A clothesline is the perfect way to dry your clothes the natural way - and a pulley clothesline is even better! With a pulley clothesline, you can hang your clothes from one location, making it easy and convenient to get your laundry done. Plus, your wet clothes will be moved further away from you as they dry, giving you more space in your back yard. Follow this guide to learn how to install a clothesline in your own backyard.
Are you looking forward to the warm weather and sunshine-filled days of summer? That sunshine can do more than just warm your skin and give you a daily dose of vitamin D. It can also dry and sanitize your laundry.
There are many benefits to line dried clothes. They smell great, last longer, and are gentle on your clothes. Plus, you can save money on your energy bill by using a clothesline. Here are five reasons why you should consider hanging clothes to dry this summer:
- It's cheaper than using a clothes dryer.
- It's better for the environment.
- It's healthier for your family.
- It's relaxing.
- Line dried clothes smell great!
A clothesline is a very simple way to reduce energy usage and lower your budget. My family has seen an average savings of $50 per month on our electric bill since starting to use a clothesline. Even if weather or time constraints prevent you from hanging every load of laundry, it will help you save money.
A pulley clothesline is an easy and convenient solution to hang clothes to dry. While a fixed clothesline requires you to walk the length of the line, a pulley allows you to hang clothes from one location with your laundry basket while your wet clothes are moved further across your back yard.
This tutorial will show you how to install your DIY clothesline in your backyard. It’s an easy project with a few simple steps.
Pin this article for later:
Purchase Your Clothesline Supplies
Outdoor clothesline kits are available for sale online, but I've found that there is always some component to pre-made kits that are cheap or just not a product that I prefer. I've listed below the products that I recommend and use for my own outdoor pulley clothesline.
You will find several opinions when it comes to the clothesline supplies that you should use. In particular, people will either be for or against the use of a cotton clothesline.
I prefer the cotton clothesline, mainly because it provides more traction to hold my laundry in place.
Wire clothesline may work for a stationary clothesline, but they allow the clothes to slide too much when pulled on a pulley clothesline. I also don’t think a wire clothesline holds as well when used with a tensioner.
I’ll explain clothesline tensioners or tighteners more in-depth in a moment.
The biggest advantage of a wire clothesline is that it will not stretch, which is a common problem with cotton clotheslines. It will also last longer since the cotton clothesline tends to break down in the sun.
However, the plastic coating on wire clotheslines also tends to break down and crack over time.
I typically need to replace my cotton clothesline once a year. They are fairly inexpensive to purchase, so I still see it as a bargain.
Here is what I recommend for a 100 ft pulley clothesline:
- 2 Steal Screw Hooks – Amazon | Home Depot
- 4″ Clothesline Pulley – Amazon | Home Depot
- 200′ Braided Cotton Clothesline Rope – Amazon | Home Depot
- 1 Clothesline Tightener – Amazon | Home Depot
- 100 Clothespins – Amazon | Home Depot
- 5-6 Clothesline Separators – Amazon | Home Depot
You may be able to find all or some of these supplies at your local hardware store, but I've noticed it has become more difficult for me to find clothesline supplies locally. Line drying clothes isn't as popular as it was 50 years ago, so most home improvement stores have stopped carrying the supplies.
Where to Put Your Clothesline
Selecting the proper location for your clothesline is a critical part of your installation. A popular and convenient location is a back deck, where the elevation will make it easy to keep the line off of the ground to prevent dragging clean laundry through the dirt.
Consider also how far you need to travel from your washing machine. You don’t want to carry a heavy laundry basket of wet clothes several hundred feet to get to your clothesline. Again, it’s a bonus if your laundry room is adjacent to an elevated deck or step for easy use of a clothesline.
You will also want a location that receives enough full sun to sufficiently dry your clothes. If you typically hang laundry in the morning, you’ll want to make sure the area gets morning sun. The same is true if you typically wash laundry in the afternoon.
Avoid overhanging branches to prevent accidental bird droppings from soiling your clean laundry.
Will your neighbors be able to view what is hanging on your clothesline? Would you rather choose a more private location?
Once you have determined approximately where your clothesline will be located and where you will stand to hang your laundry, consider where your second clothes line pulley will be located. This will be the end of your clothesline.
Is there a tree or pole where you can attach a pulley? You’ll need to be able to hang your second pulley level or higher than the first. The higher you can place the second pulley, the better your chances for keeping your laundry out of the dirt.
