In my Maytag 806 I most always wash a full load. I consider that to be to the bottom edge of the filter insert with bulky items like jeans. I always drop the clothes in; never push them down. I mix jeans that don't bleed any longer with other colors like t-shirts, button downs, underwear, etc., together as I think a mixed load washes better for balance and the metal buttons and rivets have something to help keep them from rubbing the inside of the machine. I also zip and button my jeans before washing. I usually wash these in warm wash/cold rinse.
If a new item isn't colorfast, I might wash it with similar or darker colors for the first few times until the bleeding stops. After that, if I wash a blue item that isn't colorfast with, say, a shirt that is mostly colored but has a white stripe in it, I don't worry about it as a dab of blue dye in the wash will serve as an optical brightener, as long as the blue item doesn't directly transfer color anymore. If there is a new item that transfers colors I don't let them sit in the washer. I remove them immediately to the dryer.
All of my towels are color-fast. I wash towels and tea towels together and add a cup of bleach during the last two min. of the wash to the bleach dispenser and close the lid quickly, as this is not a timed dispenser and I don't want full strength bleach to come into direct contact with the fabric. The same for white t-shirts, underwear, and even white t-shirts that are silk-screened. I may not bleach white silk-screens every time, depending on the dirt or stains. The silk-screens seem to hold up well in hot with bleach occasionally. I always wash whites in hot with either a warm or cold rinse. I might put more clothes in these types of loads, for instance to the top of the tub cover ring, as these types of non-bulky items tend to deflate more when wet and still circulate quite well.
I rarely wash in cold as my bright colors and blacks are usually a blend. If they aren't a blend, I just expect them to fade slowly over time. I might wash a blanket or non-wearable in cold, if it calls for it, as they usually aren't visibly dirty. This is usually after winter is over and I wash the blanket to put it away. In between time I just put it in the dryer to blow the dust out.
Any item that has the beginnings of a small hole or tear or unraveled seam I mend immediately. I use a stain chart for stains I don't know how to deal with and I don't have many of them anymore. I keep my clothes in separate hampers or boxes until I have enough for a load, then I do it. I'd rather do a load every few days than do everything all at once. That gets boring to me. I rotate all my laundry all the time. I follow the instructions my mother taught me when I was little and am getting by pretty well. I have some garments and linens that are twenty to thirty years old. I think that says quite a bit.
That was more information than was asked for. Sorry.
