We tend to do between 3-5 loads every 2 weeks. I usually have 2 loads of dark, 1 load of light, Nick has 1 of each, 1 of our combined whites, then 1 load of sheets and towels. Usually he and I don't do our laundry on the same day, but within a few days of each other. This is especially helpful if we're just shy of a full load of towels/sheets or whites. Then whoever goes last will wash those. I'd much rather do a LOT of laundry all around the same time and be done with it for a few weeks than have to constantly do smaller loads.
Linds, I'm with you to an extent- jeans, cardigans, hoodies are always worn more than once. Everything else is single use. I don't quite know why skirts and trousers aren't as special as jeans, but for some reason I just can't wear them twice. Ditto on leggings.
My parents always had a top-loading machine. The laundry room in our building has front loading and the laundromat we used to use had both. Always front loading dryers.