Washing Line protocol

Not many of my neighbours actually hang washing out - no idea how they manage - I laughed when I read the OP as I thought I was the only one who 'hid' underwear on the inner lines of the whirligig! Many year's ago I was told by a friend that underwear should be on the outer lines in order to make the whirligig whirl better or something, I could never bring myself to do it!

Tizliz that puts all the other protocol in the shade!

I used to feel I shouldn't put washing out on a Sunday, although I don't remember anyone saying that. I've got over it now.

My mother's neighbour told her she always knew it was going to be good weather, if my mum had her washing out. My mum always did her washing on a Wednesday as that was half day for my parents' small shop.

One rule for hanging out washing in our garden - peg it high enough that the dogs can't wee on it , think they have competitions

Even if I iron linen it soon looks a crumpled mess on sweaty me! I therefore don't buy anything that will need ironing, except for my bed linen which is cotton that I starch and iron to make it crisp.

You non ironers, I assume you don't wear cotton or linen trousers . You wouldn't be able to wear them if you did.

When you mentioned protocol, grandMattie, I thought it was going to be about BBQs and/or bonfires. I wish the neighbours would let me know when they are going to light up their charcoal jobbie to give me chance to take the washing in!

I always sort the washing before hanging it out so that it comes in ready for putting away (never ironed). Everything for the same drawer is together and things that hang are in the order I have them in the wardbobe i.e. tops in rainbow colour order then shades of blacks, whites and multicolour patterned, each colour light to dark - anal or what?
My mother once upset my children who hung out the washing when we were all on holiday together. She removed it all from the line and re-hung it so that the wind would blow into each garment. I still do that to this day. Also undies go on the unseen part of the line which is behind the shed.

It seems to be fairly universal that we hang tops from bottom and bottoms from tops. I hang socks by their toes,and usually try to hide my neighbour undies on the inside of the rotary line, so as not to upset the neighbours. I love drying the washing outside, and burying my nose in the sweet smelling laundry when I bring it in. I would hate to live in an apartment where there is no drying space in the fresh air.

I have a whirly full of washing at the moment. I arrange mine by lenght with the longest items in the middle. Sheets are hung on the inside by the hem but doubled up so the wind blows through. Then tops which are hung by the bottom. Mum always told me to hang bottoms by the waist but only the back so you get the effect of an open bag IYSWIM. I'm not over looked so the 'smalls' are hung on the outside.
D's ex would never let her hang their smalls outside.

I didn't realise you once couldn't Elegran. Was that a Scottish thing?

At least we can now hang out washing on a Sunday without the neighbours tutting!

When I lived in my last house I think the neighbours were too posh to hang.

I'm a Geordie girl grandMattie and have always hung my washing out to dry. I have no special place for anything and hang everything from bras, big knickers to DH's scabby oily rags from work.....and everything in between.

I love nothing more than hanging out and it's such a pleasure to see towels blowing in the breeze.

I always hang shirts, tee shirts from the bottoms so as not to get peg marks in the neck line.

Bottoms from top and tops from bottom for me too except for woolies and dresses which I fold over line and peg under the arms so that the peg marks don't pull the bottom out of shape.

Undies on lines reminds me of years ago, when I was young and thin enough to wear skimpy knickers,we had a knicker knicker in the area who duly knicked my best pair of knickers. While I was telling my DH about this outrage my 5 year old son dialled 999. The operator was not amused . We did notify the local police, however, and a few weeks later, having caught the culprit, the police brought round a case full of knickers for me to identify mine. At least they were all washed!

I hang shirts/tops at the underarm to stop peg creases where they can be seen and might (heaven forfend!) need to be ironed.

A friend had her next door neighbour ask her not to hang her undies on the line as it 'upset' her husband'

I never hang stuff outside now as the garden is too small to have a rotary line. I hang on the Molly in the utility room.

When I did hang washing out, I always hung from the bottom (both tops and bottoms but not tights or knickers obvs) I could never understand hanging trousers and skirts from the waist.

I follow the same pattern as desdemona. If you wear it on your bottom hang it from the top. It you wear it on the top hamg it from the bottom. Dresses? Usually on a hanger on the line on the rare occasion there is one . I also try to hide undies in the middle of the rotary line, that's a throw back to the time I worked from home and my office was at the back of the house. Didn't want clients sitting looking at my knickers! .

When my MiL was ill, my FiL did the housework and he pegged items by any part of them that came to hand. She was happy it was done at all, though.

In general, I hang all clothes by their waists. I used to pair socks as I hung them but one freezing day I thought, Why bother? I can pair them later inside in the warm. So I've done that ever since.

I hang the washing in whatever order it comes out of the basket!! I do however hang "tops from the bottom and bottoms from the top", not sure why but I heard the saying years ago and it kind of stuck with me!

I hardly ever iron anything at all, apart from my daughters school dresses.

grandMattie
I'm afraid I'm a bit anal about washing lines. Your MIL was wrong about shirts, you always hang shirts by the bottom that's to stop peg marks on the shoulder.
And you hang sheets by the hem so that you can fold them on the line ready for ironing. All underwear is hung together so there's no sorting to be done, just straight into the draw.
I obviously have to much time on my hands this morning writing all that. That's because my bloody back has gone again and I'm confined to the settee.