood had a clothesline and used it. My grandparents had one at their farm. Now nobody in my neighborhood has a clothesline. They are energy efficient.

Posted February 28, 2009

RolandTumble says:

Personally, I find that clothes dried on the line are often sort of stiff, compared to tumble-dried clothes. However, they're indisputably more energy efficient, so they absolutely should be allowed.

Posted January 30, 2009

Shellyy says:

For me it's a yes and no! When I worked with developmentally disabled adults, one ladies fondest hope was to have a clothesline as it was a childhood memory. My brother put one up just off her patio and you would have thought that he just gave her the world! It was beautiful!

Posted January 02, 2009

Matt says:

I say clotheslines should not be banned. I own a clothesline shop in Australia and as an Australian i know that Australia is the world leader in clothes line manufacture. Alot of the problems revolving around the debate stem from the visual effect of a clothesline. In Australia we have modern clotheslines which are very small but can handle huge amounts of washing. They can be color coded to their environment and folded away when not in use to save space and impact less visually. I think that Americans need to start looking at smarter clothes line use to help change the American view of clotheslines. Most modern clotheslines can be easily screened off if need by due to their smaller size. If you are wondering what these new clotheslines are like, take a peek here. http://www.qualityclotheslines.net

Posted October 18, 2008

Mortira says:

I think not having one should be banned! Seriously, though, I think that this is a matter of greed; and greedy people should not be allowed to interfere with saving the environment, or letting low income families save money.

Posted October 02, 2008

animal_lover79 says:

I remember helping my grandmother pin clothes to the line. Should they be banned....no. People will just find something else they deem an "eyesore" and try to ban that, too. I suppose if you live in an upscale neighborhood, it would be looked down upon, but this is supposed to be America...land of the free. If you can't dry your clothes outside, I wouldn't exactly call that free.

Posted August 07, 2008

Winter52 says:

To me, clotheslines take me back to my childhood. We had what was called a "stoop" and you had to climb up it to hang the clothes on the line. In the winter, the clothes would come in frozen and would have to be warmed by the fire. Sounds like I lived in the middle ages lol, but it worked. I hang out my clothes all summer long and on racks in the basement during the winter. Every little bit helps I should think. Can't remember the last time I used our dryer.

Posted August 05, 2008

spirituality says:

I can see why people would think them an eyesore - but to ban them, that's just stupid, IMO. They're energy efficient way of drying cloths - which is very important.

Posted August 05, 2008

KimGiancaterino says:

I have no problem with clotheslines. We're trying to find a creative way to incorporate one in our backyard. We live in a 1920s neighborhood and many of the houses have their original clotheslines.

Posted August 04, 2008

CherylK says:

I love clotheslines. I'd never live in a neighborhood that outlawed them. A clothesline is Americana, pure and simple.

Posted July 29, 2008

Amanda_Blue says:

There is nothing like the fragrance of wash that has dried in the sun, eyesore or not--clotheslines should be allowed!

Posted July 26, 2008

quirkymoo says:

What the heck!!! Honestly, ugly neighbours can lower house values. Should we ban them?

Posted July 26, 2008

charlino says:

There is nothing like the aroma of a bed sheet that has been dried by the sun. Ahhh.

Posted July 22, 2008

mulberry says:

I think it's ok for communities to vote to ban them based on a majority. But I certainly don't think they should be banned in general or outlawed. Some communities ban sheds, above ground pools, trampolines, play equipment and so forth from being viewable from the street...maybe the same would apply here. Anyone who uses them has more time than I have to do laundry, but more power to them. It's stuff like washers and dryers that give women the ability to work outside of the home.

Posted July 17, 2008

Tiddledeewinks says:

Should be allowed.

Posted July 17, 2008

Tiddledeewinks says:

Of course they should be allowed! Property owners have to have their rights to use their property, as long as it is not hurting others! And look at the savings and fresh smelling clothes. If progress is control, then away with progress!

Posted July 17, 2008

MichelleJohnson09 says:

I think they should be allowed as long as they are properly maintained. It's a much less expensive option than using an electric dryer. I think that things have gotten out of hand with HOA's telling people what they can and can't have on their own property. I would never live in a deed restricted community where I have to get approval if I want to breathe differently than what the rules and regulations say I can. I get it to a point, people don't want to live next to trash heaps but most people who can afford a nice house don't live that way.

Posted July 05, 2008

SherryHolderHunt says:

I think they should be allowed. I'm getting a little tired of other people trying to inflict their will and ideas of what they think looks best on the rest of the world.

Posted July 04, 2008

Jimmie says:

Of course clotheslines should be allowed! This is just another reason to live in the country! With a big yard and neighbors far away, no one cares!

Posted July 04, 2008

Victoria_Neely says:

I can think of far more unsightly things than clotheslines. They don't bother me.

Posted July 03, 2008

EclecticWAHM says:

I have no problem with clothslines. It's an earth-friendly money saver. HOAs need to get out of people's business!

Posted July 03, 2008

beeobrien says:

It's a positive step for the environment, it saves money. There is nothing visually distasteful about flapping laundry. I just have to figure out how to unstiff my towels after they dry on the line.

Posted July 03, 2008

Smplyuniq says:

Absolutely not! Clotheslines don't have to be unsightly, and even when they are, their earth-friendly, energy saving nature should outweigh one's vanity.

Posted July 03, 2008

triathlontraining says:

I think that clotheslines should be allowed in general. In communities, such as townhouse complexes or condominiums, they should be up for a vote for the members. In the case of these HOA's, allowances could be made, such as specific sizes or models of clothing rack or lines that can be used outdoors. Maybe a special outdoor "common area" could be used for hanging sheets and towels.

Posted July 03, 2008

 
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