Bath Towels - Are Yours Soft and Fluffy?

The title of this post is identical to that of a Good Housekeeping article from the early sixties.  It caught my attention because the answer to that question is no, my bath towels are not soft or fluffy.  They're that weird matted down-worn out kind of towel that makes you wonder if it's actually soaking up any water at all.  It's really probably just time to buy new towels, but money is tight so I figured I'd see if the experts at Good Housekeeping could help me out.  Here's what they say:

"If you use a washing machine at home, it is easy to launder a load of bath towels; but can you get them soft and fluffy, and luxurious, the way you like them?"

No, I can't, housewifery gurus!  Teach me your ways!

"The only way to accomplish this is to shake the towels vigorously before hanging them on the line.  It is easier if two people shake, so perhaps your young child would like to help you."

Two problems with this: 1. I have no clothesline, and there's absolutely no way I'm hanging towels in the -2 degree weather we're having today.  They (and I) will freeze before they're even hung up.  2. I have no young child to help me.  I KNEW I should have procreated!  Drat. 

Luckily, it seems like the young child thing is optional.  Also, Good Housekeeping must have realized that not all of us have the luxury of clotheslines, so a few paragraphs down they have a section on "Drying Clothes Indoors." 

"It's no fun to hang clothes outdoors when your hands are freezing and the clothes stick to the line, and they won't dry well, anyway!  On cold, stormy days, find some place - a corner of your basement or even a play or recreation room - where you can hang your clothes conveniently."

But Good Housekeeping lady, I don't have a basement OR a playroom!  What am I to do?  I tried reading on, but the rest of the paragraph was no help:

"If clothes are properly washed and thoroughly rinsed, they'll be as white as when hung outdoors.  However, the wind's billowing of the clothes does help to take out wrinkles, so shake your wash when you resort to indoor drying."

Great, thanks.  More shaking.  With my small child.  I know.

The only place I could find to hang them was over the shower rod, so hopefully Rex doesn't need to take a shower tonight (both because I don't want him to destroy my "drying for fluffiness" project and also because he will not have any towels to use because I'm washing them).

Here's hoping that they turn out fluffy!