How to Hang a Clothesline
Hanging your clothesline is an easy process, but it does require the proper installation. It’s important to ensure it is convenient, but not in a high traffic area of your back yard since it will often have clean clothes hanging on it on nice days.
Hang Your Pulleys
Determine where you will hang your pulleys. You will have two anchor points to your clothesline. Most pulley clotheslines are less than 100 feet in length.
Your first pulley should be just above your head at the location where you will stand and hang laundry. You'll want to anchor the screw hook into a stud on your house. This is the beginning of your clothesline.
The other pulley should be 10 to 20 ft above the ground. Utility poles are a good option for hanging pulleys because you don’t have to worry about tree branches hanging above or shadowing your clothes.
You’ll want to use an electric drill to drill holes for your hooks. Then, angle your long screwdriver in the hook to act as a handle as you twist the screw into the hole. Once your hook is secure in your clothesline supports, you can attach the pulley.
Setting Up a Clothesline
Run your cotton clothesline through both pulleys, forming a loop.
This can be an easy process if you already have a clothesline and are replacing the rope. Tie one end of the new clothesline to your old clothesline, and pull the old clothesline through the pulleys until the new end comes back to you.
Stringing a new clothesline may require two people. You can string the line after your pulleys are hung on the hooks, but you may find it easier to run the rope through your pulleys before hanging them.
Make sure the lines are straight and will pull easily.
How to Install a Clothesline Tightener
Do you notice that your clothesline sags after use? Cotton clotheslines will stretch as more heavy wet laundry is hung on it.
To keep your clothesline from sagging, you’ll want to make sure the line is as tight as possible. This is difficult to do when you’re hand tying a knot.
A clothesline tensioner or tightener uses bearings to help you put tension on your clothesline. It will allow you to tighten your clothesline as the rope begins to stretch with use, even while clothes are still on the line.
With the loop end of the tightener facing away from the top of the clothesline, tie one end of the clothesline to the clothesline tightener with a secure knot. Thread the other end through the middle, between the bearings.
If you have any trouble threading the clothesline, try wrapping a little bit of duct tape around the end. Now grip the tightener with one hand and pull the clothesline with the other hand until taut.
When you’re using your clothesline, you’ll stand at the top pulley and load the clothesline starting at the tightener. Your clothesline is full when the tightener stops at the bottom pulley.
You will have to tighten the clothesline for the first several uses as it stretches. This is completely normal. The clothesline tightener will make it much easier for one person to do this by themselves. You can also tighten the clothesline while it is full of wet clothes.
Our first clothesline did not have a tensioner. Hubby and I could barely tighten the line with the two of us, especially while clothes were hanging on the line. I cannot recommend this device highly enough.
Hanging Clothes to Dry
Before hanging your laundry, wipe the clothesline down with a clean rag. I don’t recommend a washcloth because the clothesline tends to rub a hole in the fabric.
You'll want to have some type of clothespin bag to keep your clothespins easily accessible.
When pinning the laundry, fold some of the fabric over the clothesline before adding the pin. This will give the fabric a better grip on the clothesline and prevent it from falling to the ground when the wind blows.
You can also overlap your clothes slightly so they can share pins, and allow line space for more clothes.
Pants and shorts are easier to pin from the bottom with the waist hanging towards the ground.
Shirts should be buttoned and hung from the bottom.
Dark-colored clothes should be turned inside out to prevent fading.
Blankets and sheets should be folded in half over the line and pinned to prevent dragging.
Dealing with Stiff Laundry
Many people comment that they have a problem with stiff laundry after it has been hung on the clothesline. First of all, try running a cup of white vinegar during the rinse cycle to help rinse out any extra laundry detergent.
In addition to the vinegar, I also run my laundry through the clothes dryer for 10-15 minutes after I take it off of the line. This helps to make the fabric softer while also knocking off any dust and allergens that the clothes may have picked up outside.
This step is completely optional because I realize not everyone has an electric dryer. You may find it helpful if you do have a dryer available. You're still saving money compared to running a full cycle in the clothes dryer.
How Do I Install a Clothesline Separator?
Install a clothesline separator between clothing items every 10-20 ft to keep the clothesline from sagging too much. A long clothesline that is allowed to sag will cause the laundry to drag the ground, especially when it is wet.
