# Folding dirty laundry: crazy or normal? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 8, 2010, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/folding-dirty-laundry-crazy-or-normal/563415 "2010-12-08T15:19:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![purple\_cow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/b487fb/32.png) [@purple\_cow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purple_cow)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2010, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/folding-dirty-laundry-crazy-or-normal/563415/1 "2010-12-08T15:19:07Z")
So my girlfriend and i had just spent a nice week in a cabin we had rented from my Aunt in Maine. The cleaning people were coming soon to get the cabin ready for the next visitors coming in the afternoon. The directions asked us to collect all the dirty linens from the beds plus any towels we used and leave them by the back door for washing. I do this, wrapping everything up in one sheet for easy pick up and toss into the basket. This is where the question comes in. My girlfriend said what i had done was unacceptable and spent 10 minutes folding all the dirty sheets and towels. My argument that they would have to unfold them again for proper washing and that picking up that folded pile was no easier than my nicely wrapped package fell on deaf ears. Does this make sense to people? Is it just neat-freak ways creeping in? Frankly it made me uncomfortable that she did it because i thought it was so weird and unnecessary. (Note: this all happened several years ago and we broke up for completely unrelated reasons so i don’t need relationship advice, just thoughts about folding yea or nea). ---
**Author:** ![emmaliminal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7bcc69/32.png) [@emmaliminal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/emmaliminal)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2010, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/folding-dirty-laundry-crazy-or-normal/563415/2 "2010-12-08T15:24:06Z")
I vote “neat freak”. It’s also confusing to fold dirty things – foldedness indicates clean-ness, and waddedness indicates wash-me-ness. ---
**Author:** ![Sattua](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sattua/32/11906_2.png) [@Sattua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sattua)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2010, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/folding-dirty-laundry-crazy-or-normal/563415/3 "2010-12-08T15:24:45Z")
No, I don’t think dirty laundry should be folded. That makes it too easy to confuse with clean laundry… plus sheets and towels would need to be shaken open again before washing. It just creates more work. ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2010, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/folding-dirty-laundry-crazy-or-normal/563415/4 "2010-12-08T15:27:59Z")
Crazy. The only case that can be made for folding dirty laundry is if you’re packing at the end of a trip and have to fit everything in a suitcase - folded clothes will fit better than just tossing everything in. ---
**Author:** ![Paintcharge](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/paintcharge/32/7946_2.png) [@Paintcharge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paintcharge)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2010, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/folding-dirty-laundry-crazy-or-normal/563415/5 "2010-12-08T15:30:39Z")
Crazy. Wub the dirty linens up in one of the pillowcases. ---
**Author:** ![Antinor01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecae2f/32.png) [@Antinor01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antinor01)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2010, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/folding-dirty-laundry-crazy-or-normal/563415/6 "2010-12-08T15:34:11Z")
Crazy. Or perhaps a bit OCD. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2010, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/folding-dirty-laundry-crazy-or-normal/563415/7 "2010-12-08T15:45:07Z")
Grade A insane. The only time I’ve folded dirty laundry is if I have to fit it all back into the suitcase at the end of a trip. ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2010, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/folding-dirty-laundry-crazy-or-normal/563415/8 "2010-12-08T15:47:35Z")
Yeah, crazy. You win this one. ---
**Author:** ![Sigmagirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c89c15/32.png) [@Sigmagirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigmagirl)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2010, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/folding-dirty-laundry-crazy-or-normal/563415/9 "2010-12-08T15:51:26Z")
I kind of roll-fold it to get more in the basket when I carry it to the washing machine, but not for tidiness’ sake. Maybe I’m in denial. ---
**Author:** ![Rushgeekgirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rushgeekgirl/32/3715_2.png) [@Rushgeekgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rushgeekgirl)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2010, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/folding-dirty-laundry-crazy-or-normal/563415/10 "2010-12-08T16:21:32Z")
Completely pointless to fold. ---
