Or is this not how anyone does washing?!

[Sofiegiraffe]

Who is BU here, me or DP?

When I put a wash load in the machine, I pick up each item individually and sort of make a mental note of it so I have a rough idea of what is going into the machine (in case anyone asks where an item of their clothing is, or in case I'm wondering "where's that pair of black trousers of mine?", for example).

DP claims to just "pick up a load of stuff and shove it in". He doesn't put them in one by one. So if it's a darks wash that he's put on, and I ask "are my black trousers in that wash?" or "is DD's pink dress in that colours wash by any chance?", he won't know. All he knows is that he shoved a load of dark or coloured stuff in.

He thinks that's a perfectly reasonable way to do the washing. I think surely no one else does this? Surely most people look at what they're putting in so they at least have a rough idea of what's going in?!

Who is BU? Please settle this once and for all!

@Whitacre

I don’t check all the undies but usually mentally note the tops/trousers etc, so I know where everything is. I don’t make a big effort, it’s just the way my brain works!

Yes, this! I definitely don't make a note of underwear. But tops, trousers, baby's clothing etc, so I know roughly where things are. My brain does it automatically too. Glad I'm not entirely alone (although firmly in the minority it seems).

Life is far too short for your method

Just you and me then, @Sofiegiraffe 😬

Shove it all in here too. Don’t have time to memorise the contents

@Akite

Yep, another with your DH I'm afraid. I mean, I might put a wash of school uniform on but I won't take note of individual items, who has time (or inclination!) to do that? Big armful, shove in, turn on - done.

It doesn't really take extra time. It's just how I do it without really thinking. If anything DP takes longer to do it than I do 😂

I sort through one by one while splitting the wash into colours, darks, whites etc. but if there were more than two loads of darks then I wouldn't know what was in each load. I'd just pick up enough of the dark pile to fill the machine. If I knew someone needed something quickly then I'd sift through and put it in the first load.

I sort the clothes by lights, darks, whites, etc. I don't make any mental notes of what's in each pile and I certainly don't put them in the machine one at a time. YABU.

I can’t understand not sorting properly - things need different temperatures (some of my good clothes I wash on completely cold to avoid shrinking) and some fabrics need a gentle programme. My clothes last for years and years because I treat them appropriately. Even though I do this, I still only wash full loads - we have enough to be able to wait until there is a full enough basket to warrant putting a wash on.

@UnadulteratedCat

Big arm full of darks here too. No time to give a fuck where everyone’s pants or tops are.

Same, only time I’ll take much notice is if I’m purposefully wanting to make sure a particular thing has been washed, but generally just bung it all in.

@Cocomarine

YABU?!

Does your washing machine cycle last 3 days?!!

Why on earth would you need to answer queries?

“Mum, have you seen my black trousers?”

“No. They’re either in your wardrobe, more likely on your floordrobe, or if they were in the washing basket then they’re either still in there - or as a load went on half an hour ago, in the machine.”

Not enough hours in the day to be answering stupid questions about what’s in the machine! I’m actually really surprised that you do 🤣

You do you - but don’t criticise him.

My youngest is too young to ask or to dress herself. Since it's me who gets her up and dressed and most days, it's in my interests to be aware of where her stuff is that I might be looking for.

God no! Your way seems ridiculous to me. You'll see what's in there in a hour or so when you go to hang it up surely?

Also, if you wore black trousers and put them in the wash, then the dark wash is being done, I'd assume your black trousers are in there.

I don't even separate

@Whitacre

Just you and me then, *@Sofiegiraffe* 😬

😂 least we're not entirely alone! Haha.

I usually pit items in individually rather than shove the pile in - I 'sort' them into the machine / pull out any wool or delicates and check nothing that will run is going into a light load. Couldn't tell you what went in though!

No kids and DP and I generally wash our clothes separate for a similar reason, I like to know if my clothes are in the dirty pile or the ironing pile. Also some of my clothes need a more gentle wash so it's more complicated than just darks or whites. I wouldn't say I pick each item up and make a mental note though, more that I remember what's going on as I'm separating it from the rest of the pile.

I just shove a load in but generally will have noted each item as I hang it up to dry just because I've seen each item individually then. If I've sorted a load into white/colour/dark then I might have a vague idea of what's gone in.

In any case, it won't be because I've made a deliberate mental note of it, it'll be just because I've seen it.

If DH's way is literally shoving anything dark into the machine, then he is BU. What if there was a woollen jumper, or something delicate in amongst the laundry?
Anyway, I wish I'd thought of this years ago, but I do it now - each person has a separate load, so there is no sorting to be done. They can check for themselves if something is in the wash - if it's not in the wardrobe, in the laundry basket or on the the floordrobe, then it's in the wash!

I just shove it in.

@steff13

I sort the clothes by lights, darks, whites, etc. I don't make any mental notes of what's in each pile and I certainly don't put them in the machine one at a time. YABU.

My method too, life is too short to individually place things in a washing machine whilst making mental notes of each item.

YABU OP.

I'm like your dh but I wish I was like you! I never know where the hell anything is tbh.

it's in my interests to be aware of where her stuff is that I might be looking for.

Surely if you can't find it and you know she's worn it you'll know it is most likely in the Great Circle of Laundry somewhere.

Why do you need to memorise every item in every load? It's the washing not the generation game.
Either you enjoy doing (which is fine) or your martyring yourself but it sounds like a huge waste of time.

If its in the washing basket it gets washed, if it isn't it doesn't. So nobody has any need to ask if they are putting it in the right place

@MeridasMum

God no! Your way seems ridiculous to me. You'll see what's in there in a hour or so when you go to hang it up surely?

Also, if you wore black trousers and put them in the wash, then the dark wash is being done, I'd assume your black trousers are in there.

Ahh you see - that's a dangerous assumption when DP has put the wash load on! If there's too many darks for that particular cycle, I can't guarantee that my work stuff will go in it, because he doesn't look. Whereas I'd prioritise if either of us needed work clothes. I've literally just said to him after he put a darks wash on this morning "are my work trousers in there?" He said he didn't know. 😂

I don't seperate anything, i shove it in. I might pull a pair of trousers PJ's or jeans out just to check I've not left a tissue in the pocket but that's it.

And i am still wearing clothes regularly from the 1990's. Mainly band t-shirts. Things rarely get ruined in our house to be honest. We are quite robust and i don't have anything ruffly or delicate in the first place.