If you use an automatic dishwasher, and it's more than just yourself in your household, how do you go about loading the dishwasher. If you hand wash dishes, I get it. Sometimes with just one or two people, hand washing makes more sense.
We all try to get value for what we spend, right? So fitting as much as will actually get clean into an automatic dishwasher only makes sense, saving both water and energy.
With that in mind, do you prefer to have household members add their dishes to the dishwasher as they use them, or do you prefer to be the one loading the dishwasher and ask members to stack dishes in the sink or on the drainboard area of your counter?
I ask because every time the dishwasher is getting near to full, enough to run a load, I have to pull out about a third of the items and reload those to make more fit. In my house, we all add our dishes as we use them. But I sometimes think it would be more efficient if I asked everyone to stack dishes in the sink. Then when I had time, I'd load it all as tightly as is reasonable.
The way we've set up dishwasher chores in our household is the other 3 people take turns unloading the dishwasher, while I always finish loading it, getting as much in a possible, then start it.
If I asked my family to stack dishes in the sink, I actually think they'd like that. So I could load everything how I see fit, while making them happy. But that would also mean that dirty dishes would be out for the most of a day.
I also use the dishwasher for mixing bowls, casserole dishes, cutting boards, and some pots and pans, so it's more than just plates and glasses, which because they are of one pattern will tessellate well.
Anyways, what are your thoughts on loading the dishwasher? Do you prefer to be the one who does the loading? Do you work to make as much fit in as possible, or is that not a priority to you?
Tell me what you think.
