to wonder why nobody ever mentions how long it takes to hang up washing when they tell you not to use your tumble dryer?

[MissClimpsonsTypingBureau]

I've just hung up a full (9kg) load of washing. It took me half an hour.

I may be unreasonably slow (but kids/ babies= a lot of very small items in a load) and I totally agree with the environmental arguments - but why, when people say 'oh, you can save loads of money by hanging your washing up' do they never talk about how long it takes?

(I don't think it costs as much as £2 to run a full load through our tumble dryer. Even if it did, that's £2 to buy back half an hour. My hourly rate is well above £4...)

My DM's neighbour's DD lived in America. She was well known for being a "mad Kiwi" because she would hang her washing on the line!

I would hate to have to use a tumble dryer, it's so much nicer to have your washing out in the fresh air, and the sun is good at removing stains which don't come out in the wash.

Takes me less than 10 minutes to hang a full load of washing!
we have a peg hanger (like the octopus one) to hang the socks and smalls.
How on earth is it taking half an hour?

I have a big machine and it’s never took more than 10 mins. And I actually enjoy it. I hate the scent of washing out the dryer 🤮 give me a warm breezy day and I am finding every scrap of washing I can do and make the most of that

Yeah, I had the same thought today, hanging up a full load of 50 tiny child items. My daughter asked me to play and I said in a bit, I'm hanging out the laundry. And I thought, what about the cost of my time, my time is not 'free'.

I've thought the same thing about car use - I end up doing a 20 minute each way walk to the supermarket to be green and it feels like such a waste of my time.

I feel like a big part of getting people to be more environmentally friendly, on a societal level, is freeing up people's time to be able to do the longer manual version of the tasks.

Half an hour seems a long time to hang out one load of washing....but even if let's say it did take everyone that long, you're really missing the point. I scrape my car windows in the winter. I don't use de-icer and I don't leave the car idling for 15mins. I get cold hands and it takes me longer. Sometimes I walk to the supermarket. A five minute journey takes 20mins, plus 20 back carrying the bags do an extra half hour. I save a few pence in fuel. Why do I do you think I do these things?

I literally just hung up a 9kg full load of washingin a few minutes before getting in bed. Why would it take you half hour. Yabu.

It doesn't take me that long even with a load of socks and underwear. I must admit sometimes I'm not very careful about how I'm pegging and come back later to peg better.
Do you have a basket to carry the washing to the washing line? That saves time. Also when drying on the line I normally turn them around after a time so they dry more evenly. I quite like being in the garden so don't normally find it a chore.

I used to live in Greece in an apartment and no one had a problem with people hanging washing on the balcony or over it but here!! Dd2 lives in a large apartment on the top floor (4th) but is not allowed to hang out her washing. I don't think certainly on one of her balconies that there is anyone looking directly at it.
Dd1 though has a lovely little garden and the previous owners even left a nicely concreted area with hole for an airer but she refuses to hang out washing as it would spoil her view of the garden. She also doesn't want to TD so house is full of damp washing which I think is a health hazard.

It takes me a good 20 mins too op - my washing machine can take 10kg and i probably overfill it. The tumble drier is right next to it and it's much quicker to dump things in there. I'm time poor & have young kids to supervise so it's taken a huge effort for me to get back in the habit of pegging a load out.

Takes me forever too, definitely more than 10 minutes, and I don’t dawdle.
Its a huge pain to do.

If anyone else can be coerced to do it, they put peg marks in the middle of clothes, or don’t unfurl sleeves.

Eyes rolling

I just love the smell of freshly outside air dried washing. Only takes a few minutes to hang out, too.

@McKenzieFriend001
re. Octopus dryer, I have used many over the years and can guarantee the lakeland one is the best, doesn't lose its pegs and is very sturdy.

Exactly this. We don't have a tumble dryer but we have stayed in self-catering properties which do. Yes they get the washing dry but there is nothing better than the fresh smell you get when clothes have been blowing in the breeze outside. Much more eco-friendly too.

I too like hanging out washing. I do have a socktopus but rarely use it as I find it a faff. DH uses it sometimes.
We are passed the tiny clothes stage but DH, adult son and I generate a lot of underwear and socks which take a while but never half an hour.

People saying it only takes them 10 minutes - are you counting the time spent to take the previous load down? / the time spent to take this load down later?

It depends though. It takes me probably 15-20 minutes, but I have the toddler and the baby with me playing in the garden. As they can't be out there unsupervised, I don't really see it as wasted time.

It doesn't take me too long but if dh or dd3 does it I have to keep my mouth firmly closed. I mean it's not that difficult to make sure the legs aren't all bunched up and socks aren't rolled up!!

I like hanging the washing out before bed but it's a MN no-no due to spiders willies.

she refuses to hang out washing as it would spoil her view of the garden. She also doesn't want to TD so house is full of damp washing
is she looking out 24/7?
Very odd attitude, her house will be damp and it's unhealthy breathing in that damp air.

Obviously not but I don’t think OP was including that in her half hour either!

But that lovely 'fresh air dried' smell...nothing to beat it. I always hang mine out if possible. Of course, it's not so good when a close neighbour is having a bonfire or BBQ😀

We have four children and two adults in our house. Regularly full 9kg loads. Hanging them out takes 5/10 mins at most. If it's taking you 30 mins there's something very wrong.

5 minutes tops - and I'm another one who has to have matching pegs on each item! I find pegging stuff on the line in the summer much quicker than using an airer or radiators in the winter. A socktopus is a must for little things like socks and flannels etc..

It takes me 20-30 minutes as well and I definitely don't move at a snail's pace. I think I may put more clothes than advised in a load. I can't imagine doing 4 loads in a day - the line wouldn't have enough room!

It might take longer, yes, but your clothes will last longer so you make up the cost in that way too.
For me it was/is just something I am prepared to make time for, I cut down on frequency of washing towels, bedding etc which is a whole other heated argument, I know! I've never had a tumble dryer, am 55, had 2 kids in cloth nappies, worked, somehow I have managed! I am not very quick at hanging washing out, (I once came last in the school fete pegging race) but I would just not consider using a tumble dryer any more than I would use disposable plates and cutlery, or getting a takeaway every day, because that would save loads of time.