Thursday, February 07, 2013

The Laws of Relativity (re: Washing)

It works something like this.  Now, bear in mind science class was a long time ago.  Aside from unintended experiments such as an 18 month old + 30 seconds unattended + unsecured jar of golden syrup, 'science' as we knew it at school isn't on my list, much.

So, the Theory of Washing Relativity (which oddly works out to 'TOWR' ie tower - which is how many people describe their 'Mt Washmore' basket of clean clothes awaiting sorting/loads awaiting washing/lack of laundry floor) goes like this:

Clothes washed (W) = loads done (L) x line space (S) x available time in dwelling (D).
So... the only way to increase (W), if there is a decrease in, say, (D), is to increase (L)
We have a dodgy pull up washing line (held up by rope, since it fell off the wall) and 3 lengths of tow rope under the patio roof, for the extra line space, plus a small airer - which is more than a lot of people have, I know AND it's all under cover - bliss on an unexpected rainy day and elastic lasts much longer!  So since I can't increase (S) in any worthwhile way, that's the only option.  So this is my new washing strategy.  It works a ripper in summer.  Winter is far enough way that I can work on 'Laws of Washing Relativity Winter-Style'.  I hope.

How does it play out in practice, you ask?  How can you peg extra loads (L) if you can't increase (S)?  Well, you've probably heard of double pegging (two clothes items where you would usually hang one), and probably triple pegging (like Tetris, you double peg along the line, and then peg between the pegs across the line) but this is taking multi-layering to a whole new washing level.

Quad-peg.  Yep.  The vital missing link in the TOWR equation.  If you decrease (D) then you must multiply (L) x (Q).  Quad peg the snotters.  So in practice it would play out like this:

If on Monday, I know that say on Tue, Wed and Thur, I won't be home for much useful time (or at all, enough for a pee and to grab the next 'to do' stuff/swap children etc) or if I am home, I am flat out baking or whatever, to do any washing then that means on Monday, the machine goes all day.  I fill that line space right up. I quad peg most things - 4 shirts, 4 tea towels. Or if you can't quad peg on the same peg, then overlap the double peggings like you would laying reeding on a palm gazebo roof (because you know, we do this all the time). Bath towels I double or sometimes triple peg (that tells you how thin some of my towels are lol) and thicker things I leave as-is (though sheets get folded to be a long thin thing to hang).  Fill the line choka-a-blok absolutely.

Then that's it.  The next three days go flat out and the machine might not get touched until Thur night.  Two loads go in on Thur night so they're ready to hang in the morning, and first thing Fri morning the entire line is emptied (coz it's all died - cue the 'Hallelujah' music), folded as it comes off the line (it's free ironing, seriously, lay the stuff flat and you're sorted underneath the weight of it), then dished out when it comes inside (hooray for our laundry room which puts x4 sets of kids drawers in easy reach, and because I don't sort big people socks, or put away anyone's washing except the smaller two).  And that's it. 5 days loads of washing, done in one day and kindly dried by Mother Nature.  Just keep filling the machine and keep pegging, between other taks, on the day you're at home and you're set.

TOWR lesson complete!

3 comments:

Niki Jones said...

Ha shows the ones that have a lot of kids.I always peg inwards on the line not around it if you get what I mean. Like you said. It increases space by about 4 times. also like you said works well in summer & takes a bit longer for the clothes to dry because they aren't flapping around in the breeze so much. But I get it all done at once so works for me.
x

Dani said...

Or how about hanging (adult) items like shirts and trousers straight onto a hanger, and placing that on the line, with a peg to hold it in place.

Come the end of the day when it's dry, it's already hung up, so all you have to do is take the full hanger and shove it straight into the cupboard.

But I am supposing here that, like me, the wet clothes have had a 'snap' shake and therefore you don't iron...?

Kristy said...

Niki I should just peg inwards all the way, then it's just single layer... now you're talkin'! look out clothesline!

Dani yep, in our laundry room, with the school shirts they come out of the washer, 'snap n shake' then on to the hanger to dry in place, hung and done. That's in summer.

I do the peg n hanger thing on the line outside if it's a special/going out/wedding etc shirt :) works well, doesn't it.

I think the last time I pulled out the iron, the second youngest asked me what it was lol so yes, I have found ways around ironing. Basically I'll iron for funerals, weddings and other special occasions... and hems, if I am sewing and they need it. But that's it!

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