I dry my laundry in my garden and my neighbour is really unhappy about it

[WashingWoes]

I really don’t think I’m in the wrong here but keen for opinions which I will take onboard if I come off as unreasonable.
I live in an end-terrace house. Neighbour is attached to me. I peg my washing out to dry on good days. We are a family of four, lots of laundry and I much prefer to peg out than use the (expensive and environmentally unfriendly) drier. My neighbour HATES me for drying my laundry in my garden. Relentless comments about how she can’t enjoy looking at her garden from her bedroom window because she can see my (clean) laundry. About how it’s spoiling her enjoyment of her garden. Why can’t I just use the drier, for everyone’s benefit (not mine, see: bills; climate change…). It’s bad manners to dry ‘smalls’ outside - her husband might see my ‘undergarments’ … honestly it’s relentless. I recently received a birthday card from them (very kind, and appreciated) which said ‘Happy Birthday WashingWoes, we really love seeing your washing on the line, have a lovely birthday’. Please reassure me that I’m normal and neighbours are barmy?

I’d reply to her birthday card saying that you’re so delighted that she’s finally come around to your way of thinking. And in future, whatever she says, answer her as if you’ve only heard more encouragement. “Yesss! I’m so glad you think so! That’s wonderful” with the brightest, friendliest smile.

My Granny was from the Hebrides. She use to say it was against the by laws to hang washing out on the Sabbath. I still laugh when I hang out the laundry on a Sunday.

tell her you will dry the washing inside if she will pay for a drier and the electric bill

Mine is out all year round except rain days. I don't care what others think . I have 2 high lines too. If my neighbour complained I'd hang all the underwear 2 pegged up there too 😉

She is totally in the wrong and has invented some “rules” and terrace hierarchy in her head.
It’s the best thing for the environment to dry washing outside. I live in a terraced house too and it is the norm to dry washing outside.

Your neighbour is bonkers 🤪.
I dry most of my washing outside , I put larger items on the outside and pants / bras on the inside of the washing whirly .
Years ago when I lived overseas in a sunny and warm country , there was no washing line in one of the rented houses .
we asked the owner if he’d consider putting one and he put one on the side wall that folded away when not in use .
The neighbour complained that they could see our pants 🙄 so I started only hanging out t shirts , shirts etc and had to put the offending garments on an airer out of their line of sight

OP - is this photo you?! 😅

I feel the energy saving of her not using the dryer might be out done by my 250mile journey 😂

Tell her to wind her bloody neck in. She doesn't get to tell you what to do with your own garden! Stupid b!

Have just laughed wine down my nose 😂😂😂

I think you should buy a pack of cheap tea towels, cut them up into lettering and use them to write “fuck you” on the washing line

Came here to post this 😅

Good grief, how bizarre! What's not nice about drying laundry? The residents of your street need to get over themselves, I think! And how sad that you feel you have to take your laundry to a laundrette (to be ruined by tumble drying).

Keep hanging up your washing in your garden.

Love that picture , what you really think of your neighbour.
OP your neighbour is clearly bonkers. Definitely go with the Ann Summers / whip / perhaps a blow up doll to hang out on the line .
On a more serious note unbelievable, to me at least that people would tumble dry their clothes when drying them outside is an option. No wonder the planet is burning. So irresponsible...Too many people obviously have so much more money than sense

She sounds unwell.
Don’t respond -pretend she doesn’t exist.

Wow …. I have a similar neighbour, who seems to get offended that I spend so much time in my garden

My Mum is like this! She was almost in tears one time watching me hang out my washing. I told her to get over herself. She grew up in a small place in NI and had all kinds of social conventions that are very outdated drilled into her from an early age.

I hang out my washing, but to spare my mother's sensibilities, I place underwear in the side nearest the house so the neighbours aren't traumatised.

Please link - it might be mine!

Ah your neighbour takes me back to my very early youth of strops and temper tantrums where I couldn't understand why people would do things that I don't like and my mum would say "you can pick your friends and you can pick your nose but you can't pick your friends nose"

Perhaps she needs reminding of this while she's trying to control where you place your apple catchers.

Tell her to do one

They're nuts. I live in an old terraced cottage with a long back garden, in a village. Literally everyone hangs their washing out as often as they possibly can. Sometimes we leave it out in the rain and then let it dry when it stops. Our drier is almost never used. Ask her if she's willing to pay the massive extra on your electricity bill. The laundry smells lovely as well.

To be fair, if you're from Leeds you probably pronounce it crooks whereas a southerner like me would pronounce it crux 😉😊

Been away from the South for 40 years and still speak like a southerner.

Your neighbour is nuts. Ignore