Neighbour and my washing

[insan1tyscartching]

Don't have much to do with neighbour generally, say hello if we meet and pop a Christmas card through her door so it was strange for her to shout to me over the back garden fence when I was pegging out the second line of washing today.
She says that my constantly having washing out spoils the enjoyment of her garden as there is constant movement and noise from flapping clothes and so she wanted to know if I could have a day or two every week where I didn't peg out.
I was gobsmacked tbh and trying not to laugh but explained that with seven in the family there is a lot of washing and drying to be done and I like to take advantage of the drying days so planning days not to peg out wasn't really possible but come October I rarely peg out anyway as garden is mostly shade then so not much longer for her to be bothered now anyway. But of course come October she won't want to sit in the garden then anyway.
So AIBU to peg lines of washing out when neighbour wants to sit in her garden? For clarity there are no small children here so no noise in the garden otherwise and other than cutting the grass and me pegging out our garden isn't used so it's not that we do anything that might disturb her if she's in the garden anyway.

peg your washing out , seeing washing on the line is all part of summer!!

Lilith - simply an attempt to think about why a person would make these comments. I don't disagree or agree - there's not enough info to make an informed decision either way.

It is every day, however, and the OP did say there's lots of it and they live in a very quiet area.

The main reason I commented was to remind people that everyone's different and there may be other factors. And I was shocked at the nastiness of some comments.

I think on the whole I'm really considerate tbh. FWIW any underwear, risque or otherwise, is pegged out of sight of her garden so I'm sure I haven't offended her in that respect.
I can't help the fact that I have lots of washing to dry and the best way to dry it is outside. There is none out this morning but of course it's raining, when it clears there are two loads ready to peg out but that's how it is. I'm sure that she must have had to peg out more than once or twice a week when she had her four dc at home but I suppose you soon forget what life is like with a big family.
I expect the weather will be breaking up soon anyway so won't be pegging out that regularly then in any case which hopefully will ease the situation. I don't want to upset her and if I felt that she was reasonably annoyed by something I'd put it right but on the nuisance neighbour front lines full of drying laundry doesn't even register in my book.

mammamic Fri 16-Sep-16 11:03:17 The main reason I commented was to remind people that everyone's different and there may be other factors.

Yes there may be other factors. I wonder what factors would prevent them from simply sitting with their back to the washing.

Seriously, OP, just ignore the daft mare. You have every right to hang washing - bedding, clothes, undies, whatever - out in your garden whenever the weather allows. If she has a problem with that she can log it with 101 gtf. Don't give her insane grumblings another thought.

Cheeky cow. I would of launched a freshly washed pair of knickers at her head

Doris you are a gem!

Tragically, she thinks that's a perfectly reasonable request!! Smile sweetly at the crazy lady next door and carry on pegging out your family's laundry. Sounds like she has an empty life to me.

I cannot believe your neighbour even had the cheek to ask and the fact that she thought it was a perfectly reasonable request. I echo what other people said it is perfectly normal and reasonable to hang washing out in your own garden in the UK. She is being completely unreasonablel.

I've changed my mind now. I reckon if you think she's lonely you shold invite her for coffee or something.

Yes I know people will think this is ludicrous/a batshit MN answer, but I have irritatingly loud neighbours (visitors comment on it; it's not just me beig intolerant!) and when I'm more depressed it's more irritating. But their DC are so lovely (don't know how they've done it tbh) that although I mutter obscenitites when the noise gets above a certain level I secretly miss them despite the peace when they are on holiday!.. I dunno, it's probably something to do with give and take in a community? Putting up with things that irritate you when it involves people you have a connection with?

I have a very noisy silver foil sensory sheet if you'd like to peg that on your line for a day. Yanbu she is bonkers

Just tell your neighbour that you peg out your washing and lo and behold the blasted wind starts moving it about. In spite of trying you have never had any luck in stopping the blasted wind. Perhaps she could have a go and if she is lucky then that will solve the problem and you will be forever grateful.

"I think on the whole I'm really considerate tbh. FWIW any underwear, risque or otherwise, is pegged out of sight of her garden so I'm sure I haven't offended her in that respect.
I can't help the fact that I have lots of washing to dry and the best way to dry it is outside. There is none out this morning but of course it's raining, when it clears there are two loads ready to peg out but that's how it is. I'm sure that she must have had to peg out more than once or twice a week when she had her four dc at home but I suppose you soon forget what life is like with a big family."

OP you do sound very nice and we can all tell you are considerate.

I do think you could help having so much laundry though. To be clear: I am not saying you should change a single thing. However: we do have a degree of control over how much laundry we do. Pyjamas worn more than one night in a row, that sort of thing.

Basically, I think she is struggling to understand the sheer volume of washing there is because in her day, she and her family probably owned a lot less clothes, might have shared beds, changed bedding less frequently, et cetera.

You've also said that you don't use the garden for laundry when the weather changes. So I assume you have an alternative, indoor drying system.

Again: I am not saying you should change a thing about the way you do things. BUT: from your neighbour's perspective, she has compromised up til now by not saying anything for at least a few years [I assume from your mention of xmas cards in your OP]. Rightly or wrongly, it's clearly taken a lot for her to summon the courage/energy/whatever to make this request of you. And despite what people on here are saying, she is not suggesting that you never use your garden for laundry. She has asked you to meet her less than halfway, by leaving one or two days without laundry.

I'm just saying, it would be worthwhile trying to see it from her point of view. It doesn't sound like she has been hostile or rude to me. She is hoping that, if it's not of too much inconvenience to you, maybe things could change a little, because perhaps it hadn't occurred to you that it was impacting on her. I reckon anyway!

Obvs if she was rude about it then it changes things somewhat) x

Yes compromise - ask if you could use her washing line instead. Problem solved.

I like DeadGood's post. I assume you live in the UK. Your neighbour has said that your laundry is noisy because it is socially awkward to say that having to look at someone else's washing every sunny day is getting her down. I sort of know what she means, even though I approve of drying clothes outside (good for the environment etc).

When my husband lived in his old flat, there was a rule that no washing could be hung on balconies. So he hung his shirts up on the curtain rail. Until a neighbour complained to the apartment manager that it was spoiling their view.

Dead good post Dead Good.

Ask her what days wash free she prefers and say you will dyb to comply subject to the exigencies of weather.

If I was neighbour I would simply take up bonfires, BBQs and fish smoking in the garden.

An example of Hell is Other People!
A rather posh work colleague considered it 'wrong/uncouth' to peg underwear outside!
This same woman wore her nursing uniform two days running! That was more wrong
I love line dried clothing, the daylight bleaches and sterilises too.

I considered that 'wrong'

She says that my constantly having washing out spoils the enjoyment of her garden as there is constant movement and noise from flapping clothes
That should win the prize as "most bonkers neighbour request" EVER.

When you hang out the next load say to your neighbour "I've asked the little sheets to keep the noise down".

That should win the prize as "most bonkers neighbour request" EVER
Have you read this thread Hope?

I think the OP's neighbour should go and live in this OP's house
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/2760113-Or-are-my-neighbours-complete-IDIOTS?msgid=64408701

Wtf