**Author:** ![bouv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bc8723/32.png) [@bouv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bouv)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2010, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/folding-dirty-laundry-crazy-or-normal/563415/11 "2010-12-08T16:24:00Z")
If I don’t even fold my clean laundry, why in the Hell wold I fold my dirty laundry? ---
**Author:** ![perfectparanoia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a5b964/32.png) [@perfectparanoia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/perfectparanoia)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2010, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/folding-dirty-laundry-crazy-or-normal/563415/12 "2010-12-08T16:54:47Z")
I am OCD and I would not do this. Don’t get me wrong, when housekeeping comes to my hotel room, they are probably quite confused (since everything is neat and tidy and I have probably at least wiped the counters) but folding dirty linens, that is too much. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2010, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/folding-dirty-laundry-crazy-or-normal/563415/13 "2010-12-08T16:57:14Z")
I’m with\*\* bouv\*\* on this one. Nutcase. ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_T](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Gary\_T](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_T)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2010, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/folding-dirty-laundry-crazy-or-normal/563415/14 "2010-12-08T17:12:24Z")
Crazy, stupid, and counterproductive. As mentioned, can lead to confusion about what’s clean/what’s dirty, and makes more work for those who have to deal with it. No real-world upside to doing this, serves only to assuage her neurosis. ---
**Author:** ![Dogzilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e480ec/32.png) [@Dogzilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dogzilla)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2010, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/folding-dirty-laundry-crazy-or-normal/563415/15 "2010-12-08T17:17:24Z")
I fold dirty laundry, only at the end of the road trip to fit into the suitcase. I distinguish my clean clothes from the dirty by folding the dirty stuff inside out. Then when I get home, if it’s inside out, I toss it in the washer. If it’s right side out, I put it away with the clean clothes. Folding dirty bed linens sounds like a waste of time. ---
**Author:** ![PunditLisa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/4af34b/32.png) [@PunditLisa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PunditLisa)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2010, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/folding-dirty-laundry-crazy-or-normal/563415/16 "2010-12-08T17:54:46Z")
You are correct. She is crazy. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Devil\_s\_Grandmother](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/74df32/32.png) [@The\_Devil\_s\_Grandmother](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Devil_s_Grandmother)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2010, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/folding-dirty-laundry-crazy-or-normal/563415/17 "2010-12-08T18:45:12Z")
I think your ex was a wee little bit crazy. And this is coming from a woman who has to wash everything in the suitcase when she gets home from a trip because any remaining clean clothes have been dirtified by being in the case with dirty clothes. ---
**Author:** ![purplehorseshoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/purplehorseshoe/32/2996_2.png) [@purplehorseshoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehorseshoe)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2010, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/folding-dirty-laundry-crazy-or-normal/563415/18 "2010-12-08T18:50:10Z")
> [@Gary\_T](#): > > Crazy, stupid, and counterproductive… Yup. What you did, OP, was NOT “unacceptable.” What you did, OP, was dodge a bullet. ---
**Author:** ![Dogzilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e480ec/32.png) [@Dogzilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dogzilla)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2010, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/folding-dirty-laundry-crazy-or-normal/563415/19 "2010-12-08T19:04:16Z")
> [@The\_Devil\_s\_Grandmother](#): > > I think your ex was a wee little bit crazy. And this is coming from a woman who has to wash everything in the suitcase when she gets home from a trip because any remaining clean clothes have been dirtified by being in the case with dirty clothes. That’s why I also pack a grocery store bag with my clothes. The now-folded inside out clothes go in there and that bag goes on top of the still-clean stuff. When I get home, I carry my bag straight to the washer and pretty much dump the bag right into the washer. Now I’m half unpacked and the laundry is half done! So there. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2010, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/folding-dirty-laundry-crazy-or-normal/563415/20 "2010-12-08T19:07:46Z")
Crazy. You didn’t stick your dick in her, did you? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/folding-dirty-laundry-crazy-or-normal/563415.md?page=2)