Luckily enough I don’t use the public clothesline as we’re lucky enough to have our own backyard, and our own prized clothesline. Something country people probably take for granted. I know, as kids, we thought everyone owned a Hills Hoist. None of those clothing horses for inside, and especially no clothesline off the side of the house.
This week our washing machine stopped working. We’re a-load-a-day type people, so this, naturally, devastated us. We live 100 metres from a laundromat, but I couldn’t bear the thought of someone else handling my smalls {which funnily enough aren’t actually that small}.
So every couple of days I’ve been loading up my basket and heading over to Ma’s house across town to wash my clothes {and Hubby’s and Lacey’s too}.
Lucky enough Ma is on holidays so I work away while my clothes are washing. She makes us lunch too. Monday was ricotta and tomato on crackers {my new favourite} and yesterday was healthy mushroom risotto {how do mums always make things taste better?}.
Today the repairman is coming to fix our machine and I’m hoping and praying that it’s a quick fix. If there’s something I hate more than airing my clean laundry in public, it’s paying hefty prices for boring white-good repairs.
Do you live in an apartment or a house? And could you let a stranger handle your smalls?
Many years ago when I was backpacking through the UK, I stayed in a youth hostel that offered a wash service. I'd been flat out and hadn't managed to do any for a while. Added bonus was it was really cheap. Excellent I thought, until a few days later I turned up at another youth hostel and the same person was working there. After a few drinks with some others in the foyer, this guy started to describe my undies in detail.
Weird. And I never got anyone to do my washing again.
One of my ex's was insistent that I never did the laundry. (He was from a background where having a maid was standard…) He insisted I send all our laundry out to a washing and ironing service.
For a whole host of reasons, we split up. One of the greatest reliefs I felt was to be able to do my own laundry again.
Now? Huge back yard, long long line. Laundry is my favourite chore.
xx
When I first had kids (we had twins first) we lived in a top floor apartment and had allocated days for the washing (Tuesdays for us and Sundays was a day for everyone). I really hated sharing a laundry, especially when kids vomit and poo all the time. Nowadays though, I have been repaid in full. We now have 4 kids and though my laundry is the disaster zone of the house, it is large, with storage, the washing machine is huge and I have the world's best dryer. Doesn't make the task any more enjoyable but far more functional.
We have our own laundry in our apartments, but we do share the lines, I never put our smalls on the line, I place them inside in the laundry. I don't want people to see our undies.
We recently moved to Singapore and employed a helper. I am still not used to her handling our 'smalls'…it's feels weird and seems so personal. I just try not to think about it!
I had a shared clothes line back in the day, in my early twenties. And it did make me feel a bit odd using it. There were also shared washing machines and dryers. And the worst thing was if someone took your washing out before you got to it.
In the end, I hand washed most of my clothes and bought a clothes airer, and would only wash large things in the communal laundry.
Or take it to mums!
Nic xo
We have our own laundry but a shared line – i have never put anything on it – i rather do smaller loads and put on a small line or go to my parents to put my washing there
I really dont know how people do it!
Lisa
When I first met my husband he owned an apartment in 3 storey walk up of 6 apartments and they had shared lines which freaked me out. Luckily our apartment had a balcony the same size as the apartment so I made my own line. Now we are in a house and don't even have a clothesline because we don't have a spare wall for one and I don't want a hoist so I have an indoor clothes line/dryer that I can fold up when not in use. Does make it hard for drying our king sized sheets but I have worked out a system. My main concern with lines these days is bringing in spiders in my clothes. Has happened before and was not fun having it jump on me!!!
back in my rental days all my underwear was stolen from a shared clothes line!! it made me sick! no one else's things were taken, just my smalls! i never used the line again!
hope it just a simple fix and you're back in action soon.
x jody
When I used to go to the Laundrette (that's what we call it at home) when I lived in halls at uni or in my previous flat, I used to hate it if I didn't get back in time to transfer the clothes to the dryer and once I actually caught a stranger doing it for me! Cringe!
I probably jinxed myself by reading this post yesterday but my washing machine strated making a really wierd noise yesterday afternoon and we have a service call booked for next tuesday. It's still working but I dont want to push it in case it stops working completely. Like you I dont like the idea somebody else touching my smalls 🙂 Hopefully your machine was fixed yesterday.
Oh no, a broken washing machine is like having plumbing or electricity issues, it just sucks. Hope your machine is fixed by now. Though I must say I'd use any excuse to visit my Mama more often also, I always say that her meals taste SO much better than mine… even if it's the same recipe! I could never use the communal clothes line when we lived in an apartment either. I don't like the clothes horse much, but I'd take that over a shared arrangement any day. My clothes line in our home these days is one of my favourite things. Simple things :o) xo