Towels and jeans, which are heavier when wet, will need separators closer together than diapers and t-shirts.
A clothesline separator has two ends, one with a small pulley wheel, and one without. There is no “right way” to use a clothesline separator, but I find it’s easier to place the wheel over the top clothesline, then place the bottom line of the clothesline through the opening on the bottom of the separator. The separator will move with the clothes as the line is pulled.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Will screwing a hook into the tree damage it?
Most screws won’t hurt it. The only metal that could kill a tree would be copper, but you aren’t going to find too many hooks made from copper.
Where do you put the tightener in the line so that it doesn’t get trapped by line separators or pulleys?
On the bottom line. Start with the clothesline tightener at the end and put 1st line separator next to the tightener. When finished, it should be at the far pulley and the bottom line will be full of clothes.
Installing the line tightener on the bottom line will also make it easier to tighten the clothesline when it stretches.
You’ll only ever use the bottom half of your line.
Hang your clothes with the tightener nearest to you, then place a line separator next to the tightener and start hanging.
Add another separator about every 10-20 feet or as the line starts to sag. When the tightener gets to the furthest pulley, put another line separator next to the tightener to keep the line balanced.
What is a line separator?
Serves the dual purpose of holding the clothesline together and keeping it spaced apart. It prevents the line from getting twisted and deters the drying items from wrapping around the line.
By connecting the top of the looping line to the bottom, the line separator also reduces sag.
Is there a risk of a heavy line pulling from the house and making holes or worse?
When you hang the pulley, you need to make sure the hook is anchored into a wall stud.
Our hook on the house is pretty heavy and goes through the siding into a stud. It’s been able to handle a decent amount of wet laundry without pulling out.
What is a clothesline tension adjuster?
The clothesline tension adjuster keeps tension on the clothesline to adjust for stretched lines and prevent sagging that could soil laundry. It is install within the line, so it can be tightened without taking down the clothesline.
Conclusion
I hope that I've been able to answer your questions about how to hang a pulley clothesline. It can be challenging to hang your laundry out on a clothesline, but this article has helped outline some of the best ways to do it right!
We’ve covered how to install and maintain your own pulley system for hanging clothes as well as tips for drying clothes on a clothesline.
Now go grab something cold from the fridge while you put up these sheets!
How to Install a Clothesline with Pulleys
This tutorial will show you how to install your own DIY clothesline in your backyard. It’s an easy project with a few simple steps.
Materials
- 2 Steal Screw Hooks
- 4″ Clothesline Pulley
- 200′ Braided Cotton Clothesline
- 1 Clothesline Tightener
- 100 Clothespins
- 5-6 Clothesline Separators
Tools
- Electric Drill
- Ladder
- Long Screwdriver
Instructions
- Selecting a sunny location free of overhanging branches where privacy will not be a concern.
- Drill holes where you want to hang the the pulleys for the top and bottom of your clothesline. Use a long screwdriver to help screw the hooks into the holes. Hang the pulleys onto the secure hooks.
- Run the clothesline through the pulleys, forming a loop.
- Tie the clothesline tightener to the end of the clothesline coming from the bottom pulley. Pull the clothesline coming from the top pulley through the bearings in the center of the tightener. Pull the clothesline tight. Tie off the end of the clothesline. You can trim the clothesline if there is considerable excess.
- Use clothespins to hang wet laundry on your newly installed clothesline. Utilize clothesline separators every 10-20 ft to keep the clothesline from sagging.
Recommended Products
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Are you looking for more ways to reduce your reliance on disposable products, save money, and be more self sufficient? Check out: 8 Ways to Become a Producer Instead of a Consumer
You may also be interested in saving money by making your own laundry detergent. Check out my recipe: Borax Free Powdered Laundry Detergent
Hi! I am considering trying this out of a window. The back of our house is second story and I think it would work well elevated off the ground. The issue I’m curious about is would it be too uncomfortable to hang the laundry on the line put a window? Do you have any experience with this? Thanks!
