Outdoor clothes line / airer - suggestions?

[23holi]

Recently moved into a house with a garden (having always been in flats and drying clothes indoors). I'd quite like an unobstructive way of drying clothes outdoors. There's nothing in the garden at the moment, its all flat but has a tree. Rather than having a rotary airer, I quite like the idea of a retractable washing line/ tying a bit of rope from the tree to somewhere else - but where?! there's nothing I can easily tie it to. Any suggestions?

I have this (they also do one with 1 line).

It's attached to the outside wall of the house, and I have hooks on the tree and shed at the other end of the garden which the lines attach to when pulled out.

Works really well and I can get loads hung on the two lines!

www.dunelm.com/product/minky-30-metre-retractable-line-1000077093?defaultSkuId=30213357&branchCode=0400&ds_c=Utility_Outdoor+Airers_%5BGOO-LIA-HOMEHYGIENE-OUTDOORAIRERS%5D&gclid=CjwKCAjwg-GjBhBnEiwAMUvNW2R6GT1fXCIG5_RzkRYme8wmTsCoSNeAdvhha60GBEXbnwfnEjp0NBoCXqUQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

This is brilliant
www.lakeland.co.uk/53194/leifheit-linopop-up-140-portable-airer

It folds quite small, it never blows over and dries a load of washing.
A good alternative to an unsightly fixed washing line.

I suppose Im more after ideas for where to tie the other end to (one end being the tree). There's no shed. Garden is lined by a shared fence, wouldnt want to drill a hole etc. Is there a heavy object(/double up as decor?) I could put in one corner and tie rope from the tree to this object that would stay up? What could this be? A planter? Trying to think of something heavy that wouldnt budge on patio, any ideas?

These look good:

https://www.dunelm.com/product/brabantia-wall-fix-washing-line-1000045717?defaultSkuId=30148397&dsc=UtilityyIndoor+Airers%5BGOO-PLA-HOMEHYGIENE-INDOORAIRERS%5D&gclid=CjwKCAjwg-GjBhBnEiwAMUvNW-32tN5a04VibLR0uNnWru2pI0duKLRFoR7Pw4mOHOYeV2kYZelc5hoCJBsQAvDDBwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

I can't imagine your neighbours would mind you attaching a hook to the fence. We've done that in this house and our previous one. What do your neighbours have for drying their clothes outside?

I've just had one of these installed after having a line across the garden for 25 year's. It's great, although hanging a king size duvet cover on it doesn't really work.

We started with a line (already installed) but it went right across the garden and screened off a big portion and got in the way of the kids so we ended up getting a rotary one. I prefer this as it's out of the way and you can get so much more on it.

I'm a rotary line fan. But if you want a line attached to a tree, can you not just attach the other end to the house?

I'm sure you can get retractable line you could attach to the wall of the house, then just put a hook/rope around the tree and attach the other end to that when you want to use it.

This kind of thing:

www.argos.co.uk/product/6108614?clickSR=slp:term:retractable%20washing%20line:1:59:1

@Cookerhood do you get marks on your washing from the wall when using this? How does it fair when there's a decent breeze? I want one of these in my entryway as it's a sun trap but it's also a breeze tunnel... 🙄

We just attached a hook into the wall of the house. It wasn't too much faff and is holding up well. The other end is wrapped around the top of a fence post.

We have a retractable line with main part attached to side of the house and a picture hook attached to the fence that holds the weight fine and is unobtrusive the rest of the time.

I haven't noticed anything & it's been pretty windy since it was installed. The only negative for me is that the clothes closest to the house aren't really in the sun as the others are in the way iyswim. If you have a rotary one they all get some sun, as with a line. I like it, it's neat & tidy.

Unfortunately, there isnt a bit of wall/house I could attach it to from the tree without it completely obstructing the garden / cutting it in half. The only bit of the house that projects out and is a little out of the way is the conservatory but I cant imagine I could attach anything to glass. Hence why I thought the best option would be a heavy object in the corner of the garden (some kind of heavy but tall item, a pole? planter?) with rope tied to that and the tree in the middle of the garden

https://www.diy.com/departments/2-4m-heavy-duty-galvanised-powder-coated-clothes-line-post-30m-pvc-washing-lines-pole-support-with-socket-dryer-ground-socket/5012174512895_BQ.prd

I have a brabantia wall fix line and it's superb

I've had both and 100% prefer rotary. The line got in the way of the kids playing as it was right across the garden, took up loads of room but couldn't actually hang that much.

I have a rotary now and I get two full loads on there. I love the look of the clothes blowing in the breeze.

Yes I am a sad old lady haha

Show us a diagram of your garden. But I think you are way overthinking this. A rotary line is your best bet. No need to tie anything to anything, or buy planters etc. Get a portable clothes airer also, they are great for smaller items. You can fold down the rotary and the airer when not needed.

I have the wall fix Brabantia on a West facing wall, it is brilliant. I have no problems drying duvet covers/sheets etc. I just double them over and peg. I have an airer also that's secured with a bungee cord to the downpipe (lol 😂) for windy weather.

I probably am overthinking this but heres a diagram @lunchNstuff
There is no grass/mud at all in the garden. All patio / artificial grass. The yellow triangle is a few steps making the garden over 2 levels, the yellow line is the "step". I was thinking of tying somegthing from the tree to the purple star which is the spot I'm thinking of a potter a heavy corner planter or something?

@Soontobe60 please excuse my ignorance, does this need drilling into the ground? I only have patio. Looks great though

If there's enough room to the left of the bifold doors to mount a retractable line, I'd put a hook in the tree and one or two in the fence posts. Ours crosses over our garden, depending on how I zig zag the line across the garden, but it's fine. I use a pole to push the line up and there's plenty of space to pass by the clothes, and I just try to make sure I hang out during the day when I'm working so it's dry by the time I finish, or on days we're unlikely to use the garden.

@TokenGinger Are fences strong enough to have a hole drilled in them/hooks puts on and carry the weight of wet bedding/towels/clothes etc? This is a shared fence and I wouldnt want to risk damaging it. Only ever lived in flats so no idea if this is something people do.

Neighbours on either side: one has a rotary line tucked away in the corner of an otherwise beautiful garden with lots of plants, trees, fish pond and fountain etc and on the other side I can't see clearly but they definitely have a line.

I've got this. It's brilliant. Holds x 3 loads of washing then just folds away when done. I've attached to back of house

in our last house we had a Brabantis wall mounted clothes airer, as others have linked to above, and it was brilliant.

In our new house we have a retractable line, which works well. It's a double one, so lots of drying space. It's mounted to the back of the house, and one line goes to a tree at the back of the garden, the other goes to a hook we've put on the side of the garage

I have both: a retractable line with two lines and this wall mounted airer, mines the four arm one. Both are attached to the same wall. Both have their uses. The Brabantia four arm one folds up against the wall when not in use. It holds quite a lot. My friend has one in her garage as where she lives outside washing lines or sirens aren’t allowed. She opens the garage door and the back garage door to let the air blow through.
The retractable one is great for big stuff like bedding, towels etc. I use it more often than the other one to be honest, washing dries quicker on it.
You could attach a hook to the tree, you’ll need a sturdy hook to take the weight of the line when full.
Or do what my dad did, get a length of four by four inch pressure treated wood and have it cemented into the ground wherever you want it ( end of garden) and put the hooks into that.

A rotary has the advantage that you can remove it when you aren’t using it, so there is nothing spoiling your view at all.
you can also have multiple “holes” in the ground - I have a summer one, that catches the sun & a winter one, so I don’t have to step on wet grass!