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!

I'm with you OP though more bc I want to check each item for stains, fasten zips and check pockets before washing

@MargaritasOnMe

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

That's why I do it.

Shove them all in. I've never heard of anyone doing it your way

So I'm aware roughly of what's in there. Mainly for the DCs' stuff so I know where their things are.

I don’t really understand why you need to know? If a particular item of clothing isn’t in the wardrobe, I assume it’s somewhere in the laundry “cycle” (basket, machine, hanging up to dry) and therefore not able to be worn. I don’t need to know exactly where it is, I’ll just pick something else.

Surely if you put your trousers in the laundry basket you know they will be in wash if the basket has been emptied?

Not that i do alot of it any more, my OH took over this when he worked away for weeks on end and I've never picked it back up again.

I just shove it all in together, not a clue what goes in it just all goes in.

Shove it in, picking out whites as spotted to wash separately. Could not be arsed to mentally note what goes in, I'll spot it in an hour's time when hanging up.

I take no responsibility for whether something has been put in the laundry basket - even for my 10 year old. I do all the laundry but it's each person's job to add their diety clothes to the pile. I do remind them though.

@ImprobablePuffin

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.

😂😂

It doesn't take extra "time". My brain sort of does it automatically. I'm just naturally aware as I'm doing it, what's going in. I suppose I do it in a mindful way? Not sure how else to explain it other than that. It definitely does not take extra time or effort, though.

I check things are inside out and nothing in pockets so might know what is going in, but dont do it just so i know what is going in iykwim

I'm with you op :)

@TreacheryPepper

Shove them all in. I've never heard of anyone doing it your way

3 of us on this thread so far, so now you have.

I’m a shover but I separate by colour and note what fabrics need what type of wash.

I wouldn’t be happy at all with a bloke who just shoved an armful in- with no regard for colours fading or blending, or ruining fabrics. Disrespectful and reeks of strategic incompetence.

@SheWoreYellow

Shove them all in, but mentally note as I hang them to dry.

Same, I'm careful to sort darks/lights/brights as no one likes a muddy grey tinge but I don't particularly look at each item until I'm hanging it up, maybe not even then!
We're a 6 person household so the washing is mighty plentiful.

How often does it come up that an item is lost right during the hour or so it is in the machine?

Surely the clothes spend more time in the washing basket anyway - do you go through and memorise what's in there as well?

Where do you normally store your clothes that means you might lose them?

Seems that life would be simpler if you just assumed it's in the wash if you can't find it...

@Abouttoblow

Surely if you put your trousers in the laundry basket you know they will be in wash if the basket has been emptied?

The basket is not always emptied, that's the point.

I do remember what's in there, but that's because there are always bunched up socks and inside out shirts to deal with, so I get to know what's in the load before the machine is switched on.

@BraveFaceScaredInside

I'm with you op :)

4 of us yay

Do people really separate darks and lights? I've never done that and not once has it been an issue!

I just shove in a load from the wash basket, I don’t even separate colours/ darks/ whites etc. I usually have a rough idea of which items I’ve worn and put in the wash basket but I definitely don’t check or make any sort of note.

What if there was a woollen jumper, or something delicate in amongst the laundry?

The owner of said item shouldn't put it in with the general laundry if it's not to be washed with a general load. If I was doing a family wash, I'd assume that anything in the basket was ok to go in the machine.

I do this sort of thing.

I hate to find odd socks, even odd pj's with our kids because a top or bottoms will be stuffed down the side of the bed rather than in the basket. I also hang things out in sets and batches of how they'll be put away. I also can not have different coloured pegs on an item of clothing or set of pj's on the washing line.

Yes, I do have OCD.

Separate lights, darks, towels & whites. I don't make a note of what goes in at any one time. If it's dirty, it needs washing. The only things I do make note of are my white work uniforms as they have to be washed separately.

We just grab an armful of normal darks, white/light shirts, sportswear or whatever and it goes in the wash