It's doable, but I don't know how comfortable it would be. It could be difficult to do with any laundry longer than your arm, such as blankets. And I'm afraid of heights, so there's that factor. LOL
I hope you still see this comment so many years after the original post! I’m DYING to hang a clothesline between two of my trees, I have the perfect spot. But. I must be incredibly challenged as I am totally confused when it comes to your directions..like the line tightener installation, running through the pulleys etc Well basically all of it haha I am a high level visual person and am totally disheartened trying to understand this. You don’t happen to have pictures of installing the tightener, how it “falls” on the clothesline, but he separators or anything to help a dumb gal out do you? Thanks so much!
I get it, and I'm sorry it's taken me so long to create videos for this blog post. If it doesn't rain today (crossing my fingers), I'll get a video hanging my laundry on the clothesline so you can see how everything works together. I'll be sure to embed it here and post it on my YouTube channel.
My pully system was installed so that the nearest pully is attached to a metal pole. The gismo attached to the pole has a rope which can be pulled up the post to raise and lower the level of the pully. I need to re-install a new line, but cannot snake it through, as the line (not the pull rope) came out when it broke. How do I string this contraption?
Hi Sheila. We can't seem to picture out your question. Could you send a photo or something to show us what you are talking about on this email: [email protected]
Excellent instructions......I appreciate your efforts on this.....
I really need to start hanging clothes! We live in the sunshine state and are a family of seven, so I imagine this would really help with the electric bill. A pulley system just makes everything seem like less of a hassle.
I need to hang a new clothesline this year. I had one for years but last year I hung my quilt and it became very windy and pulled everything out and sent it sailing. I could not believe it, the wind was incredible that day though. I didn't rehang and really missed it the last month of summer. That fresh air smell can't be beat by any product available.
Thank you for these detailed and easy-to-follow instructions.
I currently have a retractable clothesline, but I am wanting to upgrade to a pulley. I would like to move the line to a different location and I think the pulley will make it much better!
My husband and I did all the things and we just can’t get the line to stop sagging, even with the line tightener. We are about to give up. We are using the pulley system with the line tightener and spacers. It seems we have done everything right and we can barely hang any clothes . What are we doing wrong? Is our line too long maybe? We can’t figure it out
Hi Emily. If you found your clothesline sagging, you have to pull a lot of line through the tightener at first. It will stretch a lot. Just keep pulling through until it stops sagging.
Thank you for this giveaway! My husband promised a clothes line when we moved to our new home last year and this would be an amazing solution. These spring-like days often have a bit of wind that keeps blowing my drying rack over so I am definitely looking forward to getting a clothes line soon!
Bonnie, Nothing smells as fresh as sheets that have been blowing in the wind! Thank you for reminding me of that -- along with all the other pros for hanging a clothesline.
I miss the smell of fresh air in my laundry!
The Clothesline Tightener information is the clincher for me. Now I know I can make a clothesline work!
I'm so glad I could help. 🙂
Awesome giveaway!
Great post!! Love your website!!
Your post on clotheslines is so helpful! I just bought a house and am looking forward to installing a clothesline. Thank you!
My grandmother had a clothesline and I have great memories of her hanging out the clothes to dry and sometimes running outside to get them if it started raining!
I'm convinced that my chance of rain greatly increases after I hang clothes on the line. LOL
Great ideas and tips. I had a clothes line at our previous house but we need to install one at our new place.
It would be WONDERFUL to start hanging clothes outside again. There's nothing like fresh blown laundry. Thank you!
Great detailed instructions! My 'to-do' list just gained another entry 🙂
For years, there were no trees from which to hang clothesline. Now, we have a second building and this pulley system would be ideal. Thank you for the article!
Been thinking of doing this for a while now. Thanks for the info. Would love to win the materials to do it with.
It's really easy to install and a great way to save money.
We had a clothesline when I was growing up and I loved it! I wish we had a non-dusty location for one now.
That part is tough. We have some dust, but I also run my laundry through the drier for a few minutes after I take it off of the clothesline.
I've been hanging my laundry for years and I love it! I want a pulley but not sure when I can get it.
I definitely like having a pulley.
I am currently in France and which I had one now. I do have a frame that I can hang items on - but tough for drying sheets
It is great for sheets and blankets.
I hope you are still checking comments on here. I have a couple of questions
The clothes line tension adjuster. Is this in line, part of the clothes line or is it set up off of the line somehow? If it is set up as part of the line itself would it be put on the line so that when you have hung all of the clothes on the tensioner is positioned at the bottom of the clothes line where you are standing to hang laundry. So, when you start hanging laundry to tensioner is positioned at the bottom of the second wheel.
