One on the left, one on the right, or vice versa? Hanging out the laundry is something that has to be learned. Haven't you ever waited for what felt like an eternity until your favorite item was dry and you could finally wear it again? And if you have children, maybe even still in their teens, then you already know that drying can't happen fast enough. So, what to do if you don't have a clothes dryer, but the clothes on your clothes rack should dry at the speed of light? Follow these tips before or when hanging out your laundry and you'll see that the light isn't that much faster...

Turned inside out 

If you have not already turned your laundry inside out before washing, do it now before hanging. This not only protects the colors, but also allows the pockets to air and dry faster.

Pants, jeans or sweatpants 

Turn them inside out and hang on one side of the legs, so that air can circulate through them; the waistband also dries faster if it is not secured with clothespins

Shirts 

Your shirts - whether long or short sleeve - are best hung with the hem just above the line and clamped on the side near the seam with one clamp each. Be careful not to overstretch the shirt, or the hem will stretch out and unintentionally create an A-shirt. When secured at the sides by the hem, the sleeves hang down and the fabric at the armpits can dry well. If you fold the shirt over a laundry pole at the middle and clamp it tightly, little air gets to the sleeves and the armpits and drying is not as fast. Also, an unsightly horizontal stripe will remain, and ironing will take longer.

Skirts 

Secure skirts at the waistband, preferably only on one half, so that air can circulate. For elegant skirts made of fine fabric, you can either use extra soft clothespins, or you can use a coat hanger and the loops sewn into the skirt to hang the skirt on the hanger.

Strap tops/tank shirts/undershirts

Dry secured at the straps with a clothespin each, so the air can pass through well. This type is also more space-saving because the shoulder area is narrower than the hem.

Underwear/shorts 

Hang the underwear with the waistband over the laundry pole for quick drying and secure it - depending on the size - with one or two clothespins. Underpants secured at the gusset like to hang down unsightly and in folds, which delays drying.

Socks 

Hang down at the top fastened with a clip. The cuff is usually thicker due to spandex and takes longer to dry. Therefore, it is better to let the cuff hang down, so the wind can sometimes blow into the sock. In addition, you do not see any pressure points of the clips at the toe (because hidden in the shoes), pressure points at the cuff become visible as soon as the pants slide up, so when sitting or crossing the legs.

Elegant tops, blouses, suit shirts etc. 

For your noblest pieces you can use a hanger for drying. 

Tablecloths/linen and kitchen towels/dishcloths 

Drying on a laundry rack is a challenge, but it still works! Fold your tablecloth - one or more times, depending on the size - and hang it over two to three bars of your laundry rack. This way, plenty of air will get to the cloth on the inside to dry it. Of course, it's quicker if you turn the tablecloth over after a while and let the underside face up. Smaller tablecloths and kitchen/dish towels will fit on the laundry rack without wrinkling. Allow as little as possible of the cuff/hem to peek over the clothesline, then secure the cloth with enough pins. Depending on the fabric of your tablecloth, however, you will not be able to avoid ironing.

Bed sheets 

On the laundry rack, bed sheets will also dry well if they are folded once or twice and hung over two or three bars. It is a little more tedious, but it still works.

Tip: You can also use the wide, outer cross bars of your laundry rack, this creates more space for your laundry to dry. You can leave one bar free inside, so the air can circulate better and as a result your laundry dries faster. In the meantime, the sheets can also be turned over, so then the bottom side is on top and the already drier top side is on the bottom, this definitely works. Hung on the clothesline to dry, ideally the opening points down or to the side, then the wind can go inside, and the laundry dries faster.

Fitted sheets 

Fitted sheets are a bit tricky. When you dry a fitted sheet on a laundry rack, it's best to hang it over the entire rack so that the elastic band hangs down. The laundry rack is now nicely wrapped. That sounds great, but in practice it's not really feasible, because you still want the other laundry to dry. So what to do? Find the corners of your fitted sheet and secure them just below the elastic band (which is facing out) with 4 to 6 pins. Leave two to three bars free in between, the air can circulate better and there is still room for small items in the middle - in the belly of the hanging fitted sheet. A laundry rack with folding elements thus becomes a true space-saver, because there is easily room for a fitted sheet on one folding element. Between them you can hang socks, underwear, etc. and the large space in the middle of the laundry rack, i.e., the long crossbars, provide enough space for two sets of bed linen (upholstery and comforter cover).

One left, one right, one left, one right - with this trick it dries in no time! 

It's actually as simple as it sounds, but you still have to hear it once and realize it. Don't you also look for the big pieces from the laundry basket to hang up first? Once these are hung up, the basket looks immediately much emptier, that motivates. You can keep it that way too! Just think of the small parts that are then still waiting in the basket to hang up and leave enough space for them when hanging up the large pieces of laundry. You then simply hang the small items in between. This way you save space and at the same time the air can circulate between your laundry to dry it. This makes hanging up laundry fun!