Cheap Green Tip 5: Line dry

Hanging the laundry out to dry is one of the easiest, and best feeling, ways to go green. I honestly think the whole process of hanging clothes is the quintessential example of how being more eco-friendly really means getting back to basics.
And this, in turn, means saving money.

Line drying can save you $100 a year in utility bills (there are other great reasons to line dry at that link). Also, dryers are tough on clothes so line-drying helps them last a little longer.

Bonus for busy parents, line-dried clothes don’t wrinkle as much, which means you can leave them out until you’re ready to revisit the laundry. The same cannot be said about clothes left in the dryer.

Not all communities have this kind of romantic impression about clothes swaying in the breeze on a blue-skied spring afternoon while you're wearing a flowy white dress. In fact, many homeowners associations prohibit laundry lines.

If you’re an unlucky owner of a home in one of these evil lovely neighborhoods, you can always buy a simple wooden dryer rack. It’s a great, absolutely free humidifier in those super dry winter months. Or if you live in Arizona. Or you like moisture.

Tip: If you’re hanging a line outside, consider two levels. The lower level can hold kid clothes and they can help with the laundry.