clothesline: Looking for reassurance that things will get better/fun and my efforts w

[JennyClaire]

I put a metal clotheline pole in the ground on Sunday and ran 5 lines to the top of my deck. Today is day 2 of using it.

This morning when my 1st load of laundry was ready I put it in the dryer because it looked like it was about to pour. Two hours later, it still hadn't poured and was in fact sunny out so I put my second load out on the clothesline. Five minutes later it was pouring, so I had to run the spin cycle again and THEN put the clothes in the dryer.
:
My laundry basket was covered in little redish bugs and my clothespins were drenched.

Also, the line is too darn close to the ground so the mud splashed up onto my clothes. And I live near cows, so there were flies all over the clothes. Ugh!

I am feeling like the clothesline was a waste of time and money and I will never figure out when or if it's going to rain.

Sorry to be so whiny. Looking for reassurance that things will get better/fun and my efforts will not be in vain.

Summer thunderstorms, bugs, crying children who don't even want to be nursed in the sling while you are working. HELP!

I am so tempted to just stay on the computer 24/7 with children GLUED to me and just burn the darn laundry when it piles up.

I really wanted to hang dry my clothes and diapers, and am so disapointed that my 2nd day is going so crappy!

[mightymoo]

Sorry to hear your first experience went so poorly. I don't have a clothesline, but I'm thinking of putting one in once my deck is finished, so I'm going to : see what others say about your troubles.

[Rhiannon Feimorgan]

Trust me it won't rain every day and your cloths will get fresh and dry! Honestly I check the weather online before I decide if I'm going to hang up clothes.

The bugs shouldn't be a problem, I've had bugs on my clothes lots of times. Just shake out each piece before you put it in the basket. Shaking before and after hanging helps with wrinkles.

(((HUGS)))

[Crunchy*VT*Mom]

Check your weather report the night before then, on a low-chance of rain day wash your clothes first thing in the morning (I start the washer as soon as I get up)...

If it looks rainy, wait an hour or two. The laundry will be okay. Otherwise, hustle it out there.

Flies will be okay, just brush them off.

I think I would move the line up though because mud on the clothes would get to me too.



Anything new takes a while to get the hang of. Give yourself credit for even trying. When you electricity bill comes in $30 less at the end of the month, your efforts will be worth it!

[superstella]

That happened to me on day 2 as well, but I got mad and left them hanging through the rainstorm . They dried by day 3! It does get better.

[JennyClaire]

Thanks Mamas!

I will try again tomorrow (weather permitting). Any time I've complained to ANYONE in my "real life" they tell me how much we "need the rain." I know I should care, but I want sympathy!

Mentioned putting up an indoor clothesline for wet days but DH thought I was kidding.

[2Sweeties1Angel]

I am so tempted to just stay on the computer 24/7 with children GLUED to me and just burn the darn laundry when it piles up.

I do the first part, occasionally taking time out for household chores. It's so hard to get anything done with these little monsters hanging off of me all the time.

Try watching the news to see when it's supposed to rain, or look up the weather forecast online. I've been doing that lately and it really helps. As you can see from my siggy, laundry is NOT my favorite thing to do. The only thing that keeps me motivated in regard to handing the clothes out is that it knocked about $40 off my electric bill last month.

[Alkenny]

I also watch the weather the night before and get it out ASAP on dry mornings. I can have 5 loads out and dryed by noon!

[MujerMamaMismo]

In Australia, we tend only to use clothes dryers for emergency quick dries and when it's super rainy. I know lots of people who don't have a dryer at all. Aside from the cost savings, it is soooo much better for the environment and totally worth the extra effort.

We also have a couple of small indoor clothes airers which get pride of place in front of the heater when we can't put our clothes on the line outside.

Good luck! It's so worth it

[milosmomma]

It really IS worth it! Good luck!

Have you thought about getting a drying rack for indoors? Maybe that would be the way to ease dh into it

[Lovenest]

Here is what I do..

1. Check weather the night before online
2. Wash clothing right when I wake up
3. Put them on the line
4. If it rains I grab them and dry them in the dryer or if I get irritated I leave them there to soak.. I mean dry!: I am in Oregon so I know all about rain!