How do the line separators work? I think that the line separators are already attached to the bottom of the line using the wheel and ass needed the open side is attached to the upper line and travels up the line being pushed by the laundry directly behind it. Is this accurate?
My questions probably seem stupid to some people but hey, we live in a digital world and this is definitely an analog solution. Just want to make sure I get it right the first time because you can’t reboot a clothes line Hahaha
Oh yes, I still check all of my comments. 🙂
If you wanted the clothesline tensioner to be where you stand when you're finished hanging laundry, then you would need to install it on the top line of the clothesline. It would be at the bottom pulley when you start hanging laundry, and end at the top pulley when you're done. However, I have mine installed on the bottom line so it starts at the top pulley and ends at the bottom pulley. I don't generally tighten it while clothes are on the line because the line is so heavy, but if I do then I need a ladder to reach it while it's only about half full.
I keep my line separators in the basket with my clothespins. When I need one, I put the wheel end on the top line and hook the other end on the bottom line. Some loads of laundry need more separators than others like jeans and towels.
Definitely not stupid questions. I am very much a visual learner, so I understand where you're coming from. It can be difficult to imagine if you've never done it before. I need to do a couple videos showing how to install the clothesline as well as how to hang laundry.
Thanks for this post and for continuing to reply to comments even years later! I am about to put up this style of clothesline in my small garden in England, but with a pvc-coated line since cotton would moulder and rot in our damp weather. Normally here people just tie up their lines but because I have a very muddy garden and two little kids, I want the American pulley kind so I can stand on the patio and hang things up. Thanks for the information, very helpful!
Glad I could help. I get a lot of wet weather too, and the cotton line does tend to mold after a while. I end up replacing it every couple of years. Thanks for stopping by!
Hi,
I know I'm a few years late, but I'm hoping you can give me some tips on how you anchored the pulley to the house. It looks like you have siding (me too) and I'm trying to figure out the best and most solid way to anchor the pulley into the house.
Thanks!
Hi! You definitely need to make sure you anchor your hook into a wall stud. The hook we use is pretty heavy and goes through the siding into a stud. It's been able to handle a decent amount of wet laundry without pulling out. Hope that helps.
Thanks! 🙂
I don't understand the "line separator". Can you post a picture of that?
I'll try to get a video of me hanging laundry today. That may be the easiest way to demonstrate its use. You can also click on the link and see what one looks like on Amazon.
Thanks. I clicked the link, looked at the picture and understand now! Question about attaching one end to the house: Is there a risk of a heavy line pulling from the house and making holes or worse?
This is a popular question lately, I guess I need to update my post to address it. When you hang the pulley, you need to make sure the hook is anchored into a wall stud. Our hook on the house is pretty heavy and goes through the siding into a stud. It's been able to handle a decent amount of wet laundry without pulling out. Hope that helps.
We used this post to build ours and I love it! Thank you. One design question: where do you put the tightener in the line so that it doesn't get trapped by line separators or pulleys. We have it right now at the Top line, far end. But if I use line separators, it gets stuck as soon as it gets to one, so I cannot use my whole line.
I have mine on the bottom line. I start with it at my end and put my first line separator next to the tightener. By the time I finish, it is at the far pulley and my bottom line is full of clothes. If you're starting with it on the top by the far pulley, it should be a similar concept. You'll only ever use the bottom half of your line. With the tightener at the far end, put a line separator next to the closest pulley and start hanging your clothes. Add another separator about every 10-20 feet or as the line starts to sag. When the tightener gets to the closest pulley, the first clothes you hung should be at or close to the far pulley. Put another line separator next to the tightener to help hold the line up. Hope that helps.
Liz - I am working for a new television series, and we are currently looking to feature someone who uses a clothesline in Brooklyn. Do you still have yours? I would love to talk with you more about the show. Please e-mail me for details: [email protected]
Do you think screwing a hook into a tree could damage it?
Most screws won't hurt it. The only metal that I know of that could kill a tree would be copper, but you aren't going to find too many hooks made from copper.
how do you attach the far end if you can;t get to it?
say the tree is too high, you can;t get up there
or it has to be on some building across the street?
is there some clever rope or knot trick that makes it work ?
wle
We had to use a ladder to attach the far end of ours to a tree. I'm sure something could be engineered if a ladder wasn't available, but solutions would be on a case by case basis.
