Please or to access all these features

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Entire room taken up with clothes drying racks

136 replies

butterplates · 12/08/2024 13:26

AIBU to seek another way?

We have a second room off our main living room and adjacent to our kitchen. It looks out via double doors to the garden and is a pleasant room though a bit cold in winter. We have a sofa in there and a small table and chairs. I had envisaged it being used as a den by teen DC for when their friends are over but for now they tend to congregate in bedrooms. The small table is occasionally used for homework.

But- I usually have 3 drying racks of clothes on the go in there at any one time. Between work clothes for two adults, school uniforms for teenagers, endless sports and swimming gear, I do a load of laundry every second day. I have a tumble dryer that I mainly use for towels and bed linen. My reasons for not using it more for clothes are partly cost when electricity prices went up and partly because I find the dryer always shrinks things a bit. But I feel we are basically wasting an entire room on clothes drying. I would be so keen to hear what other people do and how you manage this? DH and I have talked about putting some gym equipment in there such as a rower and exercise bike but he actually asked me, what about the drying racks and it seems ridiculous that this is coming before something we could do to be more healthy.

OP posts:
butterplates · 12/08/2024 13:33

Interesting about drying outside year round. We are often out during the day so I can't leave stuff and go given the amount it rains. I had also presumed it wouldn't dry without heat but maybe I need to experiment more.

I have considered the option of a dehumidifier/ heated racks. We have a downstairs toilet with some additional space so more like a small utility but there is no socket in there unfortunately. In the existing room this would take up even more space though I guess might dry them quicker.

OP posts:
Needanewname42 · 12/08/2024 13:32

If drying outside isn't an option I'd try a dehumidifier.

I'm a line dryer when I can tumble dryer in winter, inc towels and bedding. I hate trying to dry duvet covers in the dryer.

OlympicWomen · 12/08/2024 13:31

I put most things in the tumble dryer, I've never had anything shrink. If you have it on a low or gentle setting it works. I hate having washing hanging around the house.

TheBizzies · 12/08/2024 13:30

My friend has one in each bedroom so yes it takes up a bit of space in there but it saves space elsewhere and also the kids put their own washing away (or just wear it straight from the rack 🤣)

ProvincialLady2024 · 12/08/2024 13:30

Heated clothes airer

LindorDoubleChoc · 12/08/2024 13:30

Or you could invest in one heated airer such as the Lakeland one?

TeenToTwenties · 12/08/2024 13:29

Have a rack or 2 suspended from the ceiling on a pulley system.

LindorDoubleChoc · 12/08/2024 13:29

I put my clothes airer outside on a dry day (any sort of dry day) and use a dehumidifier next to it in winter if raining to speed the drying process up. You could then use the tumble dryer just for 10 minutes to finish anything off that's still a bit damp after one day?

I do a load of laundry every day and it all fits onto one rack plus a sock thing.

FuzzyPuffling · 12/08/2024 13:29

I dry my washing outside all year round. Takes some looking at the weather forecast, but absolutely possible. It dries much faster on the line in the breeze and doesn't make the house damp.

butterplates · 12/08/2024 13:27

To add, I have a line outside that I can use this time of year but obviously that isn't helpful during the many colder months.

OP posts:
LoobyDoop2 · 12/08/2024 13:27

Can’t you dry outside in summer?