Monday, January 18, 2010

Monday - Laundry Day


Monday has always been laundry day for me.  It just seems right, it's right after the week-end and you usually have a hamper full of dirty clothes.  I also just like to have everything clean for the rest of the week.  While I am doing the laundry, I can also check for clothes that need to be mended, or have lost a button and put them aside for Wednesday, which is when I like to do my mending and ironing.  

I love to hang my clothes on the clothes line when the weather is warm enough, usually in about April where I live.  I do know some people who hang their clothes out all winter long.  They say that their clothes get so white from freezing on the line and that they smell very fresh.   I really prefer to wait until Spring!  Hanging your clothes on the line is such a good way to utilize the sun and not waste energy by running your dryer.  I really like that idea, as I am trying to be more responsible about using the resources that "Mother Nature" provides.    I also make my own laundry soap (the recipe is on my blog under "Things I write about")  It is very inexpensive and does such a good job - smells nice too!
 

My grandmother taught me years ago how to hang the clothes, she said if you did it just right, it would cut down on your ironing.  So, here is a list of hints that might help you:

1.     Hang shirts, dresses, nightgowns, or anything else with sleeves from the bottom, not the shoulders (or they’ll look like they have 80s shoulder-pads).
2.     Light clothing, like camis may hold their shape better if hung from the shoulders; just clip the very tops without folding over.
3.     Hang trousers and jeans from the waistband.  If they are too long or heavy, you can clip the cuffs up onto the line just outside of the waist
4.     Wet towels are heavy; folding them over helps keep their shape. Hang towels from the short end, folded over about three inches.  Give them a sharp snap in each direction before hanging, and again when taking them down to make them a little softer.  Adding a quarter cup of white vinegar or baking soda to your wash cycle will also help soften towels.
5.     Fold sheets in half, and then pin the corners of the hemmed, open end to the line.  Pin opposite sides of the hem in different places so air can flow through the middle.
6.     Our grandmothers learned to hang socks from the toes, but I can’t see that it makes a difference.  Socks can be hung in pairs–it’s pretty easy to find them in the basket as you go.  Then you can just fold them as you take them down, and save sorting time.
7.     You may want to hang colored-things wrong side out, and out of direct sunlight.  Most things are fine for a few hours, but whole days of bright sun can cause fading over time.

I can't wait to hang out my sheets and towels - I may even have to do it before it gets warm!


Blessings, 


3 comments:

Karen Beth said...

My friend, Charlet, always hangs her cloths out in the winter. She says it makes her undies really white. I am such a baby, I don't want to go in the snow even though Doug said he will shovel me a path. I love hanging clothes out for the same reason you do. Can't wait to hang out a load.

The Stewart said...

I'm so glad you posted that! I told Joe that since we have a yard now, we are putting in a clothes line. Now I have tips on certain things! Thanks!

Auntie sezzzzzz... said...

Great entry!

And precious picture, to go with it!!!

Happy Spring!

  Outside my window . . .  Two weeks ago this is what it looked like.  We had a  huge winter storm, and got 12 inches of new snow!  It was c...