Nothing sparks an online debate quite like the question about someone else’s left laundry. There are two camps: those who would never touch it and those who would heave that pile in a heartbeat.
People will passionately argue over the appropriate waiting time before you move it. Others will pass judgement on those who leave their laundry unattended for hours. Some are so forgiving, they deem it acceptable to be forced to forego their Saturday night laundry ritual (come on, we’ve all been there at least once in our single lives). In various forums, I’ve seen people rage over this issue. People have shared heartbreaking stories explaining why they were late retrieving their clothing from the washer or dryer, essentially airing their, ahem, dirty laundry.
It’s an ugly debate, and I know you land hard on one side. I dare you to ask your peers in a Facebook status. Pick one version of the same question. I guarantee you it will shed light on the kind of people with whom you surround yourself.
Which side do you land on? Comment below.
I’m of the I’ll-wait-five-minutes-after-the-cycle-ends variety. Then I’ll remove your stuff and pile it somewhere out of the way.
Dana, you picked a topic I could loose my mind over. I come from a large family. We all did our part. Mom mostly did our laundry but we often had to help with moving it from machines, folding and putting other people’s things away. It often included sleep over friends items or visiting family members items. Easy to say I had “touched” at minimum, over 2 dozen other peoples laundry before I was 15 years old. I’m not sure why anyone needs to be insulted by removing someone else’s laundry so someone else can use a machine.
When I first moved to Calgary, I lived in a condo where I shared laundry facilities on my floor. On September 20, 1995 I put laundry in and then forgot about it. Why do I remember the date? I got a call that my brother had taken his life that day and my laundry was quickly forgotten. Four days later I returned to that home, realized I had left laundry across the hall so I went to deal with it. It was strewn around the room and heaped in and beside the garbage. One of my neighbours came in and started yelling at me. Too bad for her, I am outspoken and that day I was furious and aggressive. I was so close to physically hurting her. Instead I tore a strip up and down and across her.
Needless to say, I will NEVER share laundry facilities with people I do not know EVER again.
So my answer to the question is; once a machine is finished its wash or dry cycle, it is open territory. Use them, remove the laundered items but I think the most important thing is to not be a douche with someone else’s cloths.
I am sorry for your loss, Karen. Laundry can be moved with compassion, not the assumption that someone is being lazy or neglectful. You are correct – no need to be douchey.