I have a clothesline in Brooklyn, NY similar to the one that Richard describes...a tall ladder-like pole behind the house has pulleys for each of three apartments. I've used my line every summer for 14 years. About 5 years ago my husband replaced the line. I don't know how he managed it, since one can't reach the pulley suspended from the pole. My husband has since passed away and I need to replace the line again. I was thinking I'd tie the new line to one end of the old and snake it through the pulleys. Any idea if that's the best way to do it? Any suggestions appreciated!
I was also trying to find an easy was to replace a fraying line. I rather not need to climb a ladder to reach the line. In the past, my mom would sew the end of the new line to the old line, while I held the lines to keep them from dropping. And then we would slowly pull the new line throughout, and cut off the old line once you come full circle. But I now need to do it myself, and was wondering if anyone had an easier way to attach the two lines. I once tried duct tape, but that does not hold.
Thanks for the useful info!
I had a similar problem. One of the pullys was in a high place. It was put there 40 years ago and would be unreachable now. I sewed the new line to the old line. I used heavy duty (but thin) linen thread and a large needle that I use for bookbinding. I sewed it really well which took about 10 minutes. Then I taped the sewn area with a small amount of duct tape and tried to make it flexible. By the way I sewed the new line to the old top line so that I'd be pulling downward. I waited until I was calm and it worked!
I've had to do that a few times. Works great.
I just had to replace my line this year. I was able to tie the two lines together, although you'll have to make sure the knot is small enough to fit through the pulley.
Both my grandmothers had pulley-clotheslines. One GM had hers in the backyard of her one-family house. The other GM lived in a four-family house with back stoops next to the driveway.
A utility pole off one end of the house supported clothes lines from all four "flats."
The second story "stoops" were enclosed, each with a side-hinged window next to the clothesline pulley.
For the sake of propriety, "unmentionables" (lingerie) were hung inside pillow cases.
I put up a clothesline when we moved to this big, old one family house in 1970. I cadged a sawn-down utility pole which I erected with the help of pals.
Hi Bonnie, I have a question for you. I love my clothes line and installed one just like yours about a year ago. My problem now however is that I am finding it needs to be tightened up just a bit but I cant seem to be able to now pull my line through the tightner. Even with two of us working together it just wont budge. Because its been over a year I cant recall if squeezing the spring loaded center part is necessary for pulling the rope through. I cant seem to make it budge either...even using plyers to squeeze it.
Honestly, I'm not sure why you're having that issue. Do you have the same tightener I use? I'm able to hold the tightener with one hand and pull the rope through with the other. Your tightener may be corroded, which is why it's stuck in place. If that's the case, you'll probably need to replace it.
I love my clothesline and the smell of freshly dried clothes from the line. I never thought about a pulley system...just might have to change mine. Thanks for linking up to the All Star Block Party.
Holly
Thanks for stopping by! The pulley system makes it so easy. I love being able to stand in one spot while I hang my laundry.
I've got to get hubby on this.... I want a clothesline so much ..nothing like the smell of freshly hung sheets.. love it!
thanks for linking up with the ALL STARS BLOCK PARTY and sharing.....
Carri
simplydonewright.blogspot.com
Thanks for stopping by! Everything also feels so much more fresh after it's been hung on the line. Plus, it's great for keeping stains out of my whites.
I have always had clothes lines at my houses, and my parents, too! It is so nice when the weather permits! I have fond memories of playing between the rows of sheet and towels when I was a kid!
Blessings,
Susie
Same here. My parents and grandparents both has clothes lines. I'm sad to hear that some HOAs don't allow people to have clothes lines. Makes me all the more glad to live in the country.
I've hung out my laundry for years. It started with simply trying to save a little money (and it does) but I find the time spent hanging clothes is very peaceful. Just me and my thoughts:)
I agree, it's very therapeutic.
I have been begging my husband but the idea overwhelms him. We rent and I think he's just fearful of all it would entail. Can not wait to show him your post! hopefully he'll change his mind! 🙂
What's meant by top pulley and bottom pulley in regards to the line tensioner?
The top pulley is the one nearest to where you'll stand while hanging the laundry. The bottom pulley is the one furthest to you that the clothesline will travel towards.
So, how did it go with hubby? It's a very simple project. I hope he felt a little more at ease about it. 🙂