Laundry Basket/Hamper

[mom2rtk]

I have never understood being upset someone completed a household task.

If someone wants to do the laundry, wash the dishes, clean the bathroom, etc, and do it differently than I would have done, I am MORE than happy to let them.

I'm really lax about a lot of stuff. But if loading the dishwasher the wrong way means dishes come out dirty and have to be soaked and rewashed, it does matter.

 

[TCRAIG]

That's a big fat no from me. I toss it all in together.

- I cannot process this -

 

[kdonnel]

I'm really lax about a lot of stuff. But if loading the dishwasher the wrong way means dishes come out dirty and have to be soaked and rewashed, it does matter.

Seems like a chance to learn what was done wrong and do it again. No one died. No rockets exploded. No actual harm was done. Put the clean ones away, rewash the dirty.

 

[soccerdad72]

That's a big fat no from me. I toss it all in together.

Same here

 

[kanerf]

I only wait for enough clothes to get dirty to do a load and then do so. I live on the road so my laundry basket is my trusty DVC laundry bag.

 

[leebee]

I have a laundry basket and DH has a laundry basket used for both worn and clean clothes. We each do our own laundry. Neither of us sort (light/darks/colors) but we use "color catcher" cloths that work very well. The only thing either of us sorts is heavy dries (jeans and sweats) and light dries (everything else). Sometimes we will combine our jeans and sweat and do one load of heavy dries, then we each do the rest of our clothes. DH hangs his sweaty, wet gym clothes to dry before he puts them in his laundry basket.

Towels/sheets go in a separate basket of their own. We wash/dry them when it's full. After being used, towels are religiously hung to dry and reused for as long as either of us is comfortable doing so. Could be a week, could be longer. [I know this is an entire thread on its own!]

Heck... I am usually happy if I manage to get the wet clothes into the dryer on the same day they were washed, much less folded and put away. There is a basket full of clean clothes mocking me right now. Gonna have to re-tumble them to get the wrinkles out before folding and putting away!

 

[DisneyTeacher]

We use two hampers in the laundry room (one for regular laundry and one for clothes that don’t go in the dryer). No laundry baskets, I fold it at/on the dryer when it’s dry and carry it to bedrooms.

 

[slo]

The all-time question for me is...do you separate light and dark clothes? I couldn't care less about doing this.

I’m ridiculously over the top about separating clothes - I fully admit it. Even the neighbors know my system. One day years ago my DD wore a red shirt and my neighbor told her - nice shirt! Too bad you won’t be able to wear that for another 2 months because that’s how long it’ll take your mom to get a full load of reds together to wash.

I know, I know, I know - I’ve got some issues - LOL!

 

[Moliphino]

Seems like a chance to learn what was done wrong and do it again. No one died. No rockets exploded. No actual harm was done. Put the clean ones away, rewash the dirty.

With laundry there can be harm done. Shrunken clothes, bleach spots, pen/chapstick/etc. run through the wash, new dark jeans bleeding into whites...

 

[Moliphino]

The all-time question for me is...do you separate light and dark clothes? I couldn't care less about doing this.

I only sort if I have enough for two loads, otherwise it all gets thrown in together.

 

[tinkerbellandpeterpan]

Honestly, if I can't trust my spouse, who is a fully functional adult, to do a load of laundry, then there are serious problems. If I prefer to do it my way, that's fine. If we have agreed to split the chores a certain way then no worries. But literally assuming he can't operate a washing machine or a dryer....nope. I don't infantilize my husband and don't expect that he treats me as helpless or clueless.

 

[kdonnel]

With laundry there can be harm done. Shrunken clothes, bleach spots, pen/chapstick/etc. run through the wash, new dark jeans bleeding into whites...

Anything can happen no matter who is doing laundry. It’s not rocket science. I stand by my claim that any adult spouse should be able to do a load of laundry.

If they can’t, they are faking, or it’s sad.

 

[willowsnn3]

I have a tall laundry basket/hamper in my closet for my dirty clothes. I have another in the bathroom for wet stuff/towels etc.
I have a laundry basket that I take what dirty clothes I am going to wash to the laundry room & then fold them when clean & take back to my bedroom. Not saying how long they will stay in that basket til I put them up tho.
The bathroom hamper, I just drag to the laundry room but usually fold the towels & such on top of dryer & then hand carry to the linen closet

 

[sam_gordon]

I had a thought...

