All "new to me" rules. I enjoyed them!

I learned those rules as a kid......and it drives me crazy to see my neighbor hang her unders and bras on the outside line. And she is 82. I guess they didn't have those rules where she grew up.

"You had to WASH the clothesline(s) before hanging any clothes - walk the entire
length of each line with a damp cloth around the lines"

And that is why I do not line dry my sheets and/or towels :)

Sorry, Carol, but mine often end up on the outside lines too. ;) Yep, I use a clothes line. year round! I don't even own a dryer.

If someone is bothered by my methods, they need to not look, or put up a privacy fence. ;)

Moni

Oh and I do believe that is how my mom got out sheets so crisp. We had a dryer in the cellar but she walked our clothes upstairs and outside. She also chose to buy a wringer washer when we had a more modern one. She never missed a stain or spot. She had a lot of pride and liked ironing as I do too.

Rob, how long did you think a clothesline was? It was the right thing to do and took 2 minutes I would imagine.

I did most of these when I was a youngster helping mom. Wish I could do it again. There's nothing like the fresh smell of air dried sheets and towels.

Linda_6 I have a front loading washer and wish I had a back yard. Things come out twisted and dingy. You remember times outside with your mom hanging clothes. I do too.

That you have to clean it at all should indicate why I won't. I'm old enough to have used a clothesline and remember well how long they are. That isn't it.

Ah yes....the clothesline. Love hanging clothes outside but current home is not allowed....boo! I do sometimes take my indoor drying rack outside and let clothes dry there but we have a lot of birds....well, re-washing is not something I prefer to do....and we have spiders so the clothes don't go outside too often.

I lived in an apartment in PA that had a HUGE clothesline on the roof deck just outside my back door. I loved hanging clothes out to dry there. It was on a pulley and man could I fill it up. I had an apartment sized portable washer and an apartment sized portable dryer but hung things outside as often as possible.

been there done that....wouldn't trade my dryer for all those stiff towels and sheets in the world

I never, ever use the dryer. The clothesline outside until the snow is too deep to get to it. The towels are not stiff but fluffy. If it's windy the clothes are fluffy.

In the winter I fill up the clothes rack and either stick it out on the balcony or just leave it inside.

I wipe the lines down with a rag first. Sometimes I hang the shirts by the bottom, sometimes at the top, but always on a seam. I never remember to hang the pants by the hem, I use 3 clothespins on the back waistband. Socks are usually hung at the top, but single ply. The toes and the band are too thick, so I put the pin on one band.

I don't hang sox or underwear. Sox and some underwear get spread out on a beach towel on the bed with ceiling fan on; they dry fast enough. Cotton underwear goes in the dryer. Pants get hung by the waistband on the clothesline. I don't pin two items with one pin because sometimes that leaves a wet spot. Never leave pins on the line, and wipe the line before clothes go on. I enjoy putting clothes on the line, especially when I open the gas bill.

Use my clothesline all through the summer until it gets too cold in the fall. Always wipe it down first! I always have a breeze where I am on a hill and the towels are nice and fluffy. I add fabric softener to the rinse water too. If rain is in the forecast for later in the day, I don't shAre the pins so the corners will dry faster.

oh yes I remember wash day! I would help mom with the the hanging of the clothes and the retrieval and the folding but I hated ironing and still do so I don't do it!

I think the reason my neighbor's underwear bother me so much is that I can "hear" my grandma commenting on it....and my mom making sure she kept our underwear on the inside lines. It is not the worst thing in the worst thing that has ever happened to me.

;) at you Carol!

I grew up with clothes lines, later had a dryer, and now, prefer the space to park my bicycle.

Jas, I also have a couple of indoor folding clothes racks for use in the winter. No need for a humidifier that way. :) Win, win.

Moni

I remember the clothespin bag that she pinned on the line. Forgot there was a pole that lowered and raised the line. I enjoyed the stories you have told. For me this centered around my mom and our early days together. Never had the opportunity to do this in my own home. Still had to fold sheets correctly so they lined up in the closet neatly. I didn't do it right and learned to washthem and put them back on the bed. Never encountered the dreaded emergency when I needed an extra set NOW. I took many of the things she taught me like ironing, embroidery, quilting and learning to sew well with me. Therefore had the opportunity as a city girl to do these things with other women and keep myself busy when alone. Thanks for sharing.

I still use a clothes line. I like hanging my clothes, and yes, I knew all of those rules. I used to like to iron but I don't any more...so I don't iron very much. If shirt is going to need ironing, I put it on a hanger to dry and if I can smooth the wrinkles out that way, then I won't iron it.

Marilyn_c I ironed all the way thru the recent evening Republican debates and had some wine too. Went quickly and looked for more.

Best money I ever spent was on my retractable clothesline for the back porch. I stumble around too much in the yard, so can't hang out there. I hang out sheets and towels, mostly. Love those stiff towels that absorb so much better!

I haven't used my dryer in years. Everything goes on an indoor drying rack and gets taken out of the washer as soon as it's done. Because I don't over use detergent, the clothes are not stiff. I shake them out and smooth them before putting on the rack. Haven't ironed in years either. There are a couple of my husband's shirts that could use it but he can iron.

Speaking of irons....that has me wondering where mine is,I haven't used it in so long!! :-)

Brought back memories of the pants stretchers used on my Dad's uniforms. Gotta keep that crease, y'know.

I remember those pants stretchers!!!! Sock forms too.....

Yes, I remember my brother's chinos went on one.

My good friend has 3 boys who were wash and wear kids and she and her husband's stuff went to the dry cleaners. Her poor kids were so deprived. My friend got out an iron when they were in about 4th grade and one boy said: look mommy is using the sewing machine.