Find Your Match

How important is an organised sock drawer with matching pairs, ladder-less tights and hole-less socks. It’s true, it happens to the best of us - a drawer full of socks that somehow mysteriously reproduces in size to the point where it’s hard to close and finding a matching pair feels like playing a game of fish in the pond against the clock.

We all try to hold on to our pairs of socks, especially the better ones that look good or feel soft & comfortable to wear. But the missing sock phenomenon is one that's out of our control and no one can avoid it.

This first world problem has been the bane of both women's and men's lives for many years. Some blame the laundry basket, washing machine, tumble dryer, clothes line, radiator, the playful dog or the cat. Others, even the physicist Stephen Hawking, believe that there is a black hole in the universe where all the ‘oddies’ get drawn in, never to be seen again.

Recently, after weeks of opening my packed sock drawer and struggling daily to find one decent pair to wear, I took a deep breath and dove right in to sort it out.

Here are 5 tips I discovered

  1. Empty the drawer - take out every last sock, pop sock, pair of tights, glove and whatever else made its way into the drawer and dump it out onto a large surface like the floor, your bed or dining room table.
  2. Pick out the large fluffy socks that are worn on the couch and around the house - they are likely taking up too much room. Match them as best you can - these are often mix ‘n match styles that don’t have to be the perfect pair - and store them separately.
  3. Separate your tights and check for ladders, holes and worn out toes. Throw out any pairs that are past their sell-by date and organise the remaining ones into styles, thickness & colours. 
  4. Odd pop socks are the biggest mismatched culprits in the sock drawer, presumably being smaller & more slithery. Try to match up these singletons as best you can and if you like, store all the good quality odd pop socks separately (perhaps with the fluffy socks) in the hope that one day they will find their match again. Discard the remaining old and odd pop socks.
  5. Leave the everyday-sock-matching-fest until last - this is the most time consuming but believe me, the most rewarding. Match all the socks - sports, footies, bamboo, cotton, ankles and knee highs - as best you can and ball or fold, whichever you prefer. If you don’t mind the slight mis-matches, pair these socks together as spares. And without any guilt or regret, throw out all the remaining old & odd socks, accepting that they will never grace your feet again. 

The result of the above task will not only benefit your daily morning routine, but the impact on your mental health may surprise you. To smoothly open an organised sock drawer and simply choose a pair of your choice without any fuss or chaos will set you up for a calmer and more positive day.