I have this theory that putting dishes in the sink makes them dirtier, not cleaner. And - this is less a theory - dishes piled in the sink make the sink harder to use, and encourage the proliferation of sink entrees. Further, dishwashers only work when you've already washed the dishes, which defeats the purpose of their supposed water and energy efficiency. And worse, even when they work, they seem to work poorly, requiring inspections and extra rinses from the cupboard.

So I don't put my dishes in the sink, or the dishwasher. I put them next to the sink, with a bit of water in or on them, if possible, and I clean one or two gradually when I'm at the sink and feel like it. If I take care not to keep reaching for unnecessary new dishes, it works perfectly.