The Insider: How to dry laundry indoors

(Alamy)

I'm tumble-dryer-free (and amid such insane electricity prices, we're probably all tumbling less) and have no utility room nor large bathroom – which means a kitchen clogged with drying clothes. There must be a better way...

Above and beyond High ceilings?

I love the trap-door above the bath approach (where a hatch houses a pull-down airing rack) in Terence Conran's out-of-print The House Book. A chippie could knock one up; contact me if you'd like a scan of the relevant page to copy.

Hooked in

Rather than plastic-coated contraptions hooked over radiators, get a smart, birch version – plus shelf to make it a multi-purpose feature. £85, clothesairerstore.co.uk

Turn the tables

Sleeker still, Poppy Norton of babystylefile.com showed me Alex Bradley's side-table-cum-airer. £220, alexbradleydesign.co.uk

Sitting pretty

Norton also suggests a space-saving storage idea: hide dirty clothes in a stool/bench/ottoman/chest which you can also sit on. Check eBay for eclectic cheapies, while Poppy tips the M3 at finnishdesignshop.com, at £140.

Bath time

If you have walls at either end of your bath, Wenko's telescopic pole, £9.95 at amazon.co.uk (and some clothes hangers), could do the trick above the tub. A shower curtain will conceal drying smalls. Wenko also does a cleverly flexible over-bath rack, priced £49.99.

Hang tough

A ceiling airer would be good, but I'd only seen flimsy or Victoriana (wrong in my modern, boxy pad). But after much hunting, I found the Kitchen Maid Gismo at castinstyle.co.uk. If only it could emerge from a trap door...

Find Kate's blog on affordable interiors at yourhomeislovely.com