Trying to find a missing sock is tricky as there are so many places one could be.
But, as the saying goes, the best defense is a good offense.
So, to keep your socks contained and organized, here are a few tips to ensure they don’t go missing.
1. How to keep socks together in the washer and dryer
One of the most common places that socks go missing is in the washer or dryer. Particularly near the drum felt or rubber flap that rests between the drum and the housing unit of the machine.
To prevent socks from sliding into this narrow recess and to keep them together, sock clips or a laundry bag should be used.
Mesh laundry bags are a great way to keep all your socks contained during the vigorous washing and drying process. They are widely available, cheap, and make it easy to keep track of your socks. As an added bonus, laundry bags also prevent your socks from latching onto other items in the wash and getting tangled up.
Sock clips secure the socks together at the cuff. As an added advantage, when you take the socks out of the dryer, you can simply place them in your drawer without having to fold them.
2. Sock organizers help keep your drawer tidy
When you do laundry, you effectively take inventory of all your clothes, socks included. Through the use of sock organizers, you can quickly see how many socks you have available for the week and if any went missing.
Having your socks nice and orderly makes it easy to get ready in the morning.
3. Make use of travel cubes
Whether traveling for work or a relative’s house, it is easy to leave items behind; it’s an unfamiliar place, and we are usually overwhelmed with distractions.
Travel cubes are one way that you keep your clean and dirty socks together instead of strewn across the floor or your suitcase. Like laundry bags, travel cubes are inexpensive and widely available.
4. Lost a sock? Donate it
While socks, for the most part, wear out evenly throughout their life, a sharp toenail or a gait that favors one foot over the other may cause a sock to wear out faster than the other.
When a sock gets a hole, it’ll need to be disposed of. But for the other sock, it may be worth donating it to a homeless shelter even if it doesn’t have the matching pair.
Socks are the number one requested item by shelters, and even one sock is better than none.