In my opinion, there is nothing that smells better than laundry (washed in free & clear detergent) taken straight off of a sunny clothesline.  Somehow the combination of sun and wind creates a perfect natural fragrance that will never be duplicated by the laundry products industry.Here in Central Illinois, we get a fair amount of sun, but we get even more wind.  My clothesline has several miles of flat fields behind it, and faces the prevailing wind direction, so my clothes really flap around out there on a windy day (which most are).

For many years, I used the normal wood clothespins (marked highest quality on the package).  If, like me, you’ve spent any time hanging laundry out, you know these pins have the tendency to twist apart at the least opportune time, leaving not only their bits, but also whatever laundry they were holding up, strewn across the ground.After many years of frustration, one day while browsing a catalog, I came across an interesting product called “lifetime” stainless steel clothespins (made in Italy).  Intrigued, I ordered a package of them.  When they arrived and I hung out my first load of laundry using them, I was immediately in love.  I bought 3 more packages for myself, and then I bought packages for all my friends and family who use a clothesline.

These are the Ferrari (or should I say Tesla?) of clothespins, not only are they sleek and sexy, but they are also very functional and high quality. First, they will not come apart due to their construction method, and they have 2 different openings to better grip your clothesline depending on the thickness of the fabric.  BUT WAIT … there is so much more.  The other end has a little hole in it that is just the right size to slip a hanger through.  I can put my shirts on a hanger and then slip the hanger through the hole and it clip it on the line, and it stays.  Even in high wind. And, I can also leave the pins out on the line for days clamped around something without any worry about discoloration stains and damage to the clothespin.If you line-dry your clothes and are ready to up your clipping game, I highly suggest you go over the Lee Valley Tools and order yourself a package (or 3 or 10). Even though they are expensive, they are well worth the up-front cost (and hey, lifetime guarantee).  Or, if your significant other is the one hanging out the clothes, buy them a package as a surprise (though not as a birthday or holiday present, that’s a no-no).  You won’t be sorry, and neither will your clothes.