Remembering Mom’s Clothesline
Remembering Mom’s Clothesline
There is one thing that’s left out. We had a long wooden pole (clothes pole) that was used to push
the clotheslines up so that longer items (sheets/pants/etc.) didn’t brush the ground and get dirty.
You have to be a “certain age” to appreciate this one….
(But you YOUNGER ones can read about “The GOOD ol’ days”!!)
I can hear my mother now…..
THE BASIC RULES FOR CLOTHESLINES:
(If you don’t even know what clotheslines are, better skip this.)
1. You had to hang the socks by the toes… NOT the top.
2. You hung pants by the BOTTOM/cuffs… NOT the waistbands.
3. You had to WASH the clothesline(s) before hanging any clothes – walk the entire length of each line with a damp cloth around the lines.
4. You had to hang the clothes in a certain order, and always hang “whites” with “whites,” and hang them first.
5. You NEVER hung a shirt by the shoulders – always by the tail! What would the neighbors think?
6. Wash day on a Monday! NEVER hang clothes on the weekend, or on Sunday, for Heaven’s sake!
7. Hang the sheets and towels on the OUTSIDE lines so you could hide your “unmentionables” in the middle (perverts & busybodies, y’know!)
8. It didn’t matter if it was sub-zero weather… clothes would “freeze-dry.”
9. ALWAYS gather the clothes pins when taking down dry clothes! Pins left on the lines were “tacky”!
10. If you were efficient, you would line the clothes up so that each item did not need two clothes pins, but shared one of the clothes pins with
the next washed item.
11. Clothes off of the line before dinner time, neatly folded in the clothes basket, and ready to be ironed. (And they smelled fresher too).
12. IRONED???!! Well, that’s a whole OTHER subject!
And now a POEM …
A clothesline was a news forecast, To neighbors passing by,
There were no secrets you could keep, When clothes were hung to dry.
It also was a frien dly link, For neighbors always knew
If company had stopped on by, To spend a night or two.
For then you’d see the “fancy sheets”, And towels upon the line;
You’d see the “company table cloths”, With intricate designs.
The line announced a baby’s birth, From folks who lived inside,
As brand new infant clothes were hung, So carefully with pride!
The ages of the children could, So readily be known
By watching how the sizes changed, You’d know how much they’d grown!
It also to ld when illness struck, As extra sheets were hung;
Then nightclothes, and a bathrobe too, Haphazardly were strung.
It also said, “On vacation now”, When lines hung limp and bare.
It told, “We’re back!” when full lines sagged, With not an inch to spare!
New folks in town were scorned upon, If wash was dingy and gray,
As neighbors carefully raised their brows, And looked the other way.
But clotheslines now are of the past, For dryers make work much less.
Now what goes on inside a home, Is anybody’s guess!
I really miss that way of life, It was a friendly sign
When neighbors knew each other best… By what hung out on that line
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Mom’s old clothesline
Remembering Mom’s Clothesline
There is one thing that’s left out. We had a long wooden pole (clothes pole) that was used to push
the clotheslines up so that longer items (sheets/pants/etc.) didn’t brush the ground and get dirty.
You have to be a “certain age” to appreciate this one….
(But you YOUNGER ones can read about “The GOOD ol’ days”!!)
I can hear my mother now…..
THE BASIC RULES FOR CLOTHESLINES:
(If you don’t even know what clotheslines are, better skip this.)
1. You had to hang the socks by the toes… NOT the top.
2. You hung pants by the BOTTOM/cuffs… NOT the waistbands.
3. You had to WASH the clothesline(s) before hanging any clothes – walk the entire length of each line with a damp cloth around the lines.
4. You had to hang the clothes in a certain order, and always hang “whites” with “whites,” and hang them first.
5. You NEVER hung a shirt by the shoulders – always by the tail! What would the neighbors think?
6. Wash day on a Monday! NEVER hang clothes on the weekend, or on Sunday, for Heaven’s sake!
7. Hang the sheets and towels on the OUTSIDE lines so you could hide your “unmentionables” in the middle (perverts & busybodies, y’know!)
8. It didn’t matter if it was sub-zero weather… clothes would “freeze-dry.”
9. ALWAYS gather the clothes pins when taking down dry clothes! Pins left on the lines were “tacky”!
10. If you were efficient, you would line the clothes up so that each item did not need two clothes pins, but shared one of the clothes pins with
the next washed item.
11. Clothes off of the line before dinner time, neatly folded in the clothes basket, and ready to be ironed. (And they smelled fresher too).
12. IRONED???!! Well, that’s a whole OTHER subject!
And now a POEM …
A clothesline was a news forecast, To neighbors passing by,
There were no secrets you could keep, When clothes were hung to dry.
It also was a frien dly link, For neighbors always knew
If company had stopped on by, To spend a night or two.
For then you’d see the “fancy sheets”, And towels upon the line;
You’d see the “company table cloths”, With intricate designs.
The line announced a baby’s birth, From folks who lived inside,
As brand new infant clothes were hung, So carefully with pride!
The ages of the children could, So readily be known
By watching how the sizes changed, You’d know how much they’d grown!
It also to ld when illness struck, As extra sheets were hung;
Then nightclothes, and a bathrobe too, Haphazardly were strung.
It also said, “On vacation now”, When lines hung limp and bare.
It told, “We’re back!” when full lines sagged, With not an inch to spare!
New folks in town were scorned upon, If wash was dingy and gray,
As neighbors carefully raised their brows, And looked the other way.
But clotheslines now are of the past, For dryers make work much less.
