Left Hanging: Line-Drying Your Clothes Could Be Illegal!

Did you know line-drying your undies might get you a slap on the wrist by your condo association? Point blank, it’s “unaesthetic”. (Not that McCondo’s are anything for the architectural record books). According to a Los Angeles Times article,

“Homeowner associations recognize that if people throw their clothes
over their fences and patio walls that their homes won’t be as
aesthetically attractive,” said Richard S. Monson, president of the
California Assn. of Homeowners Assns. “We’re criticized for this, but
what it’s doing is protecting home values.”

Many homeowner associations seem to believe that the act of air drying clothing present their developments as being low-income:

“In some minds, though, clotheslines connote a landscape of poverty
rather than flowering fields. Opponents of the proposed legislation
say homeowners’ groups have the right to protect property values by
forbidding practices they consider unsightly, such as storing junk
cars in driveways – and hanging wet laundry outside.” [Boston.com]

Strong statements for a simple household act humans have engaged in since the start of time. According to line drying advocacy group Project Laundry List, dryers account for 6% of US energy consumption. They’re working to change homeowner’s associations rules by supporting a Right to Dry bill which has been in the political arena since 1999. Afterall, in lean times, line-drying is an easy way to cutback on your energy bill and air drying preserves the quality of your clothing much longer.

The electric dryer is yet another industrial age invention that may be ready for an overhaul since the design and general mechanism has not changed in over 100 years. In hard times, don’t we find that sometimes the simplest solutions are the best? After all, microwaves cook food fast and make it convenient, but is it ever really “good”?

- Carole Snow Wefler

This is our first post from guest blogger Carole Snow Wefler. If you’d like to write for us, send an email to dorothee@see3.net.

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