Drying preferences leave many flapping in the breeze

"Understanding is the beginning of approving." Andre Gide (1869-1951), French author an Nobel Prize winner, "Journals," 1902

Who would think that washing and drying clothes would become a controversial issue? I have read recently, with great amusement I might add, that in some neighborhoods around the country, folks are giving up their clothes dryers and hanging their unmentionables right out there for everybody to see. It seems that there is a movement afoot to save energy by hanging freshly laundered clothing outside to dry.

Now — here is the big bite. It seems also that not everybody in these folks’ neighborhoods wants to see tighty whities, socks, sheets, towels or anything else for that matter flapping in the breeze. Add further to this dilemma, certain neighborhoods have rules and regulations prohibiting such public displays of laundry and are taking their neighbors to court. Mercy, can you just believe it?

For my part, I remember my mother hanging clothes out on the line and fondly recall the fresh smell when I would climb into my newly made bed. But for me, today, I want no part of it. First of all, I don’t particularly want to see my neighbor’s underwear, nor do I want everybody driving by to see whatever I might put out there. That’s just a little too much information and strictly my view of the universe. And, the last time I was offered a nature-dried towel to use it practically scraped the skin right off my face.

I’m sure there’s a lot of opinions on why, but between the time my mother did it and today things have changed, and it’s not the same. Nature-dried clothing doesn’t smell fresh, it’s as stiff as a board and just not user friendly.

So I am definitely an indoor laundry gal. I don’t like camping either; hanging clothes outside is the same thing to me. I love my creature comforts, and I consider indoor laundry at the top of my list.

When outdoor clothes lines were no longer the norm, appliance manufacturers jumped into the market with great aplomb, offering the lady of the house the opportunity to wash and dry clothes, even on a rainy day. Well in today’s market, the appliances go far beyond protecting your clothing from the weather. These same appliance makers are extremely competitive and are offering machines that actually make you want to do laundry. OK, maybe that’s a stretch, but I would say not.

We tend not to think a lot about our workhorse appliances. Once you buy them, and as long as they work, we don’t even look at others in the store. So if your appliances are a little older or if you haven’t walked through the washer/dryer aisle in your local home store recently, you should do it just to see the competitive nature of this business.

Along with the multitude of features offered, the prices are also astronomical. Some of these machines rival the cost of a small car. And designer colors are no longer to be found only in your closets or in your home décor, but rather are proudly displayed in laundry rooms around the country. My favorites now are the bright red ones. Just imagine swinging into your laundry room everyday to that sight.

For those of us who are space challenged, the good choice has always been the stacking unit, with washer and dryer in one piece. The footprint is smaller than a regular washer and then "stacks" one piece on the other.

But being always on the cutting edge, the latest fashion to hit the washer/dryer runway is the "one machine that does it all." In other words, you wash and dry in the same machine. Now how’s that for efficiency?

Regardless of your laundry preferences, as with most things today, your choices are many and decisions more difficult. I have friends who live in an environment where they can and do hang out their clothes; and there are others who live, for instance, in high-rise apartment buildings in New York City and couldn’t fathom doing it.

On a recent trip to China I was reminded again about the ingenuity and fortitude it takes to live in some parts of the world and perform daily chores we take for granted. In China, for instance, it is a common practice to hang laundry on the balconies of the apartment buildings and in almost every neighborhood it’s a very prevalent sight. So I was a little surprised to see the lady in the photograph boldly hanging her laundry out on the railing on the sidewalk, probably defying common practice and "rules."

So whatever your laundry preference and choice, enjoy it! We’re so lucky to have them.

Carolyn Muse Grant is a founder and president of the Architectural & Decorative Arts Society, as well as an interior design consultant/stylist specializing in home staging. Send questions to creativemuse@cox.net.