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 tip is to put the full load on the clothes horse to dry outside - no pegging needed. Just bang it on.

Half an hour? It's a 5 minute job. 10 at the most. Even my slow as anything teenage son can do it in 10 minutes.

When the sun is splitting the sky and it's 23c outside, using the tumble dryer when you have space outside should be a criminal offence.

Fully agree OP. It takes me agessss to hang out washing and I will only do it if it will stay sunny all day otherwise I’m wasting absolutely ages bringing it out and in. My one luxury post baby was giving myself permission to stick it in the tumble dryer.

To be fair to you, a large load of small stuff is going to take a while because it's fiddly if you peg it out properly. I've put three loads of washing on my rotary line today (it's a large Brabantia and it's fabulous) and the only load that took me 5 minutes was the adult clothing.

Next time, put a 10 minute timer on and race against the clock.

Yanbu, I often think this.

It's the type of thing that feels like it takes half hour because it's so incredibly boring, but can be up to 15min. 15mins is still £8 an hour, plus 5 min taking it in. And I hate all the bugs that come in with them. It probably does take me half an hour actually with the kids demanding something every 5 mins.

I can't bring myself to use the dryer in this weather but don't begrudge you. I often think it's more efficient.

I do my best but keep thinking, why do I stress about cleaning these yoghurt pots and line drying, when industry e.g these commercial laundry companies aren't out there line drying, just me the mug!

Lots of places have a no washing outside rule.

It takes me about 5 mins but even if it took longer I wouldnt care, the sheer thought of depriving EDF of money gets me through it!

Um. Thanks.

You didn't answer my question but you implied I ought to know this already...

I love hanging out washing in a sunny day! I don’t use the tumble dryer unless I have to. Love the freshness of line dried clothes.

@masterbakeoff we use a garden chair we already own 🤣

@maiafawnly I don't think most people spend £60 on that! I can also hang my washing out for a lot more than two months a year. I started in March (not regularly I admit) but will keep going into October!!

Half an hour?!! Are you weaving it onto the line with intricate embroidery stitches? 🤣 I’m a dreadful daydreamer but even I can do it in 5 minutes or so. I honestly can’t understand how it could take you so long. There must be something amiss in your technique/equipment.

I like that reasoning!

Ok, @MissClimpsonsTypingBureau … I've just timed my 7kg load which does not have Baby and toddler things in it and it took 15 minutes, so I can well imagine your bigger load with small things took half an hour. I have come to the realisation that I personally do things slowly. When I try to be faster, I get stressed, so now I just go at my own speed. I think the sloth is my spirit animal...

Are 100 years old that it takes you so long?

I have a big washing machine (10kg drum I think) it takes 10-15 minutes to hang it all up.

I either peg out or hang it on the rack above the Aga - it's one of those old fashioned, long racks on a pulley.

We don't have a dryer at all so no option to use one. They are expensive, not environmentally friendly and a fire hazard.

You'll get quicker!

Amen to this. I’ve been known to throw my wet washing out the window and hope some of it lands on the clothes horse. It always dries however it lands so job done.

Hanging the washing out has mental health benefits - you can feel the sun in your skin and listen to the birds. I once found a fossil too.

No need to use pegs on everything just drape it on, that saves a lot of time. Only socks/pants really need pegging everything else is heavy enough to stay on in my experience.

YABU but if you’ve had a dryer forever and haven’t had to put out your laundry much before it will take a while to become more efficient. We’re a family of 8, we have two washing machines and I do several loads every single day, it probably takes me a max of 30 mins to put out all the laundry we do in total on a daily basis. Both our machines are 10kg loads too.

I have a 10kg machine and overload it, takes me about 10 mins to hang a dark wash (with all the socks) lights are quicker as mostly it's works shirts. Done 3 loads today and dried on line, couldn't have done that in the drier as it takes so long (eco friendly heat pump non drier

Literally the worst job ever… I tend to rage hang washing so at least it’s quicker!!

I have a 9kg washing machine. It takes 5 mins to hang out and I’ve also got children. No idea what you are doing that takes that long!

I timed myself with my 9kg load and it took 15 minutes to fold then hang out. I'm a senior programmer so my hourly rate is more than the tumble drier. But I don't charge by the hour for life admin or family interaction etc so it's irrelevant. I'd love to charge out my hourly rate to interact with life. Coffee date is £65 btw 😄

I hang out a full 9kg load every day before work, usually hang it out 10 mins before I leave to do the school run, then onto work. Lots of kids items and takes max 10 minutes. We hang out washing all year round as tumble dryer is a complete waste of energy if its a dry/sunny/windy day. Only use the tumble dryer when we have to on a rainy day.

I'm American and can't say I know the reasoning, but I know it's not that uncommon. It tends to be areas like condo developments or housing developments with a residents association that sets rules around things like that, which can often include needing to keep your garden to a certain standard, lawn furniture etc.

It's not my cup of tea but people buying or moving into these neighbourhoods know ahead of time what the regulations are and have agreed to abide by them.