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Original poster

the best way to peg your washing out

116 replies

fruitful · 09/05/2007 20:29

I'm inspired by the AIBU thread (honest).

I've only had an outside washing line for a month and am therefore a pegging-out novice.

Please tell me your methods for pegging your laundry out so it dries quickly, and doesn't need ironing, and is easy to sort and put away.

And what do you do if it gets rained on (in the absence of helpful neighbours)? Wash it again? Leave it? Spin it and hang out again?

And my neighbours don't seem to wash their knickers ... None on their lines, anyway.

OP posts:
Othersideofthechannel · 09/05/2007 20:32

I don't know if this is the most effective method but I peg the bottom part of the tee-shirts so the wind can blow into them and make them billow out like sails. Avoids peg marks on the shoulders too.

nickytwotimes · 09/05/2007 20:33

you're opening up a can of worms here friutful!!
rumour has it that some people here hang their trousers up by the bottoms!!!!!!!

seriously though i hang mine smallest to largest, heaviest part of the item down (usually). if it gets rained, just a rinse or a spin as rain makes it softer.

no such thing as not ironing though!

Original poster
fruitful · 09/05/2007 20:36

So what's wrong with hanging your trousers by the bottoms?

OP posts:
DanielAndOmi · 09/05/2007 20:37

I have a whirly thingy and always hang the small items on the inside - bigger stuff on the outside. Always put socks together in pairs. T-shirts deffo pegged at the bottom, and trousers bi the legs (is that wrong?) Knickers with just one peg. DH's humoungous trunky pant things with two pegs.

LOVE this thread!!!

DeviousDaffodil · 09/05/2007 20:37

I peg on waist bands and seams to avoid peg marks. I know waht you mean about knickers I think people are embarassed to hang their knickers out as the neigbours will know what they wear!
I don't care though.
I hang larger items on the outer edge and smaller ones in the centre!
Don't know if I am right, but it workd=s for me!

MrsBadger · 09/05/2007 20:38

towels and similar flat things pegged by an edge
sheets and duvet cases - rather than flinging over the line so half hangs down each side, peg one edge then bring opposite edge up and peg too so you have a 'bag' - no crease line down the middle.
peg trousers, pants etc by waistbands
peg socks by toes
peg bras by the bit with the 'eye' fasteners on
and I hang tops on hangers then button up and peg hanger to line (0 ironing in this house) but some people peg by bottom hem.
I sort stuff as I hang it out so socks etc get hung next to their pairs.

If it gets rained on hang indoors on airers (or put out if it's stopped) till dry but never leave out overnight.

Some people dry underwear indoors, presumably to spare their (and their neighbours) blushes at the sight of their knickers, but I have no such qualms.

(heavens I must be dull to ahve written such a long post on laundry...)

naughtynoonoo · 09/05/2007 20:39

bottoms by their tops and tops by their bottoms. My mum hangs mine out all over the place and it does my head in - sooo ungrateful aren't I. Ohh and I hang my smalls on the inside of the line (rotary one btw).

MrsBadger · 09/05/2007 20:40

oh, and wrt to arrangement on line I do it however it best clears the barbecue at one end and the roses at the other, so normally small stuff at the ends and big stuff in the middle.

DrunkenSailor · 09/05/2007 20:40

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

naughtynoonoo · 09/05/2007 20:40

I hang my bras out on the outside of the line as I have large noorks and my neighbour relies on chicken breast!

cece · 09/05/2007 20:42

Now lets see....

I have 4 sections to my rotary dryer, I section is kept specifically for underwear and socks only. That way I know there are enough pegs in that section and don't have to spin around looking for extra pegs.

I am sure someone will comment on my keeping the pegs on the line - no peg bags here

Trousers upsdie down hung from the legs.

T-shirts and tops also upside down.

As I remove from line I fold into piles. 1 pile per person so they can be distributed easily to each bedroom.

No ironing here, except for DH work shirts. They are done 10 shirst once a fortnight.

cece · 09/05/2007 20:44

I also pair up socks as I hang and give everything a good shake before hanging in order to avoid creases.

WideWebWitch · 09/05/2007 20:45

I hang stuff on hangers ON The line and then when it's dry it goes straight onto clothes rails. Cuts out all the pegging, taking off, folding, taking upstairs, only to hang again.
Changed my life, it did

DanielAndOmi · 09/05/2007 20:45

yes, Mrs Badger - that's what I do for sheets and things too!

I still feel guilty if I leave stuff out overnight as my Mum says it's common

I always take my pegs in - any views on this?

cece · 09/05/2007 20:47

Well I leave the pegs on the line all the time and I quite happily leave my washing out overnight. Also been known to leave it out in the rain and wait for it to dry!

What must the neighbours think?

DeviousDaffodil · 09/05/2007 20:47

Great thread. I often wonder if am doing it right!
I never leave washing overnight - where does the common thing come from?!
Keep pegs in a cute peg bag that hangs on mt line.

UCM · 09/05/2007 20:49

That is a fantastic idea, will try on the next good drying day.

As for knickers, I am so fat now that my drawers would be mistaken for pillow cases so it wouldn't matter. Rofl at the 'not very naice' comment, reminds me of my step mother when she doesn't approve of something. I never knew is was 'not very naice' to leave it out overnight though. Oh well I have proved to my neighbours what they probably thought anyway

Bucketsofdynomite · 09/05/2007 20:50

I peg tops by their bottoms (but only 1 side, billowy like like Othersideofthechannel) and trousers by their waistbands, again just on one side so they hang open a bit.
I don't hang undies and socks because it seems fiddly and timeconsuming and they dry quickly anyway - they tend to go on my always empty 24bottle winerack or radiators.

I read on here once some people hang tops by their armpits to hide pegmarks but surely that means they're hanging double thickness and dry slower?

AnAngelWithin · 09/05/2007 20:51

if you wear it on the top, you peg it by the bottom, if you wear it on the botton you peg it by the top.

if it gets rained on i put it on a quick rinse then another fabric conditioner cycle and try again! lol

Gameboy · 09/05/2007 20:52

Well... here's a variation...

I peg dark-coloured T-shirts inside out after a particularly hot summer when I ended up getting sun bleached lines across them....

Otherwise I'm pretty normal (by this thread)

DanielAndOmi · 09/05/2007 20:54

No idea DD. Honestly my Mum has an intricate belief system about things that are common which would put most orgainsed religions to shame. Trouble is, however relaxed I try to feel about (for example) having to have the oven clean firm in the other day to deal with our yukky oven, I can still hear my mum muttering 'common' . She even said she was glad she was on holiday so that she didn't have to witness her daughter doing such a shameful thing - think she was a joking a bit, but not much

DeviousDaffodil · 09/05/2007 20:56

LOL DandO!!!Your Mum would think I was a slattern!!

DanielAndOmi · 09/05/2007 21:00

She does call me a slut sometimes

Original poster
fruitful · 09/05/2007 21:00

Lots of good tips, thankyou!

My mum thinks I'm mad to be pegging stuff out - what do I think they invented tumble driers for?

OP posts:
Wotzsaname · 09/05/2007 21:03

No wonder my 10 year old was so confused when she was pegging out the clothes. I forgotton how complicated things can be that you take for granted.

agree with GameBoy - Bright and dark colours inside out on a sunny day so they dont fade.

I try to peg socks in pairs to make it easier later, but I fail, lifes to short.