Count your socks and find the pairs you never wear

Short answer: Count all your socks, sort them into piles by use and find the pairs you never put on. It usually turns out that a small part of the drawer does most of the work and the rest pinches, is worn out or sits wrong.

Empty the drawer and count

Tip all your socks onto the bed and count them. Find the pairs that belong together and put the singles aside. Many people are surprised by how many pairs they own and how many singles take up space. The number is the starting point for the rest of the exercise, so write it down.

Sort by use

Make three piles: socks you wear weekly, those you wear rarely and those you never put on. Be honest, also about pairs you were given or bought in a large pack. The first pile tells you what you actually like, and you can use that when you buy new ones.

Find out why they are lying there

Pick up the unworn pairs and ask yourself why they are not worn. Is the cuff too tight, the fabric too rough, the heel too low or the size wrong? The answer tells you what to avoid next time. You can see the range of socks for women.

The single socks

A single sock only has value if it belongs to a pair you can find again. Give them a week in a basket and see whether the partner turns up. If not, the sock can become a cleaning cloth or a shoe filler. Then it is not in the drawer making you think you own more pairs than you do.

Wear and holes

Look at the heel and toe, where holes appear first. Thin areas become holes at the next wash, so sort them out if you do not want to darn. Socks with worn elastic that slide down do not get worn either, however nice they look. This is often where the first pairs go.

How many pairs should you have

Think about your washing rhythm and the days you wear socks. If you wash every week, a week's worth plus a couple of spares may do. If you have more pairs than you can wear, some stay in the drawer. Keep the ones you wear and buy more only when you are short. See bamboo socks.

Washing so they last longer

Wash socks inside out at a low temperature following the care label, preferably in a laundry bag, so the pairs do not get separated. Skip fabric softener if you want to keep the softness, and let them dry fully before they go in the drawer. They keep their shape, wear more slowly and fewer singles appear.

Go through the underwear at the same time

Once the sock drawer is done, it is easy to take the underwear too. The same method works: count, sort by use and find the pairs that just lie there. You can see what is available among bamboo underwear for women, if you are missing something that suits how you actually use your clothes.

Frequently asked questions

How many pairs of socks do I need?

It depends on how often you wash. A week's worth plus a couple of spares is often plenty. More pairs spread the wear, but only if you actually wear them all.

What do I do with single socks?

Give them a week in a basket so you can find the partner. If it does not turn up, they can become cleaning cloths instead of filling the drawer.

Why do some socks never get worn?

Usually they pinch, are too rough, sit wrong or have worn elastic. Find the reason so you avoid the same mistake when you buy new ones.