Whenever it's laundry day in my small city flat, I wince at the thought of having to bring out my clunky, plastic drying rack. What's the point of having a beautifully curated space if a few days a week, a portion is dominated by the eyesore that is hanging laundry?
Well, here at Livingetc we take turning even the most mundane of activities into something more design-forward very seriously. And today's discovery? A £14 retractable washing line from Amazon that almost makes me want to keep my laundry out all the time. The device itself consists of a small brass disk that mounts on your wall and has a lock that attaches to the opposite wall to secure the retractable wire in place. It's shockingly sleek.
Plus, it means you no longer have to worry about laundry encroaching on your precious floor space. Let your linens blow in the window like an Italian country villa. See, even your drying rack ideas can be luxuriously reimagined, if you know where to look.
Chic, right? This retractable washing line can be mounted both indoors and outdoors to elevate your everyday chores. The line itself is a robust steel wire that stretches 2.8m (9.2ft) and can bear loads ranging from 11lb to 33lb. And you can choose from brass, silver, white, or matte black.
I discovered this device from Chloe Michalska, a popular interiors content creator and DIY expert, who says this retractable washing line first caught her attention because she needed a space-saving solution for drying laundry indoors.
"I was initially drawn to the brass color and style of the washing line, reminding me of our traditional Victorian doorbell," she tells me. The real wow factor is that it's not immediately obvious what it is. Let it be a small decorative feature in a room, rather than that clunky rack you're racing to hide back out of sight.
And, the design has even been updated recently. The nylon rope was replaced with steel wire, and an added twist lock feature stops the line from sagging. Reviewers rave about its quality, even after plenty of use. "I also intend to dry homemade pasta on this too!" Chloe adds.
Chloe Michalska is a much-loved home and DIY influencer, with over 225k followers on Instagram. She's currently renovating her Victorian home, and loves sharing affordable ways to add character and style back into her heritage home.
Other Stylish Ways to Dry Your Laundry
There are some seriously stylish laundry drying racks out there, and for a reasonable price. I'm starting to question why I ever bought the plastic monstrosity in the first place.
To save you the trouble, I've rounded up six of the best laundry drying racks I could find, both free-standing and wall-mounted. It's 2025, and it's time to make the laundry room feel elevated.
Another way to elevate your laundry drying tactics is to divide up your designated drying spots. I love the idea of having a rack just for towels, socks, or undergarments. That way, the line is never an overcrowded eyesore.
This option from John Lewis may take up slightly more space on the wall, but the retractable feature makes it a no-brainer for clever laundry rooms.
I'm obsessed with this alternative retractable washing line. Plus it has a stainless steel wire rope design, which can bear up to 50 pounds.
Where this retractable washing line may lack in form, it makes up for it in price and space-saving function. It has multiple lines for drying and can extend up to 22 meters.
This drying rack is made of beech wood and galvanised steel. It features three height options and folds flat after use to conveniently conserve space.
Sometimes, your space just looks better with sleek, black accessories. For that, this matte black option from DYKE & DEAN is the ideal option.
"With kids and pets around, freestanding drying racks are often in the way, so you can bet that I will be adding another retractable washing line in our home before winter," says Chloe. The options for stylish clothing racks to dry clothes is seemingly limitless — my sad plastic drying rack is counting its days.
