Okay let me ask you this. When you toss your clothes into the receptacle, floor, area or room where they wait to be washed, in what format do you leave your shirts? I ask because I always toss them in the hamper right side out whereas Serge always tosses them in inside-out. This is probably due to how we take off these garments. We're talking tees and undershirts here. I pull mine off from the neck which results in the shirt remaining right-side-out while spouse pulls from the bottom and up and over his head resulting in the inside-out bullshit. The reason I have a problem with this is that it is my job to fold and put away the clothes. (If you recall, we've solved a large source of marital discord by coming up with the machine pact - he loads them and I empty them. This goes for dishes and laundry.) Now when I have broached the subject with beloved marital partner, he informs me that he does that on purpose because it "washes them better". Now I might go along with this logic if he tossed everything in inside-out. But he doesn't. His jeans are right-side-out, as are his socks (thank the baby jebus) so his logic is rather faulty.
I have been known to exhibit a little civil disobedience in the matter by simply folding and putting away his shirts in the same format as they come out of the dryer, but mostly I try to find my loving place and turn them right-side-out before folding them.
What suggestions would you give? Should I just keep my mouth shut and fold the clothes and take the extra time that HIS require to do properly? Should I stop folding his properly in protest? Is there some way I can convince him of his faulty logic? How does it work in your household?
28 comments:
Hey, there. It may seem like a small thing, a petty thing, but it is irksome nonetheless. I'm with you -- insist that he turn them right side out making it easier for you to fold. In fairness, though, some garments do specify that you should turn them inside out for washing (items w/ a graphic design, or whatever, get less agitated w/ the washing process, hence less wear on the garment). My partner does not remove small items (change, etc.) from his pockets prior to tossing them in the laundry hamper. He insists it is my job to inspect them before putting them in the machine. So that's cause for marital discord here. Well, one of many!
I'd say something about how it adds time to an already dreary chore. If he still insists then tell him you'll leave is t-shirts unfolded so he can fold them :-)
If he claims that they wash better when inside-out, why doesn't he find his loving place and turn yours inside-out before he puts them in the washer?
Paul
What about if he did his laundry and you did yours?
In our house, everything house-related is my work. When I ask for help, it's not done my way so I don't even ask anymore. I sort, load, fold and put away all the laundry and I do it my way and I'm okay with that.
it didn't, hence my singledom! ha!
My kids used to complain when their shirts were hung inside-out from the dryer. Here's my take: whose problem is it? And who caused the problem? If you don't like it, then either A. Turn them right-side out or B. Do the laundry yourself. When I refused to own the problem, it solved itself. They owned the solution.
My solution to that is if an article of clothing is inside out, wash it inside out and fold it inside out and it is the person who wears that particular article of clothing's job to put it on as they see fit, inside or outside out. I agree that it does get things cleaner inside out and it also protects color and t-shirt graphics because they don't have direct contact with the hot dryer casing. my two cents. just leave it inside out and let him deal with the 'turning it right-side-out' of it all. ;)
and for what it's worth, laundry and dishes are the top two sources of discord in our home. It's not being passive aggressive to leave it inside out, especially if that's the way he prefers it being washed. I wash mine inside out and fold them inside out. i don't see a problem with turning it right side out when it comes time to wear it.
"My partner does not remove small items (change, etc.) from his pockets prior to tossing them in the laundry hamper. He insists it is my job to inspect them before putting them in the machine."
mine does that too!
in my house, spouse drops his clothes down the basement stairs or in the laundry hamper upstairs. doesn't matter to me which way they are. I wash and fold, he does the hangs.
he also loads/unloads the dishwasher and does most of the cooking and yardwork. so I get to sit on my big fat ass...bwhahahahaha! anyone jealous yet?
My partner is like Serge. I usually do the laundry so I turn the t-shirts right side out. I used to fold them inside out and put them in the closet but a friend told me I was being a passive aggressive bitch. I figure it only takes a few seconds to turn the shirts right side out and it will probably avoid an argument. My partner is away on business travel a lot so I’d rather have our time together be peaceful instead of arguing over a t-shirt.
I love this!!!! My husband usually does the washing of the laundry. When that is done whoever is near the dryer puts the wet clothes in.
I have noticed (over the years!!!) that most of HIS shirts, pants and socks have one arm/leg inside out and the other normal. This is how he puts them in the washer (or in the hamper). I,I must say, am more particular about HOW I would put them in the washer.......either inside-out or rightside-out......I don't care. As long as they are the same.
It's a pain this time of year when we hang the clothes out on a line (I love doing this....been doing this since childhood) and you have to pull a sleeve or a pant leg (and they are wet!!!) out to match the other one, so they will dry more easily.I tried to explain this to him and he justs nods.....looking at me like 'what's the big deal'.Thank god I love him.