Now what goes on inside a home, Is anybody’s guess!
I really miss that way of life, It was a friendly sign
When neighbors knew each other best… By what hung out on that line
No virus found in this incoming message.
Checked by AVG – www.avg.com
Version: 8.5.455 / Virus Database: 271.1.1/4182 – Release Date: 02/09/12 19:34:00
New
|
Reply
Reply all
Forward
|
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Sweep ▼
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Remembering Mom’s Clothesline
There is one thing that’s left out. We had a long wooden pole (clothes pole) that was used to push
the clotheslines up so that longer items (sheets/pants/etc.) didn’t brush the ground and get dirty.
You have to be a “certain age” to appreciate this one….
(But you YOUNGER ones can read about “The GOOD ol’ days”!!)
I can hear my mother now…..
THE BASIC RULES FOR CLOTHESLINES:
(If you don’t even know what clotheslines are, better skip this.)
1. You had to hang the socks by the toes… NOT the top.
2. You hung pants by the BOTTOM/cuffs… NOT the waistbands.
3. You had to WASH the clothesline(s) before hanging any clothes – walk the entire length of each line with a damp cloth around the lines.
4. You had to hang the clothes in a certain order, and always hang “whites” with “whites,” and hang them first.
5. You NEVER hung a shirt by the shoulders – always by the tail! What would the neighbors think?
6. Wash day on a Monday! NEVER hang clothes on the weekend, or on Sunday, for Heaven’s sake!
7. Hang the sheets and towels on the OUTSIDE lines so you could hide your “unmentionables” in the middle (perverts & busybodies, y’know!)
8. It didn’t matter if it was sub-zero weather… clothes would “freeze-dry.”
9. ALWAYS gather the clothes pins when taking down dry clothes! Pins left on the lines were “tacky”!
10. If you were efficient, you would line the clothes up so that each item did not need two clothes pins, but shared one of the clothes pins with
the next washed item.
11. Clothes off of the line before dinner time, neatly folded in the clothes basket, and ready to be ironed. (And they smelled fresher too).
12. IRONED???!! Well, that’s a whole OTHER subject!
And now a POEM …
A clothesline was a news forecast, To neighbors passing by,
There were no secrets you could keep, When clothes were hung to dry.
It also was a frien dly link, For neighbors always knew
If company had stopped on by, To spend a night or two.
For then you’d see the “fancy sheets”, And towels upon the line;
You’d see the “company table cloths”, With intricate designs.
The line announced a baby’s birth, From folks who lived inside,
As brand new infant clothes were hung, So carefully with pride!
The ages of the children could, So readily be known
By watching how the sizes changed, You’d know how much they’d grown!
It also to ld when illness struck, As extra sheets were hung;
Then nightclothes, and a bathrobe too, Haphazardly were strung.
It also said, “On vacation now”, When lines hung limp and bare.
It told, “We’re back!” when full lines sagged, With not an inch to spare!
New folks in town were scorned upon, If wash was dingy and gray,
As neighbors carefully raised their brows, And looked the other way.
But clotheslines now are of the past, For dryers make work much less.
Now what goes on inside a home, Is anybody’s guess!
I really miss that way of life, It was a friendly sign
When neighbors knew each other best… By what hung out on that line
Recommend0 recommendationsPublished in Senior Chatters
Brilliant. Ironically, we still use a clothes prop and line today.
yes, some folks do still do that lawence 🙂
i still use a prop shads and i always bring my line in after each use…my granny and my mum wouldn’t let you leave line out, that was slovenly indeed!!1 and lines with pegs left in…well that was disgusting!!!!! 🙂 🙂 🙂
Lol pols..that made me laugh!. Sorry it printed twice..dont know what happened there becouse it was alright when i posted it, i checked it!. :)x
Yes good one Shads I still use a clothes line and props thank you.
Why are you thanking me tans? lol. Do you want to do my washing? lol :).
Ohh I still use a clothes line and a prop, and I have my little peg bag!!…and I always
~You had to hang the clothes in a certain order, and always hang “whites” with “whites,” and hang them first..
I like to keep all mine in a neat order!!!….my ‘smalls’ I hide behind my flanells te he!!!….
Nothing better than fresh washing bought in from outside and yummy crunchy cotton sheets dried outside…hmmmmmmm
🙂
You are an ol fashion gal debz! good on ya girl. Where have you been? Its ages since i have seen you. Must be wash day all week for you!! lol. 🙂
Loved this on Mom’s clothesline and my Mother would always hang the clothes out to dry and until she got a dryer sometimes she would take the clothes down to the laundry mat and wash and dry them there. I used to hang clothes out sometimes but after I got a dryer and we moved to Baltimore I didn’t hang clothes outside anymore. Thanks for posting this .
My first clothes line was a line and prop, and I grew up with the same. I have a hills hoist now (round clothes line) and I always hang my clothes with similar weight on opposite sides so the line does not sag with too much on one side, and it also helps the line to spin. I often wonder why I do this – must be some mathematical reason or aerodynamics………????? or perhaps I am just crazy !!!!! LOL
Yes shads remember the clothes line .streching from one side of yard to other.
Washing day Monday be there hanging them out late. as so many of us.Was funny in winter go off down to loo and the things would be stiff from the frost lol liked the shirts as if dad was still in them hehehe ,,,,, /Still got clothes line but round one as forever young says .
Was grandma clothes line, just loved it
we still use a clothes line and a peggie tub with a posser, and old wringer machine shads. and robin starch hee hee!!