Number 1 Time-Saving Dishwasher Loading Tip
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There are things that I’ve known all my life.
Like how making your bed everyday makes your room feel lighter.
But for some reason, I resist it. I’m totally working on that.
And I’m starting with this little time-saving dishwasher loading tip.
So are you ready, McFreddie? Ok. Here it is.
When you load your utensil basket, play a pre-school game with yourself and put all the like utensils in the same compartment.
All the forks in one, all the spoons in the next one… then all the knives, etc.
Duh, huh? I totally wouldn’t do this. Not even when Morgan started doing it behind me. Why, Resistance, why???
Then, I finally realized how much easier it was to unload if I could grab all the spoons at one time.
Life-changing, isn’t it?
So, I’m now on board and Morgan is smirking just a teensy bit. But as long as he’s not going behind me to rearrange stuff, I’m cool with that, yo.
UPDATE:
I’ve gotten several comments from readers {which I LOVE} who say they’ve tried this and their utensils don’t get clean. I hate that! For me, I put some in down and some up. That way they stay separated and it’s works GREAT for me!
Do you have any particular way you like to load the dishwasher?
Do tell.
That might work if you alternate the spoons and forks facing up and down to avoid, well, spooning – which would not allow all of the flatware to get clean. I hate (yes, that’s a strong word but it’s accurate) when I have to re-wash dishes because the didn’t get cleaned the first time. I’ll try the up and down method to see if it gets clean and makes putting them away faster.
I totally agree with you. It’s a huge HATE of mine as well!
I generally alternate, Anne. And it seems to work just fine!
I am getting in late on this discussion about how to load your silverware into the dish washer, but there is one thing I do that may help someone else out there. I take the silver ware holder out of the dishwasher and put it in the sink so that as I get silverware that needs to be cleaned, it is so easy to just load it into the holder there in the sink. That way,
you don’t open and close the dish washer 10 times to put things in the holder. I also load it as I go throughout the day. Then at the end of the day, it is loaded and ready to go. Just some suggestions.
Judy-
What a great idea!
Gwen
Now that us an idea I will use!
i already do that…. and so now i feel like a dishwasher rock star.
Oh, you are, girl! You are!
I’ve been doing that for years. But most people give me the “they’ll stick together” argument.
I will do a test. I’m the loader, sons unload, we will see if they notice.
Can’t wait to hear the outcome!
Yes- i do this also-and them remove the utensil holder to put by silverware drawer to empty. But i also stack cups on one side, glasses with the like and so on. Makes for easy put away- at least it seems to me it does
You are the dishwasher loading queen, Danielle!
Hmmm. I always try to spread the utensils out so like utensils don’t get stuck together. Is that overly compulsive? I do take out all like utensils out at the same time. Then they get put at the bottom of the stack in the drawer. Just think how efficient I could be if I put them in the same space!
I used to do that, too, Karen. I’ve changed my ways and it’s so much faster to unload. They all seem to get clean if I turn some up and turn some down!
Even faster is… I have two baskets but works with one too.. The trick is I put the empty basket in the sink. Add the utensils as we go about the day. When it’s time to start the dishwasher I just put the basket in and add soap. Tada no constant bending and pulling out the bottom to add utensils.
Girl…that IS BRILLZ, baby!
If you read your dishwasher manual, it specifically says not to do this. I can’t remember why, but I stopped grouping them and noticed a difference.
Absolutely! I’m very picky about how I load the dishwasher but it enables me to pick up all like silverware at once, as many plates as my little hands can hold in one scoop, etc. I despise getting stuck unloading after my SO loads the dishwasher, I admit it.
I used to do this. It was very nice to be able to grab a handful and put them away but as time went on, I noticed they weren’t getting clean and I had to keep rewashing thm so I had to stop. If it works for you, it is a great way to save time. 🙂
Have you tried alternating them so some are up and some are down? That works great for me and they all get clean. 🙂
I haven’t tried that. I’ll try it and let you know how it goes. 🙂 Thanks!
Great idea! I will try this. Most dishwashers have a top with slots in the basket for your silverware. People tend to take them off but my silverware is always clean because they can’t touch. I’m trying the grouping next time. Why didn’t I think of that. Thanks for the advice. Now how about laundry advice.
Oh, that is so cool! I’ve seen those kinds of baskets but never had one. 🙂
I’ve been doing this for about 3 years, when a new roommate moved in and told me about it. I haven’t had any trouble with spooning, or forking, because I also turn some up and some down, and make them face each other. Knives aren’t a problem, as their bases are larger in most sets, so they won’t touch. I also take the basket to the silverware drawer, as someone else mentioned. I am going to start putting the basket in the sink to fill without bending, until wash time, as the same reader commented. I have to be a dishwasher queen, because my dishwasher is in need of an upgrade. If I weren’t a queen, it would be only a drying rack.
My silverware basket has a lid that has slotted openings for utensils to hold them spaced apart. I use that on one side, and the larger open section for cooking utensils on the other side. But yes, presorted silverware is much faster to put away.
That’s cool, John! I wish I had one of those!
Gwen
My mother was the queen of dishwasher loading and unloading. I learned at a young age about the up down and same compartment for same type silverware. Dishwashers were fairly new when I was young and I couldn’t understand why you had to wash all the food off if that’s what this big machine was supposed to do?
Ha! I’m still so crazy about washing the dishes before putting them in. I guess it’s just engrained in me from those old dishwashers we grew up with!
I recently started doing this because I value my time too much to spend all of it loading and unloading the dishwasher! Haha. I heard one complaint from my husband that we need to rinse spoons better because one came out not completely clean. However, We have the utensil basket with the separators in them and I space them out a specific way so that everything has ample room and they don’t end up “spooning” as a previous person stated. I, personally hate the tops of the utensils being up because I don’t want to touch them when they are dirty but as long as they are clean in the end then I don’t care how!
I am in such a habit of rinsing everything. Maybe that’s why I love doing it this way. I don’t have any stuck on stuff, so I think that helps! But regardless, it does make it so much faster to unload!
Don’t feel bad about the unmade bed. Dust mites love made beds. I have been doing the utensil trick for years alternating them up and down. This is fine because we are a family of 6 and I have to alternate the utensils up and down in the utensil drawer tray anyway in order to get our many utensils in the compartments allowed for it.
Tonya,
Thanks for sharing!
Gwen
Been doing that since I was a kid, a lil ocd over here ! Lol
Haha! Sometimes, it’s OK!
xoxo
Gwen
Grouping for knifes is great but the others I mix, a real pain to find your spoons spooning etc!