Is there right way to hang clothes on a washing line?

[loresho]

Do you hang clothes from the hem or the shoulder/waistband? Does it matter?

DH hung the washing out one way (pegged at hems) and I went out and changed it to the other way, because it felt wrong the way he had done it. I am aware that was a crazy thing to do, but it has made me wonder... is there a right way?

I try to put socks together so that they're easier to match when dry.

My neighbour two doors down (perfectly nice woman) literally does just throw things onto her whirly thing, then slaps a few pegs on to anchor things down where they've landed. Some of you would have kittens!

I've lived in places where she would more or less have been 'shunned' for that, bibbity. She sounds like the sort to put lacy underwear on the line even.

yep lweji - if you hang them by the toes you can pair them when dry before unpegging - very pleasing

I have put lacy underwear on the line. Not that anyone would see it, because small things go in the middle - sheets have to be on the outside because the lines are longer and higher there (it's a whirling. ) There is science in this.

I do hang black stuff inside out (the sun bleaches.) And velvet or corduroy won't go the right way out till after ironing.

I match socks, as well - it also means I know if one's gone astray in the machine.

I never pair socks at all (apart from my own). One of my friends was telling me she won't put a single sock in the machine, only pairs. I just put in everything that's in the basket, peg them randomly and sort them into the owner's clean pile for them to pair before putting away if they want to.

My previous neighbour always hung her washing up in the direction it was worn. Everything, regardless.

And is was also organised running left to right - pants, bra, socks, t shirts, jeans.

Oops, too early.

I always imagined that someone could start at the left and jump into the clothes in order and be fully dressed at the end of the line.

Tops from the bottom and bottoms from the top. Undies all on the 'inside' of the rotary airer, then tops on next, bottoms follow and towels and bedding on the outer one. Each item is hung by matching plastic pegs, never different colours. Never wooden pegs.

My husband thinks i have issues, but I just assumed everyone hung their washing like this!

God no Shelties! I would never wash towels and bedding in the same load as general clothing. Towels/bedding get a 60 deg wash, clothes usually 40 (unless silks or wools). So they never have to be pegged on the same washing line together.

Sorry I should have mentioned these are from separate loads. When the sun shines I get all the washing done so often a couple of loads done on same day.

I like to hang my washing so that the colours look nice together - and also in order of size wherever possible, colours permitting of course!

My washing line looks lovely, it's a shame I'm not so fussy when it comes to my wardrobe and cupboards

Yes, when it's a good drying day, I can get up to three loads on my line.

I've rehung clothes after my partner too, there's no shame in it lol! He just grabs things from the machine and bungs them out with like no method, and doesn't shake the wrinkles out before hanging! Drives me mental! I also end up rearranging the dishwasher after he's filled it too. He says I have problems, but I swear he does things half arsed so I won't ask him to help often lol!

If someone kept redoing the things I'd done, I certainly would never be doing them again!

Surely if someone hangs clothes half arsedly they are happy to iron them?
Instead of rehanging them, I'd put him on iron duty. Even for tea towels.

There's lots I avoid ironing by giving them a good shake out and hanging, I have my own way of doing things, my partner wouldn't even know where the iron is kept let alone what to do with it lol! I must add that I do these things 99% of the time, he'll only take it upon himself to do it if he's trying to make up for something lol. If it were up to him the clothes would just pile up and pile up til I do something about it so id rather just do it right myself from the start.

Surely if his clothes pile up he'll do something about it?
Or if you tell him you're going out in your underwear?

The ironing issue is the reason I rehang. I won't rehang his washing - he can spend his time ironing if he wants! but I don't want to spend my time ironing, so will rehang any of my (and DD's) clothes that he puts up "wrong". (We do separate laundry because he is sensitive to fabric softener)

I am impressed that this thread has 120 comments on it!

Everything from the bottom unless they're stretchy vests, which look awful if you dry them that way.

Hanging trews from the bottom saves space on the line.

tops if they don't really matter by the hemline ie bottom, if they are nice tops or might need an iron by the under arm but not over the line as that leaves a mark or crease.
Trousers by waist band - Jeans or heavy trousers I peg slightly below waistband so waist band dries properly & Evenly, socks niks and undies any old how.

Towels three pegs and sideways unless hand towels then hang lengthwise (I don't have a high line) Sheets peg short ends on both sides so kind of loops as I don't like them dragging about, pillow cases longwise from seamed side. Coats from the bottom. Shirts from the tails (ie bottom) as they get tucked in so any peg marks don't matter.

My preference is to line dry and finish off either on top of the Aga or in the dryer - I use Aga for stuff like Jeans and Chinos as it gets rid of need to iron. Often with kitchen towels and tea towels I just hang them straight back on the Aga out of the wash and they are dry within an hour.

My dryer died about 6 mths ago and will replace it but managing OK as am mostly home based at the moment so go around hanging things on line when kettle boiling or lunch cooking or flipping them on kitchen radiator or Aga if they are smaller things

Hubby prefers to just do line r just do dryer from scratch - but I think if we have fine weather it should be out - I think its healthier really as sunlight is good for clothes etc

Always from the bottom. If someone else hung my washing out all upside down, It would bug me enough to probably go and swap it around. Just say it won't dry properly.

Where I live the main concern is trying to make sure the washing doesn't take flight and disappear over the horizon. It's very windy pretty much all year round, so loads of pegs are used for everything. Most things are hung from the bottom, except for any kind of knit fabric which is pegged under the arms if the thing has arms.
I must admit to doing very little in the way of hanging washing out though. My teenager gets paid £1 for every basket of washing he hangs out for me, so he's very keen and my washing line is always full!

Ohh what a thread.

Yes I hang all undies on the inside lines of my Hanes Hoist! I don't consider it uncouth - as was the opinion of a posh work colleague.

All hung from the bottoms after a good shake. The thicker shirt collars and waist bands get a good breeze, I hope

The boil wash creates the most satisfying line.
Flannels in one inner section, dish clothes another. The tea towels in order of batches, sharing pegs. Ie three pegs : two towels. (Yes have lots, fresh everyday sometimes changed 3x a day)