Continuous washing up

[skinnysoyvanillalatte]

How do you deal with this? I must wash up at least 10 times a day. I must have a family of "grazers" but it seems that as soon as I have washed up and put away, there is another dish or cup!

Do you wash every cup that comes to the sink or occasionally leave them un til there is more than one item to wash.

We wash up after each meal here. A cup or two on the side is acceptable, IMO. Admittedly there are only younger DC here though, so grazing is containable!

Buy a dishwasher. Seriously - life is too short to be continually washing up. Put the dirty pots out of sight in the machine and let it do the hard work when it's full.

Best investment ever. I just wish there was an equivalent machine that ironed clothes.

Before I got a dishwasher, I would wash up 3 times a day, after every meal. It seems such a waste of hot water, washing up liquid and time to do it more than that!

Bloody hell! Life is too short. Before I had a dishwasher I used to wash dishes once a day only. Honestly, no one cares if you have dirty dishes everywhere, you're just missing out on life standing at the sink all day.

this is a huge waste of energy - both yours and the stuff you pay for. And why are you doing it all?

cups/glasses can be used more than once. Alternatively train people to put used items in the dishwasher if you have one.

Get the grazers to wash up their own plates.

If they're old enough to help themselves to food, they're old enough to clear up.

1. Dishwasher.
2. Get them into the habit of washing their own plate/cup/whatever as soon as they've finished.

I was too soft with my lot (teens) and ran myself ragged. It was only when I moved in with DP that I realised they need to do things themselves, you're at least making them get more prepared for their own future.

Before we had a dishwasher I kept a box in the cupboard under the sink for storage of dirty pots.

Each of us has our own beaker, used throughout the day for all drinks. I've only just realised that this is bonkers.

I cannot wait until I move and can get a dishwasher. In fact I'm having 2 in my new kitchen, so I never even have to unload it, just use clean out of one and load dirty in the other!

There is not enough room in my kitchen for a dishwasher - as much as I would love one, I need the washing machine more. If only one machine could do both ......

OP I don't know. The only thing that helps me with the washing up is the adage "there is never too little to wash up".

I agree with getting everyone doing it. My 6yo has started washing up the breakfast things some mornings.

I've only just realised that this is bonkers.

Brilliant! I LOVE those moments - when your 'normal' becomes 'madness'

why is it bonkers to reuse cups or glasses?

We used to just stack under/next to the sink, unless we are having visitors. Maybe it is skanky but no one has died yet, and 1 or 2 bowls of washing up water vs 10 must save a lot of water and energy.

I really don't see why anyone would need to wash up more than 3x per day. Plus, if the washing up fairy is constantly clearing up behind the 'grazers', they never get to appreciate how much work they are making and they are forced to get a new plate/cup each time.

Definitely working on the cleaning up after themselves strategy here...husband is worst offender!

even with a dishwasher we reuse the same mug all day and same with glasses etc. They go in the dishwasher just before it gets switched on. With 6 of us, I think we would be putting it on at least twice a day if we didn't re use anything. .