Preparedness for when

VJsmum

GreyQueen wrote: »

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Anyone else ever have their laundered but not quite dry undies and socks finished off in the oven before school?

YES!!!!!:D

I also remember mum having a big fire guard in front of the fire and draping things over that. Getting washing Dry was always an issue.


Another curious thing was that she always said if the wind blew from the north then the washing would never dry. Now, where we lived the wind blowing from the north meant it came straight off the sea, but surely that couldn't Make a difference?

I have a rotaire cover for my rotary line so have fewer issues of that nature - or would if I got my arris in gear to organise a new one.

The storage issues are interesting too. DD and i are off to the Swedish furniture shop tomorrow to purchase a full height bookcase for her and a chest of drawers for DS. DS has coped with one set of drawers since forever but of course he was once a little boy and is now a hulking great man sized boy with clothes to match, I think it's unfair of me to keep moaning about the state of his room when he has no draw space to put anything. Might just pick up a couple of those lamps while I am there.

Butterfly_Brain

I remember in the 60's all my Mum had was a copper boiler , washboard and a spin dryer. She had a dolly maid in the kitchen to dry the clothes and I can remember her ironing stuff dry. I still do if I can't get things dry enough. In the 70's she moved up to a twin tub, that to her was luxury and in my opinion I think that twin tubs did a better wash than the automatics we have now

fuddle

VJsmum wrote: »

Coal miners strike and the oil crisis. Oil shortages and reducing output of coal put the price of coal up, unions felt wages should go up in line, government didn't. Strikes meant that there was not enough coal to maintain the electricity supply and electricity needed to be conserved so a 3 day work order was introduced, meaning companies could work 3 days in a row (to ensure continuity) but then not for the rest of the week.

Thanks VJsmum. So I gather a three day working week meant a 3 day wage too? How did we survive back then with paying for the necessities? Did children attend school 3 days too?

bluebag wrote: »

Lots of clothes were aired or sponged when worn and re-used. It seems unthinkable now. Many fabrics were natural though, wool,cotton and linen.

I suppose not having anywhere to dry lots of washing was the reason, many seem to be having this problem now too in the wet, cold winter.

Yes, I'm struggling without a tumbler. I have been spoilt and learned that the norm in washing is wear one thing one day wash the next regardless. How wasteful huh? My two wear their uniforms then change into play clothes. They last all 5 days whether they are stained because it's only playing in the house for a few hours before bed. DH has to be smart for work but is choosing his polo neck and jumper rather than his shirt and tie at the moment so he can get 2 days wear out of them. Me? I have been wearing tights in the autumn for the past few years instead of jeans. A soss out of a pair of tights regularly is easier than getting jeans through the cleaning process. That's one of the few lessons I remember from my grandma.

MrsLurcherwalker wrote: »

GQ I remember being told to 'Iron Dry' undies etc that weren't quite dry in the morning, not a steam iron then but just a flat plate electric iron so it worked pretty well and pretty quickly. We didn't have a washing machine and I can remember having to hand wash and hand wring cotton sheets and jeans etc. I wonder if many other people were in the same situation and if that's why clothes weren't changed and laundered quite as easily and often as they are today? Lyn xxx.

That's a lesson I've just learned too. Thank you very much

Again, I think it boils down to a changing society. We should have a very easy life, we have washing machine and tumblers, super dooper iron, water is cheap sometimes unmetered, fuel is cheap. It's not till we have to examine our attitudes when the purse strings are pulled that I think we tend to see how lazy and wasteful we've been. I'm all for technology and 'progress' but when it becomes a crux or replaces commen sense, tips and techniques then our generations to follow don't know how to cope when those 'rights' or norms are taken away.

RAS

mardatha wrote: »

Me too Bluebag. Potatoes were like gold dust.

That was the droughts. No rain and no water = small numbers of small tatties.

mardatha

Was it RAS - that explains it then. To me, it was the utter last straw lol. I can only remember almost crying at the price of tatties, as we used to eat a lot of them in soups and main courses.
I think you all underestimate yourselves though. If water was really dear and elect was really dear, then no mum with half a brain cell would even attempt to wash clothes daily. You'd tell the kids to keep clean or else, and you'd sponge dirt off their clothes and shove them back on.
To me, automatic washers are thee invention of the century. i can still mind standing over a bloody horrible twintub (or sink when it broke) with aching back and sore feet and the kitchen soaking wet. God I hated washing!

fuddle

Remember I tried to go without the washing machine last year Mar? It was kind of an experiment but deep down I wanted to to save money by doing it myself. I didn't get to the second day - blisters on hands!

I do a 30degree wash on a 1200 spin for 45 minutes with 1 tablespoon of powder. That's modern savvy mixed with the frugal OS brain tuning I think.

mardatha

Forgot to say, we had a power cut this morning for 3 hours. Daft neighbours took off to Tescos for their breakfast, we made our porridge, then made soup, then sat at fire and read/knitted.

fuddle

Lol it takes a prepper to forget to mention a 3 hour power cut

ALIBOBSY

Bringing back lots of memories on here.

I agree about the washing, with 4 kids, so 6 of us there is no way we can wash everything everyday. I often sponge off cardies and jumpers and they use them over the week. Same with skirts and pants, but clean shirts for school. TBH the change into clothes will be worn from day to day till dirty. Trouble is this time of year they like to get out when the rain stops, but the ground can be muddy, so clothes get dirty quicker. But i want them to play and "be kids" so to speak.

I have to own up to having a dryer, but obviously with costs I try to avoid using it. I dry sheets/quilts over the top of the stairs (we have a big "beko" washer that will take even our double quilt) and have a maiden-plus washing lines if we can get out in between the rain.

I recall in the 70's making "tents" and dens from maidens/chairs and old sheets/blankets and have shown my kids how. Amazing how even a digital generation can love sitting under a sheet having a "tea party" lol.

I remember Mums twin tub, she still maintains it washed miles better than modern machines and it had a REALLY loud ticking timer thing on it. This must have been mechanical as I also remember when Mum got a new washer. She kept the old one in the garage and used to drag it out to quilts and heavy curtains now and then. We used the timer on it for loads of games, bit like a countdown clock .

My Gran always hand washed her knickers and tights/stockings every night before going to bed. I wonder if that generation did that as other stuff would only be washed once a week on "washday" and you wouldn't have that many clothes so by doing that each night you knew your could put clean on each day.

Ali x

daz378

went to ikeo yeasterday in Ashton tram from mcr city centre goes straight there, massive place, finally managed to find the sunnan lamps.....so question can i charge it from my top floor lounge window?window closed. and if get 6 hours of light today , will it be charged after another 12 hours of light tomorrow?