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10:29 pm
Councillor
Tue 22-Sep-09
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Hi All,
I just came in from hanging out another load of clothes on the line, and much to my dismay, my clothes line prop fell over and all of my towels were in the grass. Its not the grass that bothers me, its what may be in the grass, if I fall behind in my "dog bomb patrol"........
After looking online to find prop ideas, (Take a stick and cut a notch in it! How revolutionary!) I was wondering if anyone had a prop design that didn't fall over when the wind picks up.
Also, does anyone have any tips or tricks when you hang out your laundry to make it quicker, easier, etc?
If you can't be a shining example, be a terrible warning!
9:32 am
Sat 12-Aug-06
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It's a bummer when that happens, Michelle. We have a rotary type that has survived for goodness knows how many years. Some of the strands have snapped but it just keeps going and never falls over. We forget to remove the clothes pegs every winter and every spring they crack at first use as a result - the plastic ones that is.
The only tips I have are (1) sock management: always hang them in matching pairs and (2) do you double dip? I mean one peg for a pair of socks and each item shares a peg with the next one in line.
Growing up, years ago, we had a conventional clothes line in the field nearest to the house. One day we had hired help in to assist with drawing manure from the midden by the cowshed to the top field. His name was Pa and he enjoyed driving the donkey and cart to and fro. The donkey got fed up on one return leg and bolted down the hill. Pa was a Ben Hur figure standing up in the cart as it hurtled towards the clothes line, which caught him in the neck and catapulted him out the back of the cart. He was unhurt but it was a hilarious scene.
(I never thoght I would see the day when I would be contributing to a topic about hanging out washing 
)
Never knowingly underfed
12:41 pm
Supreme Being
Mon 21-Sep-09
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I wish you would teach my neighbour Michelle that is perfectly okay to be American and hang out washing and that apart from collapse of clothes lines nothing bad will happen to the clothes. 
Having lived in America for a couple of years I know that not everyone hangs out clothes, in fact I think I only had one friend who did and that was in dry Colorado. I used to hang washing inside to humidify the air. The guys who installed our washing machine could not believe I wasn't buying a drier 
. I thought this article was funny and wasn't sure if it was a joke or not but I guess there are lots of people who really have no clue.
Having a peg bag makes things easier and mine is similar to this one , my neighbours though all have their pegs on a string around their neck which works too. Anything which means your not having to bend down all the time to pick up pegs is good.
1:03 pm
Enthusiast
New members
Sat 12-Jun-10
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Yesterday I found my white bedlinen was gayly sweeping the floor because my prop had fallen. Admittedly my prop is a pine pole with a "Y" at the top and does have a bit of a bend in the middle so I could not expect too much of it but it is annoying.I thought of putting a piece of rubber on the bottom so that it cannot slip on the travertine tiles or moving the line to the garden and putting a spike in the bottom of the prop. I will try the rubber first.
It is so lovely to be able to put washing outside to blow....the smell is one of the best.
The more people I meet, the more I love my animals!
3:41 pm
Councillor
Tue 22-Sep-09
Offline
LOL Danny, could Pa talk after that hit?
Yes, I do try to hang the socks out in pairs, but that was a "Ah Ha" moment that took a while. Probably since when I hang out clothes, I usually forget them and then have to scramble and take them in after dark.
Joanna, that is too funny! I detect a hint of sarcasm in the writers tone. Well, anything that is solar has to be cool!
I'm not sure where the negative image comes from for hanging out clothes for Americans. All I can figure is people don't want to look at someones underwear flapping in the breeze. Me personally, I hang multiple lines and put the underwear in the middle, so hopefully it disguises it some.
I know lots of homeowner associations have rules against it, I think the idea is it brings down the tone of the neighborhood. What is prettier on a summer day than a line of sheets flapping in the breeze? Some of the junk cars, and obnoxious children are definitely worse in my book.
Sandy, I'm with you, I love the smell of fresh laundry. I even like "scratchy" towels, they give my back a little scrub when I'm drying off.
The rubber for the tip of your prop is a good idea. Depending on how big it is, maybe you can find a crutch or a cane tip to slip on there to keep it in place?
I was thinking more about the prop I need, and I was wondering if I should switch to a wider board and then slightly round off the end of the board, so it rolls instead of falls? Where is Mutley, he could probably come up with an answer for me in a second.
If you can't be a shining example, be a terrible warning!
7:41 pm
Supreme Being
Mon 21-Sep-09
Offline
I can't quite picture that Michelle, have you got a picture or a diagram?
