Two elements in this image, actually. One of which we set in motion a couple of months ago, and one that I just strung.
We had a clothesline until two winters ago, but the trees it was under leafed out so much it stopped being a very good spot: too much shade, too much stuff dirtying the laundry. This is one of those retractable clotheslines, attached to our shed (which still needs its barn doors – why is that when I look at a picture all I see is “things to do”?). Amie and I got all the laundry from one large wash hung up. Amie loves hanging clothes.
Still, I need to rethink it a little. There’s enough line in the roller to add a stretch, but the locking mechanism isn’t very food so the line sags quite a bit. But I want it to be retractable because this side of our yard – the “utilitarian area” with the firewood (off to the right) – gets quite a big of traffic.
In the background you can spot the other element. Our four chicks are two months old now.  Hopefully we’ll have eggs come September. Their coop needs a nest box, siding and paint.
Those green tendrils on the trellis? Hardy kiwi. The two plants are going absolutely wild.
In the UK I saw many folks fix saggy clotheslines by means of a forked stick – you hang the clothes, then in the middle of the line, you catch the rope with the forked end of the stick, and set the other end against the ground. No digging in required. Worked fine! Good luck :)