Loading the dishwasher all at once v. piecemeal

[Fat Guy]

Some people like to put every dish in the dishwasher as soon as it's used, loading throughout the day, meal, etc., one piece at a time. Other people like to fill the sink with dishes and load the dishwasher all at once. I'm in the latter camp, because it allows me to get a better overview of the task and plan accordingly.

And you?

[gfweb]

Piecemeal.

That way my wife can have the joy of continually rearranging it until its full and pointing out my errors each time.

Its a Larry David moment I enjoy.

[Darienne]

Piecemeal.

That way my wife can have the joy of continually rearranging it until its full and pointing out my errors each time.

Its a Larry David moment I enjoy.

Whereas I, on the other hand, while allowed to load the dishwasher piecemeal, am overruled by the DH who is the only one who can load it correctly. And I don't know who Larry David is.

Edited May 11, 2011 by Darienne (log)

[Anna N]

I consider my dishwasher the biggest single organizer in my kitchen - hence it gets loaded as dishes are used. This frees up sink and counter space in a very tiny kitchen.

[gfweb]

Piecemeal.

That way my wife can have the joy of continually rearranging it until its full and pointing out my errors each time.

Its a Larry David moment I enjoy.

Whereas I, on the other hand, while allowed to load the dishwasher piecemeal, am overruled by the DH who is the only one who can load it correctly. And I don't know who Larry David is.

Larry david has a us TV show.

What's a DH...designated hitter?

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[JBailey]

Stupid Heloise trick...I hate admitting I use it, but it works! After I empty the dishwasher, I put a fresh Cascade pac (or your prefered brand)in the dishwasher detergent holder and close it. The if someone else opens the dishwasher (or if I forget whether the dishes were washed or not at a later time) they know that the dishes are, in fact, dirty and should not be removed. If the holder is empty, then I am assured the dishes have been through a washing cycle.

[Darienne]

What's a DH...designated hitter?

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Dear Husband

[Joe Blowe]

I've played many, many, MANY hours of Tetris.

Nothing I like better than strategically moving a sink-full of dishes to the dishwasher

[Snadra]

Piecemeal.

That way my wife can have the joy of continually rearranging it until its full and pointing out my errors each time.

Its a Larry David moment I enjoy.

Whereas I, on the other hand, while allowed to load the dishwasher piecemeal, am overruled by the DH who is the only one who can load it correctly. And I don't know who Larry David is.

There is a deep pleasure in annoying those you love by using household appliances "incorrectly". It puts a smile on my face.

[Chris Amirault]

So just to be clear: you #2 types let the sink fill with dirty dishes from several meals until it's filled? Do you just avoid using the sink during that time?

[gfweb]

This is a Felix Ungar/Oscar Madison issue.

Or Larry the Cable Guy / Martha Stewart....

Edited May 12, 2011 by gfweb (log)

[Lisa Shock]

I rarely have enough dirty dishes in one day for a load, I tend to wash the pans by hand as they get used, so, I add them piecemeal. This keeps the kitchen looking clean and my sink free and clear.

[nolnacs]

I couldn't possibly wait to put dishes in the dishwasher. My kitchen is too small and I need to use the sink while cooking. Unless you have a double sink or a ton of counter space, I just don't see how it is feasible.

[lesliec]

Speaking as one who has got a ton of bench space (well, three metres of it, anyway), I come down with the 'load as you go' group. Certain things, like the cast iron which NEVER goes near the dishwasher, may stay out for a while, but plates and cutlery go in as soon as we're finished with them.

Unless it's full ...

[Marlene]

I tend to be an all at once person. Of course, I may run several loads a day, depending on what and how many I'm cooking for, but I find it easier to organize that way.

[Fat Guy]

On a typical weekday there's only one significant dish-generating meal in our home: dinner. I prefer to clear the dinner dishes, dessert plates/salad bowls, serving pieces, whatever I used in cooking, etc., into the sink and then load the dishwasher when I can survey what's what. If there are dishes generated by an earlier meal, especially on a weekend, I'll do a partial loading, but again I prefer to do the whole meal's stuff at once.

[Marlene]

So just to be clear: you #2 types let the sink fill with dirty dishes from several meals until it's filled? Do you just avoid using the sink during that time?

And I'm a type A personality by the way. But , I tend to stack them on the counter beside the sink. If it's just me at home for several days, I will load as I go, since I don't need to run the dishwasher every day but when I'm prepping and cooking a lot, I finish the prep, then load and run, and load and run again as needed.

Edited May 12, 2011 by Marlene (log)

[Marlene]

On a typical weekday there's only one significant dish-generating meal in our home: dinner. I prefer to clear the dinner dishes, dessert plates/salad bowls, serving pieces, whatever I used in cooking, etc., into the sink and then load the dishwasher when I can survey what's what. If there are dishes generated by an earlier meal, especially on a weekend, I'll do a partial loading, but again I prefer to do the whole meal's stuff at once.

yes.

[rarerollingobject]

Well, I WOULD stack the dishwasher incrementally as I go except it's usually still full of clean dishes I've studiously been avoiding UNSTACKING - it is, after all, the least favourite kitchen task of so many of us as per recent thread on same!

Actually, who am I kidding - the boyfriend does all the dishes and cleanup and unstacking, and I just eye the dishwasher begrudgingly on my way past. But I imagine he experiences the unstacking ennui noted above, tis only human.

Edited May 12, 2011 by rarerollingobject (log)

[Carlton]

We load piecemeal but our dishwasher is fairly spacious and we've come up with a specific loading plan so all our dishes and glasses fit in a certain way. The only thing that ever changes it is when we have large pieces that don't get used much that need a spot. This leaves room in the sink for mixing bowls, measuring cups, cutting boards and everything else that gets used every other day and needs more frequent cleaning.

[Pierogi]

Absolutely piecemeal. My sink (and kitchen) are too, too small to allow for accumulating dirty dishes. I'd never be able to get a glass of water, or cook anything else !

I also sometimes don't run the machine for two days, so really would make me bat-sh*t to have dirty dishes in the sink for more than an instant.

It seems to be the only clean-freak trait I inherited from my mother. Her mantra was "I just can't go to sleep with dirty dishes in the sink". Why that stuck, and nothing else about housekeeping did is one of the mysteries of my life.

Edited May 12, 2011 by Pierogi (log)

[scubadoo97]

We don't run the dishwasher every day but we load as we go. No desire to have a sink full of dirty dishes waiting to be loaded

[KitchenMom]

We load at the end of the day. My husband is particularly good at fitting everything in, and he's the evening kitchen cleaner. During the day (when we're home), stuff gets piled up next-to or in the sink. The dishwasher is usually full of clean dishes that we pilfer as needed during the day. We have a large kitchen with lots of counter space and a separate prep sink in the cooking area, so space isn't an issue. After dinner, the kids empty the clean dishwasher and then DH loads and cleans up.

[gfweb]

I think the ideal solution is to have two dishwashers. One for dirty dishes and one for clean. No more unloading dishes to just stack in a cabinet. The dishes would live in the dishwashers. And think of the cabinet space it would free-up.

[Jaymes]

I think the ideal solution is to have two dishwashers. One for dirty dishes and one for clean. No more unloading dishes to just stack in a cabinet. The dishes would live in the dishwashers. And think of the cabinet space it would free-up.

Yes. As I believe I said in the "chores you hate" thread, I do have a friend that does just that. And once she told me that if she could, she'd have every single cabinet in the kitchen do dishes.