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Wednesday, August 14, 2013

Make-do Clothesline


one lone line for me

This is my line, designed all by me. I had to have help on one little part. Basically, I took a green plastic line and tied it to two carabiners. It is not hooked on the neighbor's wooden fence as it appears.
 

7-foot pole for chain link fence
 
The pole has a cap just stuck on the top. I found it while browsing fence parts. Often I don't really know what I am doing, but I start with an idea. The pole was the original idea. I just did not know how it was going to work. As you can see, the carabiner is attached to the cap and the cap is just stuck on the pole. When anyone works around the fence, the whole cap is removed at my suggestion. That way, it won't fall off between the fences or in the neighbor's yard. I am afraid someone will remove the line by unhooking the carabiner and the cap will then be knocked off somehow.
 
connectors
 
As I browsed the chain link fence department, I was sort of lost. See the "brace" between the two poles. As I looked at them, and tried to figure out what they were, I found some bolts nearby. Oh boy, was I puzzled. Finally, I asked a young man who told me how they worked. Bingo! Clothesline! When I saw the thing in the picture above this one, I knew I could use it for holding the clothes line. There is another set closer to the ground. The one pole leans because wisteria grew between the two poles and from the weight of clothes.
 

from support to house
 
You cannot really see it, but the line wraps around the huge metal pole that supports the roof over the basement steps. I could have hung clothes there to show you exactly where it goes as I did for the longer part. The crape myrtle behind the support and slightly off-center to the right was planted by me with not enough thought about where and how high it would grow. So, I have to trim it in order to get near the short part of the clothesline. I took dry clothes off the line as I came in.
 
majestic crape myrtle planted in wrong place
too close to house and grows under porch roof
 
I only bought the 7-foot pole, the cap, 2 caribiners, four of the clamps to hold poles together, two bolts and two things to screw onto them. (that word escapes me)  Nuts, Linda, nuts!  Then, there was the line and clothespins. It is not much of a line, only about 60 feet, but it works for me. It presents a bit of a problem when I have two much in one load for the short line. That problem is solved by using pants hangers on even towels or washcloths. I have to watch and get clothes in as soon as they dry so I can hang another load.
 
This is how I solved the problem of not being able to afford guys and concrete to plant a proper line. Besides, I absolutely hate concrete used in the yard to anchor anything. It is really hard to force guys NOT to use concrete.
 just another view
 
I found this view that I don't think I have posted. See the area of dead St. Augustine grass?
 
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Your turn
Do you have a make-do, unconventional clothesline?
 

 
 
 

 


12 comments:

  1. Oooo, how lovely to be able to hang out clothes to dry. Don't you love the smell of air dried laundry?

    I am waiting for a new clothes line which will be attached to my new deck. I can hardly wait! But first I have to wait for the deck to be finished. The snow may be flying by then. lol

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sue,
      I mostly love the lack of having to use electricity and the sense of well-being of the fresh air chore. When my allergies act up, I cannot hang clothes because I drag in allergens. But, yes, the smell is lovely.

      Delete
    2. I did not finish, Sue. Are you going to have a pulley type so you do not have to go out in the yard to hang clothes and take them down?

      Delete
    3. Yes. I'll be able to hang clothes while standing on the deck. And the deck end of the clothes line will have a pole that allows the pulley to slide up and down. I can lower the line to waist level to hang cloths out.

      Sorry to hear about your allergies.

      Delete
  2. Oh Linda. If only I lived closer. Like next door! I could help, and Joe could dig holes and pour concrete and make you an elaborate clothes line that would traverse the length of your yard so you could stand in your door and pull them in!!

    Such a shame you had to settle in Ala. Oh, I'm so baaaaaad. Bwahahahaha

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. lotta joy,
      I know you would. Why did you settle in FL? You could have settled here. I was here first.

      Delete
    2. I didn't settle in FLorida. I settled FOR Florida due to the marshmallow steamroller I married.

      Delete
  3. One thing I absolutely had to have in our new backyard was a clothesline. And one wasn't enough. I ended up putting in two! I agree that a pulley would be convenient but we like to take our line down when it's not in use.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Alex,
      Two clotheslines sounds great. I never take mine down unless I am having people over. When anyone is tackling the mess of wisteria on the fence, it is easier to take the clothesline down that have them cut the line with the chainsaw or ruin the chainsaw on the part of the pole that sticks up.

      Delete
  4. I think you did very well for made-do!

    I have one of those space-saving "Euro" style umbrella clothesline and I don't like it. I bought a kit from Lehman's that I can't wait to get up.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Leigh,
      I know I would not like the umbrella style, either. My clothesline needs to be strung out all over the yard...lol. Maybe you can get your kit line up soon. I will look for it.

      Delete
    2. Leigh,
      Thank you. I was proud of myself.

      Delete

Okay, hoping the annoyances have gone away.