Air-drying your clothes can save you a good bit of money since you’re not using your electric or gas dryer. But, it does leave you with one dilemma. Where do you hang everything to dry? If airing your laundry in public for your neighbors to see bothers you, look for inside space to hang your items. Here are four clever ways to hang your clothes to dry.
• Accordion-Style Retractable Units
You’ve probably seen plenty of those neat little accordion-style drying racks over the years. Most of them are made of sturdy wood and can give you up to 14 feet of drying space wherever you put them. However, unless you want to stare at it all day or walk around the unit, you’ll have to put it up and take it down each time you use it. Plus, it can take of valuable closet space if you choose to store it.
Here’s a new twist and a terrific solution. Look for a wall-mounted folding rack. Just like their freestanding counterparts, wall-mounted units sport an accordion design. If you have limited space in your laundry room, they pull out when you need them and fold back up when you don’t. With a generous shelf above and a row of coat hooks below, these hardworking little units could be just the thing you need to give you tons of drying space in a pretty attractive package.
• Neat Fold-Down Units
If you don’t need a whole lot of drying space and only need to hang the occasional hand-washed item, a wall-mounted, fold-down unit may be just the drying rack for you. The slim, space-saving design hangs on your wall at less than 3-inches deep and a multi-dowel rack folds down whenever you need to dry a few delicates.
• Suspended Objects
On the creative side, you can make your own drying rack with an old wooden ladder. Just hang a single section ladder from your ceiling with a sturdy chain or rope and you’ll always have the drying space you need overhead. You can even dress up your creative solution by placing a few plants or decorative items on the top side of the ladder.
• Simple Hooks on Your Walls
In the right places, plain or fancy coat racks with hooks or pegs can also hold quite a few items to dry. Paint or finish the units to complement your decor and you’ll have a simple solution to a pesky problem.
Check out pictures and inspiration for this article in the Clothes Rack ideabook on Houzz. You’re sure to find an excellent solution to your clothes rack dilemma.
Enjoy more home decor ideas from Terry Mulligan:
10 Tips to Take Your Next Decorating Project Over the Top
Fabulous Choices for Decorating with Throw Pillows
Budget-Friendly Dollar Store Finds Anyone Can Decorate With