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Only one person mentioned the concern we have here especially in the summer. Humidity. When the humidity is 75%+ (and sometimes 90+) it can take forever for clothes to dry on the line. And when humidity is high there is usually not much breeze, until the afternoon thunderboomer comes in. Growing up we had the problem of being downwind from the steel mill, brewery or harbor depending on the direction of the wind. The Brewery and the harbor just added an oder to the clothes, the steel mill could put a layer of coke residue (The kind that comes from blast furnaces) all over your clothes. Seagulls, starlings and pigeons caused another problem. My grandmother got a dryer when she still had a wringer washer it was that important. When we moved 'out to the country' and were on well water we took her wringer and did clothes through it and two rinse tubs. Hanging the clothes outside there was better except when the farmer was plowing, harrowing, or combining the fields on three sides of us. Or when he was spreading manure on the fields. And we had to carry those heavy baskets of wet clothes up the basement stairs and into the back yard. Chapped hands in the winter were another problem. Dryers are wonderful!
I am at a crossroads of having to get a new dryer. They're on sale, and I have a 10% off coupon. I have one picked out.
BUT it crosses my mind that maybe I don't really NEED one. I use a clothes dryer for towels, sheets, & blankets/lightwt quilts. I air dry my jeans, tops, delicates.
I'm thinking about getting a fold-out holder for air drying, and putting that in the garage. It would be portable & lightweight. (I've had these before and found them handy.)
I thought about also getting a larger one for out back that is circular and heavier duty, so maybe could use it for sheets or light blanket. I have no experience at all using one of these things.
I don't want an actual clothes line between posts. That would get into an expense, and it would be unsightly. I have a large back yard with 6 ft privacy fence, so I think the smaller round portable ones for the back might be fine. But not an actual clothes line, I think.
Does anyone have any experience with this?
I don't know if they still make them but I used to have a wonderful umbrella dryer that held bunches of clothes. My mother never had a dryer so I know they are not necessary unless you live where it is really wet and cold.
My sister will frequently drive from her urban home two hours to my parents' farm to line dry her laundry. She's always preferred it. My parents have always had a dryer, but clothing gets hung out to dry in the sun and fresh air most of the time. The dryer is more for when it's raining or there are ice storms, etc. Hanging stuff to dry indoors doesn't really have the same effect.
The first time that I experienced a fire onboard a sub was a laundry fire. A friend was minding the laundry, I went down to see how he was doing, and I opened the dryer. As I reached in to pull out the clothes they burst into flames. I dropped them, turned around and grabbed a CO2 extinguisher. I gave one short squirt of CO2 and as I backed away, our XO came in and pushed me aside with a charged firehose.
Thankfully nobody died, but that was the fire most imprinted in my mind.
Your clothes burst into flames. That's a new one on me. I can imagine your surprise.
I once lived in a rental townhouse (washer and dryer included), and figured out the dryer duct was clogged when the clothes weren't drying. It was packed. It took 2 guy an hour and a half to clear it. I don't think it had ever been cleaned. Decades.
I guess the guy had good insurance, because he owned four units in that eight house row. They could have all gone up in flames.
Only one person mentioned the concern we have here especially in the summer. Humidity. When the humidity is 75%+ (and sometimes 90+) it can take forever for clothes to dry on the line. And when humidity is high there is usually not much breeze, until the afternoon thunderboomer comes in. Growing up we had the problem of being downwind from the steel mill, brewery or harbor depending on the direction of the wind. The Brewery and the harbor just added an oder to the clothes, the steel mill could put a layer of coke residue (The kind that comes from blast furnaces) all over your clothes. Seagulls, starlings and pigeons caused another problem. My grandmother got a dryer when she still had a wringer washer it was that important. When we moved 'out to the country' and were on well water we took her wringer and did clothes through it and two rinse tubs. Hanging the clothes outside there was better except when the farmer was plowing, harrowing, or combining the fields on three sides of us. Or when he was spreading manure on the fields. And we had to carry those heavy baskets of wet clothes up the basement stairs and into the back yard. Chapped hands in the winter were another problem. Dryers are wonderful!
Pollen, too. I go through weeks of greenish yellow pollen on everything. Sweep, sweep, wipe, and hose it off. You don't want to hang laundry outside in that.
Haven't read the other responses, but I have a little washer with a spinner in it in my apartment - it's my stealth washer lol. Not supposed to have them in apts.
I hang my stuff up in my bathroom or on my balcony.
The only reason to have a dryer, is for lint, in my opinion. Lint is a huge PITA whether or you're washing or drying.
So, if you don't have a dryer, you'll probably be fine for the most part, by just hanging things up outside or in your bathroom.
But, the time will come when the lint on your clothes, etc. will be a problem. If it's clothes, you can probably deal with it with a lint roller, but it can be a big pain. A dryer will remove most lint.
I live with it, and I just pay at a laundromat when it matters to me. Just be aware lint is the issue.
Had neighbor with just the square post clothing line in back of her 1950s house for 50+ years. She never got a dryer. Is good to note, the laundromat was 6 blocks away if dealing with comforters, blankets or sleeping bags, especially in winter. These items can be challenge to wash in some normal sized washers anyway so laundromat is helpful anyway, use dryer afterwards.
But I completely agree, lady's clothing is just too cheap to use dryer. Really have to hang everything to dry except jeans and junk t-shirts...Can tell lady's stuff from Walmart at thrift store quickly, any dryer time and clothing was ruined in 4-6 months. Most of the adults don't even realize those tight leggings won't handle the dryer very long either, stretches it out to THIN-THIN or ruins it. Stretchy Lycra clothing like underthings is better hung up to dry.
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Your clothes burst into flames. That's a new one on me. I can imagine your surprise. 
