To expect DH to install a washing line!

[LuckyWookie]

He’s been doing the back garden and has removed the twirly washing line to lay a new patio. Lovely. But he’s refused to put the twirly back because it’s unsightly and he wants to install a pergola anyway. And he says we can’t have a straight line either because the garden is terraced on a slope so it would be impossible to get a straight line. I said how am I supposed to dry clothes? He said use the tumble drier? Which horrifies me because my mum taught me it was only for emergencies as the electric costs too much! AIBU to expect my washing line back? And how do you install one when your garden isn’t flat?

You can get freestanding rotary clothes lines or clear a space in one of the flower beds.

What about the lines going across width ways between the 2 neighbouring fences? Install a post either side with the retractable washing lines and if they cross flower beds pop some stepping stones in so you can access without tredding on your flower beds?

‘Twirly’...

@LuckyWookie

We used to have the twirly on the patio, when it was sunny we moved the twirly and put out deckchairs. DH wants a proper outdoor sofa on the patio so there won’t be room for the twirly. And he wants to put a pergola with fairy lights over the top. I mean it would be lovely to have a proper seating area but I need to hang my washing out!

Sorted. Tie plastic washing line all around the pergola using cup hooks after you've tumble dried all his socks and jumpers to the size of a 6 year old.

I give it 24 hours before he installs another twirly.

I was just about to type what maddening has suggested - posts on either side of the garden. A removable rotary would be better, but at least it's a solution.

My garden is on a slope. We lost the whirlygig when we had the patio done, then we installed a retractable line on the wall and a pole at the other end. It makes no difference if the garden slopes! That’s what props are for, to hold up the line. Your DH is a knob.

Wait until he’s ready to sit out in the garden and drape wet washing on all the available seats and pegged to the sides of the pergola. Skip the spin cycle so they’re extra wet. You could even lay his clothes directly on the patio stones.

Any chance of a photo op? Or a sketch? Maybe that'd help us visualise a solution to your drying issue. Do you have a side return bit of wall that you could put a wall mounted dryer on? Would side to side retractable line work attached to the fence?

@Whaleandsnail6

I often put the clothes horse out with the clothes pegged on it if the kids are playing in the garden and I don't want the washing line up.

We have four maidens that we move around as the sun moves. You can’t beat a maiden or clothes horse.

We have a wall mounted one that is so easy to put up and away and looks neat when away on its casing. It's great!

www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B0023NU5F2?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title&tag=mumsnetforu03-21

Plus he’d be furious if I wrecked the patio he’s just installed

And you have every right to be furious that he unilaterally has removed your ability to hang out your washing. Why do his feelings trump yours?

I've a small garden and sm going to do this:
Big plastic flowerpot
Half full of quick dry cement
Plastic pipe, about 1in less in height than the height of flowerpot, sunk vertically in the middle, of a diameter just wide enough for the pole of the twirly line.
Once cement is dry, I'll fill the rest of the pot with compost and plant it up. Plants will hide pipe.
I think the only issue will be the weight of the pot - I'll have to put it in its permanent location before putting in the cement

Here you go OP

www.argos.co.uk/product/6188809?istCompanyId=a74d8886-5df9-4baa-b776-166b3bf9111c&istFeedId=30f62ea9-9626-4cac-97c8-9ff3921f8558&istItemId=ixitixiti&istBid=t&&cmpid=GS001&_$ja=tsid:59157%7Cacid:898-274-0554%7Ccid:9563031084%7Cagid:97151864126%7Ctid:pla-963124022157%7Ccrid:423211493187%7Cnw:g%7Crnd:9753639179697376335%7Cdvc:m%7Cadp:%7Cmt:%7Cloc:1006789&utm_source=Google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=9563031084&utm_term=6188809&utm_content=shopping&utm_custom1=97151864126&utm_custom2=898-274-0554&gclid=Cj0KCQjw--GFBhDeARIsACH_kdbK5nikWZKoI1L8MLddAmxQxyU34KnsQkMwJHkAoygS2AaJocFnmnEaAkgqEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

Get a base for twirly line, like one you would use for a big parasol. Just pick the heaviest you can find.

You can put one in a heavy base for an outdoor umbrella that's what we do.

Washing lines do spoil the aesthetics of a garden but what can you do. Needs must and all that.

Our garden goes over 4 terraces. We have a straight line. I mostly only use the bit at the bottom. I also have a couple of airers. I use the tumble dryer the rest of the time as it cuts down massively on ironing.

We have a wall mounted one on the back of the garage.

We also have a retractable line for sheets etc and I've just bought a freestanding rotary dryer on FB for £5. I can't stand rotary dryers on permanent display but the wall mounted one isn't in the sun for long enough except in high summer. I'm planning to use the freestanding one on the patio which faces south, but put it away after use.

This sort of thing

www.lakeland.co.uk/53194/Leifheit-LinoPop-Up-140-Portable-Airer?gclid=Cj0KCQjw--GFBhDeARIsACH_kdZajh4ddg_F5TJhSFIh0D2ZqBZykW2FXEJZG27ps8AkdEt60_Lf4pgaAqCZEALw_wcB&src=gfeed&s_kwcid=AL!49!3!522907781174!!!g!!&ef_id=Cj0KCQjw--GFBhDeARIsACH_kdZajh4ddg_F5TJhSFIh0D2ZqBZykW2FXEJZG27ps8AkdEt60_Lf4pgaAqCZEALw_wcB:G:s

Bide your time.
As soon as your husband see's the next Electric Bill he will be rushing out to buy whatever line you want.
I would have the dryer on all day every day & then show him how much electric you are using each day. Hopefully he will then realise a washing line in the garden is

the way forward.

Cannot understand ‘put everything in the dryer’ people. What if you have to just air something? What if it’s too delicate or too big for the dryer? Hand washing? What if you actually give a damn about the planet?

So many questions.

BTW no one would be telling me that a key household fixture is just ‘gone’ and won’t be returning. I wouldn’t be doing any hand-wringing on MN, I’d just install a new option. Prolly a bigger and nicer one than we had, since we’re improving the garden. Any renovation has to include functionality as well as aesthetic considerations. And importantly consultation with the main users.

Use a parasol base, the heaviest you can find and put it pride of place in the middle of the patio. :) If you have a garden table with the hole for the parasol, it is even better and more stable.

If you've got room for it, I'd get a large parasol and a very heavy base. When you want to use the whirly, switch it out with the parasol.

NB you do need a VERY heavy base. I used just a normal small'ish iron one and my washing went toppling!

If your DH is all about the appearance of your garden, then get a really fancy looking parasol then you can both be happy.

Your DH was very unreasonable to just take it away without talking to you about it though. I bet he knew you wouldn't like it so did it before you had a chance to argue.

Maybe put a nice damp washing airer next to his side of the bed until he moans about the dampness!

@Whatamesssss

Use a parasol base, the heaviest you can find and put it pride of place in the middle of the patio. :) If you have a garden table with the hole for the parasol, it is even better and more stable.

Snap!