A few weeks back my dryer died without so much as a sigh, rattle or warning. One night she just went silent, and my towels were still sopping wet come morning. It wasn’t a surprise really, I bought her from the previous tenants for a whopping $25 bucks, and have had her for almost two years.
Mostly it’s just a giant inconvenience.
Now I have to find a new dryer, pay for it (isn’t that the bummer really) and then perhaps most challenging, figure out a day to have it delivered when I can actually be here.
Or do I?
The hassle of replacing my dryer got me thinking that many people (perhaps the majority of the world) live without dryers. Could I just NOT replace mine?
And so I’ve decided to take the Pippi Longstocking approach, and turn the chore of living without a dryer into an adventure.
I went to Ikea and bought a clothes rack for $9.99.
On Saturday morning I did my first load of dryer-free laundry and hung it to dry in the sunshine.
And all that romantic garbage about line-dried yadda yadda?
True. My socks smell like sunshine.
It’s amazing. And perfect for the premature (lots of days in the 80′s) summer we’re having here in Los Angeles.
Will I live dryer less forever?
Probably not.
But for the time being, I’m enjoying turning a simple task into a routine, going a little greener, and saving a little $$ for the important things (handbags, travel, cheese).
Do you live without a dryer?
Or other “necessary” convenience?
Fun fact: I haven’t owned a microwave in my adult life.
Our refrigerator doesn’t make ice…so I decided I didn’t need it.
Funny thing: water tastes the same with or without ice.
Ha ha- totally!
I think I might even prefer it….
I lived without a dryer for 3 years in Japan – as most people do there – and I never really thought about it. Even on rainy days I’d hang out my laundry.. it’d take a long time to dry, maybe I even wore some damp clothes. It’s funny what you can get used to. In fact, even living back here in the States, if I had somewhere to put out my clothes, I probably would but alas apartment living doesn’t allow this. Bummer about having to pay for a new dryer, those things are expensive! I’d ride out the sunshine for as long as possible
Yes, I think I will!
Where did you live in Japan?
I’m heading over for my first visit in a few years- but I’ve spent a lot of time there & just love it!
Ahhh, so jealous… I wish I could back.. I don’t see a return anywhere in my near future!
We haven’t had cable (or satellite) television for five years. We do have a small antenna (think old school bunny ears) and Netflix, but the no-cable continuously shocks people!
Awesome! Me too!
Except I need to get those bunny ears!
Do they allow you to get the basic channels fairly clearly?
I am microwave free too, as a kid we had one but it was kept in the garage for like emergency uses so when I moved out I never felt the need for one. I also love how your idea and the place you went to get your outside clothes drying stuff was Swedish since in summer that is what everyone does here!
That’s so funny!
What would constitute an emergency microwave situation?
And yes- Ikea had many great drying solutions for indoor/outdoor use. Love it!
Like if my mom was sick and I had to make my own dinner, which would have been canned soup, or we had tons of leftovers to heat up. At one point we did not have a toaster either so I would make pop tarts in the oven before school and they would get extra crispy!
I lived without a washer or dryer in my apartment building for about five years – now I’m lucky enough to have both in my unit, but I still prefer to line dry all of my shirts, pants and lingerie. Which basically means that I just use the dryer for sheets and towels. Line-drying, in my opinion, helps clothes and delicates last longer. I also lived without cable for three years when I was in law school and couldn’t afford it. It was surprisingly liberating!
Yes- I already line dry quite a bit too- so it’s mostly just towels/sheets that I’m gonna have to refigure here…
I’ve heard people complain about crunchy towels, so I guess I’ll find out…
I love this – I’ve wanted to try line-drying my clothes for a while now. I might have to do it soon!
My fiance’ never had a microwave growing up and I BLEW his mind the other day when I showed him he could make Chef Boyardee without a stove. Haha!
I think the no dryer thing seems fun! I have to hang most of my “nice” clothes to dry anyway, so if I had enough room, I wouldn’t mind it!
this is practically like living europe! no dryer to be found anywhere, unless it’s the kind that spins your clothes for two and a half hours and then leaves your clothes half wet anyway. anyway, i am pro drying rack and while we have a microwave because it came with our place, i have used it all of twice i think. however, a toaster oven, now that is something to make room for.
Agreed on the toaster oven. Mmmm….cheesy toast.
Although I suppose I often find myself using the oven/broiler too….
I only dry about 30% of what I wash since I’m super paranoid about shrinking things. The problem is in Seattle you have to do the drying indoors so you don’t get the same smell, boo. Also, I’ve never owned a toaster
I was amazed when I visited America because everyone seemed to own a dryer. Almost no one does here in NZ (partly because electricity is really expensive and there is no stigma about your neighbours seeing all your clothes). We just have the good old line in the backyard
I find dryers destroy my clothes anyway. The only downside is winter because it rains most of the time. Then I have to lay out my clothes on the carpet in front of the heat pump.
Handbags, travel, and cheese are far more important than a dryer. Good choice. Dryers are so hard on clothes anyway. Win win.
Thanks, I’m so glad you agree!
Im with Bonnie! I haven’t had a dryer since I moved out of home, hubs never had a dryer. We live in an apartment but we just dry our clothes in the living room, they dry overnight most of the time so it’s no big deal here I guess?
I’ve always had a dryer and then I moved to Sweden with my husband. We have access to a dryer when we go to the laundry room but we still choose to hang dry the majority of our clothing (I dry socks and underwear because it only takes a few minutes and I don’t like to hang such small things) We have a clothes rack that we set up in our apartment (our tiny STUDIO apartment) the clothes dry over night and are actually much easier to fold the next day so I don’t mind! I hate folding things that come out of the dryer now! The main reason we do it is so that the material doesnt get warn out with the extra heat but I’ve gotten very used to it!