I was thrilled when I was in the US to find out that a recent law or whatever actually prevented homeowners associations from the banning of putting out washing. Mind you I rarely did in Colorado, the clothes got too baked outside and like I said before were great for humidifying the house. I couldn't get over the fact that people a) had driers and b) had humidifiers - both of which cost money where as drying the clothes in the house was free
7:53 pm
Supreme Being
New members
Mon 7-Jun-10
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I think the secret is to have the line taut enough so that even without a prop they don't touch the floor. The prop just sends them up into the breeze. Mine is a tree branch with a natural fork in it. The other thing is to have it attached to the line so that it can't fall...just a thought.
Who lives long sees much : The diary of my life in Bulgaria
8:51 pm
Enthusiast
New members
Sat 12-Jun-10
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A taut line is a good idea if you are taller than 5 foot. I have a line on a pulley but when it is full it is heavy and I cannot pull it up high enough to clear the ground without my wonky prop.There is the saying that all good things come in small packages but oh boy is it a bother being tiny when it comes to reaching things. It sounds as though Joanne can identify with this. I must look for a straighter tree before I try the rubber thing!
Having lived in the middle east for 30 years I know that hot air does not make for great drying...everything ends up like boards.I had to give up on terry nappies for fear of taking all the skin of our youngests bot.There was no such thing as fabric softener then.
The more people I meet, the more I love my animals!
9:33 pm
Supreme Being
Thu 24-Sep-09
Offline
I am only 5 foot tall too. I know what you mean about reaching things. One of my real moans is the way supermarkets do not cater for short people. I watched someone struggle the other week to reach a shelf and she worked there. She had been given a job she couldn't manage as she was my height, so what hope do I have to reach the top shelf. I have to say the lady and myself had a laugh about it and then she cleverly got a very nice young man to help her put things on the shelf. Mmmm I might try that tomorrow when I am in town.
Old teachers never die, they just lose their class
9:44 pm
Councillor
Tue 22-Sep-09
Offline
Air dried washing is bliss. I really yearn for the days in Spring when it will be warm and blustery enough for washing to dry, this winter I had to resort to the tumble dryer. I watch the weather forecasts and do my washing when the weather is right to get it to dry, one of the pleasures of being retired is washing and drying not being such a chore.
Socks have their own ikea airer to hang on individually when it is warm, in winter they go on the hot pipes....
I'm OCD about my coloured pegs,the dark blue ones are for socks.
I know, I need to get out more.
Kateuk makes things at http://www.etsy.com/shop/finkstuff and sometimes she does this too http://www54paintings.blogspot.com/ and also this http://finkstuff.weebly.com/
10:48 pm
Supreme Being
Thu 24-Sep-09
Offline
OCD about pegs!! Oh Kate what can I say!!! Yes you need to get out more
But you are so creative.
It must be that you need order in some parts of your life ( just not pegs eh ) 
Old teachers never die, they just lose their class
12:40 am
Supreme Being
Wed 30-Dec-09
Offline
Ok, Kate, have to ask - why the dark blue ones for socks?
........ and yes, you should get out more ...
but you know, when you're retired, you can do just as you please!
5:55 am
Supreme Being
New members
Mon 7-Jun-10
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When I went to buy my new washing machine for BG, there were so many to choose from. My criteria...a 1200 spin cycle for winter...the man in the shop said....800, 1000... normal. No, for me the faster the better and in winter....round my woodburner....dry in quicksticks. He didn't get the point though....maybe a man thing..
Who lives long sees much : The diary of my life in Bulgaria
7:33 am
Supreme Being
Mon 21-Sep-09
Offline
You live in Scotland Danuta where it can be wet and so a clothes drier or in our case in a damp autumn a dehumidifier that also dries clothes is just about essential but not in dry Colorado. So forgiven! 
Yep Sandy 4 ft 11 and 3/4 inch to be absolutely correct!
As far as drying in hot areas I find overnight is best, and take them in just after the dew has lifted. Vinegar also helps to soften and freshen clothes (sorts out my hubby's cycling stuff - enough said)
1:49 pm
Councillor
Tue 22-Sep-09
Offline
Well, the shocking pink, turquoise,yellow and lime green pegs look so jolly on the washing line, so the boring dark blue pegs get to hang up the boring black socks.
When I'm hanging up my multicoloured socks the blue really looks rather lovely...so my OCD peg habit is actually probably down to aesthetics.
We won't mention the control freak side of it at all.
Off to hang up some washing now, I think today is a lime green day as some of the washing is red.
Kateuk makes things at http://www.etsy.com/shop/finkstuff and sometimes she does this too http://www54paintings.blogspot.com/ and also this http://finkstuff.weebly.com/
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