"Tops of bottoms and bottoms of tops," someone may have chanted over your shoulder as you first took up pegs to hang your washing out to dry. Everyone has their own system and, perhaps it's a pet hate of yours when people do it the other, "wrong" way? Also, how much time and money have you spent on finding the perfect clothes peg?
A quick survey of the Homes To Love team yielded mixed results as to just what is the right way to hang your washing on the line. Are you a shaker? Do you double up on the corners of your t-shirts under one peg? Do you even use pegs?
We spoke to Christian Rechichi from Hills about what people do wrong when hanging clothes on the line and sought his tips on how to get it right.
There's nothing worse than dodgy pegs that perish in the sun and continue to snap and break in your fingers. "Pegs are often overlooked but they can have a massive impact on your laundry," says Christian. "Poor quality pegs can become weathered and leave residue on your laundry, such as rust. Good quality pegs are also less likely to break apart after using them for a few months."
"When hanging clothes outside it's always best to use pegs, as even the longest bed sheet can be blown off the clothesline by a strong gust of wind," says Christian. "It's not as important when drying clothes indoors, however, using pegs means you can hang clothes/sheets from the end to give your laundry a larger drying area for quicker drying."
To get the most effective use of space on the clothesline, spread out your items evenly and neatly so that they can dry properly and without wrinkles, which can be caused by bunching up items together.
"The best way to ensure you're using your clothesline space effectively is to get a clothesline that matches your largest laundry load," Christian suggests. "Using a clothesline that is too small will mean you have to do multiple, smaller loads; or overload your clothesline, which leads to longer drying times and potentially wrinkles!"
Sharing pegs might be quicker and save line space, however, it's not recommended practice to give your clothes the best chance to dry quickly. "Give your laundry enough space between items to allow better airflow for drying and to avoid causing wrinkles," says Christian.
"The more airflow the better, however lighter items, such as gym shirts, yoga pants, or socks and underwear dry quicker than heavier items so they don't need as much space between items. Hanging your clothes out on a warm sunny day will also dry your clothes quicker so the spacing is not as much of an issue," Christian notes.
To shake, or not to shake?! Sometimes when you grab your wet laundry you'll find a pair of pants that has a leg inside out or a shirt with one sleeve tangled inside itself - do you bother to smooth and rearrange each item as you go?
"To get the item ready for drying we recommend pulling it back into shape by hand," says Christian. "You can give a light shake to laundry items, but be mindful that it can stretch your clothing if you're not careful, especially when they are wet."
"Hanging your items upside-down will mean you won't stretch the shoulders/arms of shirts, or the waist of pants," Christian says. And the best way to hang shirts out to dry? "The best option for shirts is to hang them on the line with a coat hanger, as this reduces the chance of wrinkles and saves time when putting them away in the wardrobe," says Christian.
The best way to hang sheets on the line is to hang your sheets over multiple lines to give them the best airflow for drying, "...as they won't be folded over on themselves so closely," Christian says. This also works for heavy items, such as blankets and doonas.
"Hanging heavy items over multiple lines will spread the weight so your clothesline stays taught for longer. If you only have one clothesline, try to hang your heavy items lengthways on the line so the weight is spread out as much as possible," Christian suggests.
Hills Premium Pegs, Pack/50, $21.95, Bunnings
Made from high-quality UV treated materials, your search for the perfect peg is over with these sexy spring-loaded pegs. The soft-grip design makes them easy to handle and they're tough enough to withstand even the most relentless Australian sunshine.
Rainbow Stainless Steel Infinity Clothes Pegs, Pack/20, $38.95, Banish
Pretty sensible, pretty to look at, avoid using plastic altogether with these cheerful steel clothes pegs. Made from marine grade 316 stainless steel, they will actually last forever without rusting or corroding - even in heavy salt environments.
Hills 65m Large Rotary Clothesline in Woodland Grey, $389, Bunnings
Pairing old-school design with modern industrial-grade materials, this rotary clothesline offers the best of both worlds. Its big capacity caters to the needs of a large family, yet it can be folded away and stored when not in use, making the most of your backyard space. With the colour-matched to the popular Colorbond Woodland Grey, who says housework isn't stylish?!
Hills Premium Folding Frame Double in Pebble Beach, $198, Dick Smith
A sturdy unit with the convenience of a fold-down mechanism to use either a single or double line - this one punches above its weight with available line space totalling 23 metres! Easy lift operation, it can be attached to most walls, including down the side of your home or in a sunny corner of the yard.
Boxweden Hip Hugger Laundry Basket, $10.99, Catch
With handles on three sides, this laundry basket is designed to hug your hip for easy carrying. Measuring 65cm x 47cm x 26.5c, it's stackable, strong and stylish.