Those of you who use multiple baskets because you don't want the "clean" clothes picking up something (dirt? germs? I'm not sure) from the "dirty" basket... what do you do for vacations?
1) Take time out of vacation to wash everything before putting it back in the suitcase (so only "clean" stuff is in the suitcase)?
2) Wipe out the suitcase after your dirty clothes come back (in which case, couldn't you wipe out the laundry basket?)?
3) Bring home dirty clothes in the suitcase, unpack, let the suitcase sit until the next trip, then put clean clothes in it?

 

[Chirple]

I had a thought...

Those of you who use multiple baskets because you don't want the "clean" clothes picking up something (dirt? germs? I'm not sure) from the "dirty" basket... what do you do for vacations?
1) Take time out of vacation to wash everything before putting it back in the suitcase (so only "clean" stuff is in the suitcase)?
2) Wipe out the suitcase after your dirty clothes come back (in which case, couldn't you wipe out the laundry basket?)?
3) Bring home dirty clothes in the suitcase, unpack, let the suitcase sit until the next trip, then put clean clothes in it?

I am known in my personal circle for doing laundry on vacation. Bringing home clean clothes means no laundry to do before returning to work and can put everything back in drawers/closets neatly.

If we do find we have dirty clothes coming back with us, they go into plastic shopping bags away from our clean clothes (same suitcase).

 

[Lord Manhammer]

I have a laundry basket and DH has a laundry basket used for both worn and clean clothes. We each do our own laundry. Neither of us sort (light/darks/colors) but we use "color catcher" cloths that work very well. The only thing either of us sorts is heavy dries (jeans and sweats) and light dries (everything else). Sometimes we will combine our jeans and sweat and do one load of heavy dries, then we each do the rest of our clothes. DH hangs his sweaty, wet gym clothes to dry before he puts them in his laundry basket.

Towels/sheets go in a separate basket of their own. We wash/dry them when it's full. After being used, towels are religiously hung to dry and reused for as long as either of us is comfortable doing so. Could be a week, could be longer. [I know this is an entire thread on its own!]

Heck... I am usually happy if I manage to get the wet clothes into the dryer on the same day they were washed, much less folded and put away. There is a basket full of clean clothes mocking me right now. Gonna have to re-tumble them to get the wrinkles out before folding and putting away!

One of the best parts about being a professor is being able to toss on a wrinkled shirt and announce „ I’M ECCENTRIC!!”

 

[Lord Manhammer]

I need to get a life - I do at least a dozen loads (but every other rather than weekly) just for me! I do have a downstairs primary bedroom so that helps!

12 loads for you?!?! Jesus H Christ on a popsicle stick, how big is your wardrobe?

 

[mousefan73]

Having separate laundry baskets, simply to avoid “contamination“ sounds a bit a bit anal retentive to me. Might as well wear gloves to avoid touching anything outside of your home.

On the other hand, I know of a woman who has two washing machines because she refuses to wash her cleaning rags, dish towels and mop rags in the same machine as her clothes

 

[mousefan73]

I am known in my personal circle for doing laundry on vacation. Bringing home clean clothes means no laundry to do before returning to work and can put everything back in drawers/closets neatly.

If we do find we have dirty clothes coming back with us, they go into plastic shopping bags away from our clean clothes (same suitcase).

When we vacation or travel, I also sort dirty and clean in our luggage. If we have more than one piece of luggage, I’ll assign one suitcase to be the laundry suitcase, which is actually convenient because our storage room is next to the laundry room in the basement, so I just take that thing down and dump it in the front of the laundry machine, or if I’m using the suitcase I’ll also use a plastic bag. I’ll use plastic bags anyways to separate my shoes. One of my pet peeves is my daughter who just throws shoes on top of clothes in her bags. That’s so gross.

 

[AprilsZoo]

Oh...I leave a trail of clothes. It was either that or put a television in the laundry room.

Well, there’s a thought.

TIL that the new 75” TV we bought ourselves for Christmas ($499 at Costco, DH & I couldn’t resist ) was mounted at an angle that makes it completely impossible to view it from the kitchen while I’m prepping dinner or doing dishes. I made such a big deal about the angle for viewing in the Family room— that I don’t want to say anything to DH now about not seeing it from the kitchen angle. The worst part is that I probably watch (well, watched) TV from the kitchen more than half the time.
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We have *many* laundry baskets— they hold dirty or clean clothes as the need arises. Occasionally, [ok, frequently] one or more get pressed into service to hold yarn and whatever project I’m currently working on.

I also use my larger ones to hold the items I’m taking on a trip. In the days leading up to the trip, I will drop things into the basket as I see or think about them— certain shirts, or a book I’m going to take, all the things I want in one place so it’s easier to pack the suitcase the night before.