Collapsible household containers

A method of drying washed housewares in a dish drainer comprising (1) a generally annular top tier;

• (2) a bottom tier including a plurality of parallel, upstanding partitions arranged to support dishware standing on edge between adjacent partitions and a generally horizontal support surface, the support surface including a drain and a plurality of parallel, upstanding partitions arranged to support dishware standing on edge between adjacent partitions;
• and (3) a collapsible wall section connecting the top tier to the bottom tier, the collapsible wall section including at least three stacked, generally annular tiers;
• the collapsible wall section, top tier, and bottom tier collectively defining a drainer body having a top opening, a generally closed bottom comprising the generally horizontal support surface of the bottom tier, and a generally closed periphery comprising at least a part of the top tier and at least a part of the collapsible wall section;
• at least one of the collapsible wall section tiers being a stiff middle tier;
• and at least two of the collapsible wall section tiers being flexible and configured to fold between relatively expanded and relatively collapsed positions, including at least one flexible tier disposed above the middle tier and at least one flexible tier disposed below the middle tier;
• wherein the size of a drainer volume disposed within the drainer body and below the top opening can be increased by folding at least one of the flexible tiers from a relatively collapsed to a relatively expanded position and can be decreased by folding at least one of the flexible tiers from a relatively expanded to a relatively collapsed position, the method comprising:
• placing a wet dish in an upstanding position against one or more of the partitions;
• and
• allowing the wet dish to dry in the dish drainer.