I unload the dishwasher two times a day. I used to hate this task but now I can complete it in less than three minutes.
In the morning, I unload the dishwasher while my coffee pod brews. Right before I go to bed at night, I unload the dishwasher in the same amount of time it takes my dog Merlin to go outside into the back yard and “poodle around.”
Being able to complete a mundane task quicker than I could in my 20s is a huge deal for me, not only in terms of time saved but from a psychological perspective as well. Since I know it will only take me three minutes, I no longer dread the task.
Here’s how I perfected my method.
Like goes with like: When you load the dishwasher, put all the dinner plates together and all the salad plates together, instead of randomly mixed up. That way when you unload you can quickly grab a clump of plates in one swoop instead of having to go back and forth to the cabinet. Bowls, drinking glasses and mugs should go together too. You can’t grab all the mugs at the same time, but having them grouped together will automate the unloading process.
Silverware should already be sorted: The “like goes with like” rule applies to silverware as well. Put the knives in one set of baskets, the forks in another and the spoons all by themselves. When you unload silverware you’ll be able to take them in chunks and dump them into your silverware-drawer organizer without looking.
Train your family well: If I had a nickel for every time I told my kids: “Put your dishes in the dishwasher,” we’d have the funds to purchase a new one. There’s something about a clean kitchen counter that attracts dirty plates. Or worse, I’ll go to bed with a clean kitchen and wake up to find out midnight marauders have filled the sink with popcorn bowls and kernels that will jam the garbage disposal. But I keep at it with the training and that includes teaching my kids the correct method of dishwasher loading. My kids know that big plates go with big plates and that they shouldn’t put one fork in a basket full of knives.
Purchase dishes with speedy unloading in mind: Thick, heavy, expensive plates are beautiful to look at, but they’ll make unloading the dishwasher harder. Instead of being able to snatch five plates at once, you might only be able to pick up two. I’ve found Corelle dishes to be the easiest to unload, but right now we have cheap dishes from IKEA that are good, too. Since they are lightweight and thin, I can collect a bunch at a time.
Every dishwasher and kitchen is different but strategizing for efficiency can make a big difference. The next time you unload the dishwasher, set a timer and shoot for your personal best.
Jennifer Bardsley publishes books under her own name and the pseudonym Louise Cypress. Find her online on Instagram @jenniferbardsleyauthor, on Twitter @jennbardsley or on Facebook as Jennifer Bardsley Author. Email her at teachingmybabytoread@gmail.com.
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