In our quest to live smartly and well, Eva and I have resisted the urge to use an electric dryer to dry our clothes. Although this common appliance certainly offers some conveniences, it seems a gratuitous use of electricity and energy that is otherwise available to us in free and smart ways. We had been getting along alright hanging our clothes out in the sun during the warmer months and hanging them on expandable accordian-style wooden racks near our heating stove in the colder portion of the year. With the arrival of our new-born daughter and the prospect of many loads of cloth diapers to wash and dry, I figured it was time to up the anti and improve our system or else succumb to the need for an electric dryer. I wanted to build a drying rack that was retractable to the ceiling so that it wouldn’t take up any floor space. This turns out to give it the added benefit of placing it up in the warmest part of the house and exposes all the clothes equally to this rising, circulating hot air.
Watch the video to see more details about how it works.
Materials List:
| Qty. | Description | $/item | $ |
| 2 | 2 x 4 (x8′) Lumber | 1.39 | 2.78 |
| 8 | 1/2″ x 48″ Hardwood Dowel | 1.58 | 12.64 |
| 4 | 1 1/2″ Wall/Ceiling Mount Pulleys | 9.49 | 37.96 |
| 3 | 2″ Wall/Ceiling Mount Pulleys | 10.99 | 32.97 |
| 4 | 1 1/4 Pulley Swivel | 3.49 | 13.96 |
| 4 | 1/4 SP Anchor Shackle | 1.89 | 7.56 |
| 1 | 6″ Rope Cleat | 3.99 | 3.99 |
| 2 | Twisted Nylon Rope 1/4″x100′ | 16.49 | 32.98 |
| Screws | |||
| Total | 144.84 |
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If you are interested, we could provide the hardware as a package.
