We have restrictive covenants that prohibit clotheslines, but I use one anyways. I think it makes more sense to do what we can to save energy than to have everything "perfect" to the eye. However, we have a retractable clothesline that strings from one end of the deck to an adjacent tree and it's not visible from the road or anyone else's backyard. I don't have any junk in my yard and I took my Christmas lights down in January.
teehee
cj/