Rotary washing line 'strategies' please!

ribenagirl

Hi,
We have just bought our first rotary washing line, having favoured the old fashioned variety for a number of years.

However I can't figure out the best way to put the washing on to get it dry as quickly as possible, important when you're doing a load a day like me:whistle: and want to save money by not using the tumble drier (we have one of those electricity calculator things and it costs 50p per load!)

Do you do 'smalls' on the inside and bigger things like towels on the outside? Or vice versa? Or all the towels on one 'side'? Or doesn't it matter? HOw do you do yours!! :rotfl:

loracan1

Depends on how much washing you're putting out. If one load, spread it out as much as possible. If I'm doing a few (bedding and towels) I'll put one lot on each 'quarter'. Tend to put larger stuff on the outside for pure practical reasons.

You will never EVER have enough pegs.

slummymummyof3

If only one load a day, you should have enough room to have all of it on the outer side and it will dry much quicker then. Otherwise - big stuff on the outside and smaller stuff on the inside, then when bigger stuff dry, move the smaller stuff to the outside.

Wickedkitten

loracan1 wrote: »

Depends on how much washing you're putting out. If one load, spread it out as much as possible. If I'm doing a few (bedding and towels) I'll put one lot on each 'quarter'. Tend to put larger stuff on the outside for pure practical reasons.

You will never EVER have enough pegs.

This is so true. We have an absolutely huge Brabantia rotary airer that came with our house and where in our old house, I would dry one load a day, I could actually manage to get all of our washing done and hung all on the same day now if it weren't for the lack of pegs. I don't know if the peg fairies or taking them, or what because I could have sworn we had dozens of the things..

HalfPint

My system goes like this:

Thin or small = inside
Large or thick = outside
Always miss a line (i.e. hang on every second)
Balance the clothes out (i.e. try and hang fairly equally on each quarter)
Use the wee peg hangers for undies (the round/squarie kind with pegs pre-attached that cost a couple of quid, iykwim) and hang them off the corners.
Use the little left over spaces for cloths, thick undies and bra's

I have a family of 6 and find I can get 3 or 4 loads hung like this..works a treat! I always have loads of washing but if on a rare occasion I only have one load, I just space it out a bit more.

hth.

HP x

PS - just thought of something else...if I have way too much washing (normal for me!) I use an indoor drier on the decking outside and hang the tea towels and thin stuff on that - again making sure there is enough space for it to dry effectively (weather permitting of course!)

jackieb

I usually do about 4 loads a day and weather permitting (obviously!) it still dries. I have a Hills Hoist and I love it. You can hoist it about another foot higher.

I try to space mine out at first. I tend to put the smaller stuff in the middle, bigger on the outside. But as the washer spews out more washing I also fill the spaces with smaller stuff - just to use up the lines.

If you're not filling your rotary, definitely space them out.

andrew-b

LOL ..can't believe someone actually posted a picture of their washing!!! [EDIT]Too late it's gone!! I wasn't hallucinating!![/EDIT]

I can't believe i've even been sucked into posting this but it's easy ..smalls in the middle to spare neighbours having to see your granny pants hanging on the line!

It's far simpler using the tumbler and often worth the money when you consider the time taken hanging it out. With the tumbler you don't have the problem of bird crap, stiff towels or have to bring it all in when it rains plus it doesn't make the garden look untidy.

Andy

HalfPint

Unfortunately, I cannot afford to run my tumble dryer....I agree with you if there is only one or two persons in your household.

I have 6 of us in the family and it costs an arm and a leg if I was to tumble dry all the laundry....believe me I used to do this! I've saved a fortune on my electric bills since I stopped using it.

btw...does anyone else have laundry that wanders off by itself only to be found later behind the sofa/drawers/table??? it also seems to have a reproductive system..I can't remember the last time I saw the bottom of the laundry bin :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

HP x

babyshoes

Our laundry occasionally gets found behind the sofa, but I know exactly how it gets there - our ferrets seem to have a particular affinity for knickers and pinch them off the airer if they can!

moonrakerz

slummymummyof3 wrote: »

Otherwise - big stuff on the outside and smaller stuff on the inside, then when bigger stuff dry, move the smaller stuff to the outside.

Wrong way round - bigger stuff on the inside smaller stuff on the outside, then the breeze can get to all the washing.
If you put the big stuff on the outside it shelters the stuff on the inside - that's why you have to move it !

blue_monkey_2

LOL, I always hide my undies from the neighbours - especially my hubbies threadbare pants which he still refuses to ditch as they are 'comfy'.

Then if I do not have muhc I'll leavea line between each row. But at the moment it is full and it still get's dry, on warm windy days it does not make any difference really.