Actually, I have gotten over the frustration it used to cause me. It could be a lot worse I'm sure. I have called upon my 'loving place' many a times......and it has got me through it.
Everything I do is random - there is no planning at all when it comes to washing.
I too am in charge of laundry around here, and have almost never had to deal with the inside-out thing (thank god). I do however get the occasional kleenex-in-the-pocket thing, which drives me nuts, because then there's small bits of tissue mixed into the whole load. I've mentioned to H to check his pockets carefully before throwing his clothes into the hamper, and he does try, but he still forgets sometimes. So I just treat it as background risk of doing laundry, and leave it at that.
I employ the Serge method -- shirts inside-out, socks & underwear however they come off, jeans right-side-out. Never thought about the discrepancy before; the old wives' tale may have said something about shirts inside-out being more effective, which makes no sense, but then urban myths and old wives' tales don't have to make sense, do they?
My partner does the same thing.
For me, it falls into the pick your battles category and this is one I chose not to pick.
I've recently started taking my shirts off like Serge, because it does protect the colours better. I turn them right side out when I decide to wear them again.
But most of all, after reading all the comments, I'm just happy to be single.
I am SO w/you on this one. I grumble and curse under my breath at one domestic partner and his out turned shirts, when I have to take them out of the dryer.
But he doesn't know this. It's my own private hell.
I am saving condemnation for something bigger than this.
Clothes that I want to preserve the coloring I turn inside out, clothes that I want to fade I turn right side out. We both do laundry in our house, and when someone does the laundry, the other person vacuums.
My hands get cold so I do the dish-washing every night, even when I cook. I make the bed everyday except when I have a early bike ride.
He dusts, and I do the household maintenance, he balances the check book, and I write the checks when he tells me the amount of the bills
i don't care about whether shirts or other clothes are inside-out or right-side out. i'm the one who does the folding because i don't like the way that anyone else does it. however, i don't have to be the one who does the washing and shifting of loads. i just fold it. so i'm not going to complain. the only thing i prefer is that socks aren't inside-out because they don't clean properly then.
Laundry is one of the "control" things I have. I have to do it and get nervous if partner goes near the washer or dryer. Accepting that fact, I allow for inside-outedness and other illogical choices. I then make the necessary adjustments to make the end product folded and in its place.
I chalk it up to having a good man with a few faults, and who will never change some habits, but nothing that is a showstopper. I'm picturing Serge as someone worth the bit of extra effort.
I've never thought about it. I think I've had to turn a few t-shirts before folding but so far it isn't an issue. LIke you noted, at least he doesn't do that with socks.
I do nearly all the wash now that I am retired. As for the condition of the clothing pre-wash: Mrs. G is Serge; I am you. It frustrates me, but like you I find "my loving place" and just grumble a bit in the basement.
But now I have a question for you. Does the object of your marital bliss leave (used and unused) facial tissues in the pockets of his clothing? Does he take his undies and socks off with his slacks and leave them enclosed in the slacks? Preparing for a load of wash is like a treasure hunt for me.
WOW This is a real can of worms, I have 3 kids and a husband and as long as the stuff goes in the laundry basket I wash it, more than half the clothes are the right way out and if there are tissues left in the wash I hope most of the bits blow off on the line.
I treat turning the right way out as part of the job like sorting colours and ironing stuff that needs it. There are household chores that I hate much more than laundry.
Have you asked your beloved if he minds his shirts folded insideout?
My suggestion is that you fold them exactly as they come out of the dryer, be it inside-out or right-side-out. If they're inside-out, HE can turn them right-side-out before he puts them on.
Civil disobedience. I adore this post. I think you're nuttier than a fruitcake.
Well, most of the sweat and grime will be on the inside of t-shirts, socks and underwear. Laundering them inside out is probably for the best- that's where the fabric touches the skin. It's probably irrelevant though- but maybe Serge thinks like I do.
I say fold his stuff inside-out, as they come from the dryer. You're a very good husband to fret about such things, but it's really not that biggie.
Freud would be interested: "he loads, I empty". A very affectionate joke there.
:)
i love laundry! i do both of ours, mine i fold just like it went in, inside out i don't care! His I make correct and i am fast! Love all these replies..i feel sort of like "morty".
xx
donna
I know I'm coming to this party late, as usual. But I bought three new sweaters last fall and they had labels which advised me to wash them inside out, on the delicate cycle. I'd never seen those directions before but I've followed them all fall and winter and I'll be darned if they aren't still new looking without all those little irritating fuzz balls.
Isn't life ALL about the little things? My first reaction is don't sweat the small stuff, but oftentimes it's the small stuff that piles up. We both hate folding laundry with a hateful hate... so often it doesn't get done at all and just sits in the hamper until wear time. Sad, I know. But other small stuff like sponges left in the sink or general untidyness drives me bananas.
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