..to think its ok to put clothes back in wardrobe after wearing?!

[tinklykeys]

Ok so it's my first AIBU and I'm scared, so be nice. I'm just intrigued to know others thoughts are on this...

My DH is a very naturally clean, neat, organised person. I'm not, but I've worked at it since we got married 12 years ago and things are in a reasonable state now..

So, the crux of the problem. DH believes that once clothes have been worn, they can't be returned to the wardrobe/chest of drawers until they've been washed, as they might contaminate the clean clothes in there. I've gone along with this as he did the laundry when we first got married and both worked. Now I do mine and the DCs as I'm a SAHM I've been thinking about it more and it bugs me because...

1. There are some clothes that don't need washing immediately, such as jeans, woollies, maybe a t-shirt. I can't put these clothes away at the end of the day so they end up in a pile on the sofa, or on the floor, or over a chair.

2. I end up wearing the same clothes (especially jeans) as I'd rather wear something that is already out than pull out something else.

So, AIBU to think it would be ok to put clothes that have been worn but are not visibly dirty, back in the cupboard at the end of the day? What does everyone else do??

Sorry if it makes no sense..

No way!

But I'm a sweaty betty. I have to be very on top of washing and airing. Tops can only be worn once definitely. Outerwear if it's still fresh and something I'll wear again that's clean I'll hang it over a chair to let it air.

We are clean here. All of our and DC's clothes only get worn once then washed. Obviously not jackets/cardigans - they get worn lots. Grown ups... jeans worn a couple of times then washed. Jumpers ... it depends.. on if dirty/smell or hand wash/wool wash etc - usually worn a few times. But mainly all only worn once. And if something worn it definitely doesn't get put away... it stays out on a chair as a reminder to wear again! That's normal though isn't it...

maidofstars I like your wAy, that seems doable and doesn't involve piles everywhere.

catsofa that's pretty much how it is here too, you described it perfectly.

DH goes to the trouble of buying lovely lavender mothballed things, so I do want to work with him !

I was certain this thread would be a landslide agreeing your DH was unreasonable.

I'm with you OP - never considered before that it wasn't ok. Never even crossed my mind.

Worn once clothes typically end up in my floordrobe... Unless I've managed to dirty them (happens often)

How is it unhygienic to keep washed and worn stuff together?

Although, now I think about it, I'm probably very like catsofa but my default rather than design.

I never put unwashed clothes back in the wardrobe as it would be hard to remember what is clean and what is not so clean. You could easily end up with a wardrobe of dirty clothes if you start doing that. I either wash clothes after one use or I put them over a chair to wear the next day.

Our worn but not ready for the wash clothes (might have been worn for a few hours after work - we both wear uniform) get folded on top of our laundry baskets and generally worn again the next day.

I usually keep stuff neatly on my bedroom chair to wear again. I get at least two wears out of everything, except socks and underwear, and teeshirts in summer.
I'm with your DH on this one, sorry.

Ok, I have read the thread and have a question. What is it about this moth thing, which means they like wardrobe dirty clothes, but not ones that are bit in the wardrobe?

Do dirty clothes not attract moths wherever they are in the room?

I am Slattern, I don't put clean clothes away, Nevermind dirty ones.

So, just thinking, what do you ask your kids to do with their clothes at the end of the day? My DS is 7 and leaves his clothes on the floor of the bathroom.... I'm trying to work with him to put them somewhere else and he knows to put his underweAr in the wash, but should I designate a special chair for folding up jeans/hoodies etc that he'll wear again. I need it to be straightforward and consistent iyswim...

I put things like jeans in a pile to wear again. I have never had a problem with moths but I think I would forget how many times I had worn them if I just put them back in with the clean ones and I wouldn't know when to wash them.

I often just put jumpers on for a few hours at a time and then shove them back onto the shelf at the top of the wardrobe (cut off from the hangy up bit). The hangy up bit (and the chest of drawers) is all clean stuff.

I put loads of things back, jeans definitely, and outer wear like cardies and jumpers, more fragile things that I don't want to wash too often. If it passes the sniff test it gets put back.

I have got to the age of 43 without having moths or any health problems from not doing oodles of laundry. Crazy, hey ?

Anything that sits next to your pits or bits needs washing daily IMO. For me, that includes jeans. Have a sniff of your jeans crotch next time you take them off and see if they are still clean!
Cardigans and jumpers might be the exception, as long as I haven't spilt breakfast down them and it hasn't been a warm day.
Skirts likewise, but dresses should get washed (pits rule)

DS clothes all go in the wash apart from t shirt only if he hasn't taken his jumper off all day. DS puts all his own stuff in the wash basket sometimes

I don't put worn clothes back in the wardrobe or drawers, but have places I keep slightly worn clothes such as cardies that have only pulled on for the evening. I am lucky in having a small hanging space next to the chimney in the bedroom to hang worn clothes that are not ready for cleaning. I also keep things like my jeans on a chair in the bedroom. I wash undies, socks and tops everyday, and usually dresses and slips. Dh sometimes expects me to change in the evening, and then I resent the extra washing! I feel like I am washing all of the time!

If I wear jeans they are creased by the evening. I can't wear creased clothes.

YANBU - people are obsessed with washing clothes, I always wear things more than once (not underwear/socks) and would expect my DS & DH to do so as well, (unless that have been doing very sweaty sports or gardening ) no wonder so many mumsnetters spend so many hours doing laundry.

My DS knows to put clothes he can wear again on the chair in his room (or I will fish them out of the laundry basket ).

I have never had moths or problems remembering what needs washing or doesn't.

I wear my jeans a couple of times before washing, but that is mainly because I spend all day washing DD and DH's clothes and have no clean clothes for myself! But I don't think you should put them in the wardrobe, hang them on the back of a chair or something instead to keep separate

Dh sometimes expects me to change in the evening - do you live in Downton Abbey?

Just how dirty do clothes get? You shower every day, yes? Using soap or shower gel (the French, apparently, do not use soap/shower gel every day as they think it is bad for the skin), then use deodorant? You are not inept with a knife and fork, and usually manage to transfer the food from plate to mouth without dropping it?

So your clothes neither smell, nor are stained after one wash. So why not wear them again? Even once?

Obviously, I don't mean pants and bras (tho a bra could probably go for two days wear) or socks or tights, but other stuff, why not?

And I have sniffed my jeans crotch and it smells as fresh as a daisy. Well actually it doesn't really smell of anything, certainly not sweaty snatch.

rivertam it is truly a miracle...

I sweat lots....so any tops, skirts, underwear straight in wash, jumpers and jeans I do the sniff test, unless I have a cold and can't smell then I assume they smell bad.
I am confused about jeans looking creased, if you smooth them out and fold them they look fine.....but then I don't iron jeans!