If I know its going to rain I wash the clothing in the morning and then I hang to dry on hangers on the shower curtain rod.
I would like to get one of these (we had one in Australia and they are really nice. My hubby is a aussie and the prior poster is right dryers are not in style there. )

Hugs to you mama! It has to get better, right?!

[midstreammama]

Originally Posted by superstella

That happened to me on day 2 as well, but I got mad and left them hanging through the rainstorm . They dried by day 3! It does get better.

That is hilarious!

[MorganRiley]

you can put a small drying rack in your bathtub

especially if you are short on space...
and sunshine

[JennyClaire]

Originally Posted by Alkenny

I also watch the weather the night before and get it out ASAP on dry mornings. I can have 5 loads out and dryed by noon!

WOW! My clothesline only holds one big load. I may put up another outstide if this starts to go well. It's looking very cloudy right now, but I have the dipes soaking in the washer, so maybe in a few hours......

We do have a wooden drying rack indoors, but it holds only about 1/3 of a load.

I feel less discouraged today and somewhat inspired from your posts to keep going. My grandmother was also sympathetic --- she didn't have a clothes dryer with her babies. I'm just a spoiled, whiny, modern gal who still feels like she's roughing by hanging clothes outside.
Looking forward to those electric bill savings though! And also doing my part not to wreck the environment.

[Leta]

If bugs are a problem, use white vinegar (I think Heinz works the best for this application) that has been scented with lavender essential oil in a Downy ball. Bugs don't like these smells.

If the bugs are REALLY bad, Wholesale Essential Oils on eBay sells a premixed blend of insect repelling e.o.s that works great, and you could use that in your vinegar fabric softener.

You will get better about reading the weather, I promise.

[happyfrog]

something to keep in mind re: rainstorms

as long as it's not first rain in weeks, the rain won't really hurt the clothes - unless they're not hung securely and they may get pelted down. if they get rained on, it's ok. they'll dry and they'll dry SOFT! everytime!

if it's first rain in a while, the clothes get dirty, so that's the only time i go get them down, but if i know it's going to rain a lot - like big storms predicted, i just let them go and take them down after it stops raining for 5-10 hours. . . .

another thing, when rehanging your lines, go stand and measure how far you can personally reach and make the clothesline at that height or a wee bit (like 1-3") taller. The reason is clothes are heavy and make line sag. so you're clothes won't sag too low. Also, don't let your lines go longer than 25 feet in length or they'll sag too low.

I have 2 poles up - 25 feet apart with cross pieces that are 48" long. I hung 4 lines in there - I think they're 11? or so inches apart - I really can't remember. It's enough to hang 2- 4 laundry loads, depending on 'small'
stuff. i also have a circle clothesline that can hold 2-4 loads as well, depending on packed in layers, lol.

well gotta scoot the boys need mommy for bedtime routine

[msjd123]

I'm a diehard clothesline fanatic, too, and yes, it'll get better. My grandmother used to live right behind a farm, so she had the cow/fly problem, but she just said she made sure never to hang the clothes out on still, humid days when the flies were most plentiful. Even a gentle breeze should keep them from settling, and then, like the others mentioned, you'll want to snap the clothes (give them a vigorous shake) before you put them in the basket.

[Neth Naneth]

Sorry to here the day, there were a couple of times I remember that my mom used the clothes line over the dryer and I think it worked well for the her and the family (had 5 kids). I want to do it since I am in an apartment I would have to rig something up inside but I would save a lot of quarters.

It will get better I am sure, hang in there.

[Jennisee]

It will get better. I actually look forward to hanging clothes on the line. It's the folding and putting away that gets me.

I always check the forecast and the weather before hanging on the line. We have a cable channel that shows the local radar 24/7, but Weather Underground (www.wunderground.com) shows local radars anywhere in the country.

[oneKnight]

We always run out to bring the clothes in if it starts sprinkling, but if it's more than sprinkling we just leave them out because eventually the sun will come back out. hehehhe