This really brings back memories. I helped my mother in the summer hanging clothes out. One time we forgot to take the clothes in before dark. An elderly lady down the street, came in through the alley, and stole my sisters underwear and all the clothes pins. Left the other clothes on the ground. My mother caught her. Mom never left clothes out after dark again. She had to watch the clothes like a hawk. From then on mom said no underwear on the clothesline. We hung them in the basement.

Wow, still hang clothes out when I can. Just love that fresh air smell when you bring them in. Nothing like climbing into sheets that have been hung out. Thanks for reminding me of how old I am.

I also hang out the wash, especially sheets. Love to sleep with that fresh ocean air smell. For my birthday last year I asked for -- and got -- one of those umbrella clothes trees. Love it.

Oh, yes I remember helping Mom wash the laundry then run it through the wringer, into the rinse tub, hand rinse and put through the wringer into the laundry basket. Then we'd lug it up from the basement and out to the clothline. Oh, yes there was always the proper hanging sequence with the two garments with only three pins, seam to seam. The sun always helped the whites stay whiter and they had to be back in by 4 O'Clock before the dew started to fall and dampen them. Now I know why my back is shot and I need a cane at times life on on a farm was a good life but very hard physical work even for the girls.

i remember wondering, when i was a kid, and helping hang stuff out--why did we so diligently dry all those sheets and shirts, pants and nighties only to have to bring them inside and them SPRINKLE them to wet 'em down again, so we could iron all fo them???

i still hang the wash out most of the warm months--too old and arthritic to do it in the winter--but i'm sure not hidebound by the rules, any more. i wash when i can (work too much), and if something is a little damp when it comes off the line, oh, well--it might need pressing anyways!

LOL, brings back a lot of memories. I don't have a clothes line now, but there are times I would love one. I had to chuckle over the part about hanging the unmentionables in them middle. I do remember doing exactly that!

Hey..in OZ (Australia) we still have & use our clothes line....& all your tips etc. are very full on here.
Take care & huggles - the lone quilter

i should amend: i hang up everything but hubby's tighty whities--he had a conniption the first time i hung them OUTSIDE! even concealed on the lines, he said no way were his undies going to hang out there. *sigh* (i do it when he's not looking...)

YES!!! And I still use them for my DH Wrangler Jeans!!! I have 2 sets of them I saved from my Momma .....He Loves the creas and stiffness !!! :thumbup:

I'm still waiting for our backyard to dry up so I can start hanging my clothes out too. I grew up on a farm & we always hung the clothes out except in winter when we would put them on wooden clothes racks & put them over the furnace register. There is nothing better than climbing in to bed at night with bedding that smells like the spring weather outside.