In honor of National Lost Sock Day, we offer up these tips for keeping your socks–and all your undies–in a tidy and organized home.
In the early morning rush to get out the door, the last thing you want to do is sift through your drawers for your favorite undies, frantically attempt to untangle your bra from your stockings or search the house for your favorite sock’s mate. And you don’t have to.
With a plan and the right gear, it’s easier than you think to organize your unmentionables. Follow these three steps and get your underwear in order. You’ll thank us in the morning.
Step 1: Purge
Before doing a revamp of your underwear drawer, let go of old, tattered, and ill-fitting undies and bras. Sort and toss: Space is precious; don’t waste it with items you don’t wear.
Step 2: Divide And Conquer
It’s like your mom told you–have a place for everything and put everything in its place. That means that you should establish separate spots for each garment type (socks in one drawer, undies in another). If possible, designate drawers just for undergarments. If not, you’ll need to rely on organizers that help you keep things separate within the drawer. You can even hang your bras if space is especially tight–it will help save room, and will also guarantee that your bra doesn’t get crushed.
Step 3: Organize By Type
Once you’ve designated a spot, make it as easy as possible to find what you’re looking for by further sorting each type of undergarment by category. In the underpants area, that means thongs in one place, bikinis in another (or boxers and briefs–you get the idea). Do the same with your bras: one area for everyday bras, one for pushups, an area for sports bras, etc.. Kids’ tights and socks can be stored by color.
For your drawers, the Real Simple brand of drawer organizers is easy to use and adjustable, making it possible to fit them into any size drawer. There are also honeycomb organizers with small cells for individual items. Generally, it’s easier to fit underwear in an organizer if you fold it, but it’s not a necessity. Socks, on the other hand, are best folded together so that you don’t wind up wearing mismatched pairs. Fold bras by placing one cup inside another, which takes up less space and ensures that the cups keep their shape.
Freshen
You’ve gone to all the trouble to organize your underwear. Now add something that’ll make it special: Aromatic sachets to your undergarment drawer and on your hosiery hangers to infuse your drawers (and your drawers!) with a pleasant scent.
