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In a recent article, I talked about how to organize socks and tights using several different methods:

• PVC pipes
• Plastic bins with dividers
• Folding socks instead of rolling them

While all of these can help you to organize your sock drawer and keep everything neat and tidy, socks really are an ongoing challenge. So I want to share a couple more ideas for how to organize socks.

1. Be organizing-conscious when you shop for socks.

There are a couple of reasons why it is so challenging to organize socks. The first is just that you have a lot of small objects that you need to keep neat and together. But the other is that every sock has a matching pair, and finding them when you pull them out of the laundry is a pain. There are not a lot of great methods for keeping socks organized in the laundry, so you are stuck constantly re-sorting your socks.

What can you do about it? Usually the solution starts when you are still at the department store.

I recommend one of several solutions:

• Consider buying only the same identical type and color of sock from here on out so that all socks match. This makes it ridiculously easy to pair them up fresh out of the wash.

• If you buy plain black or white socks, see if you can find socks which have colored toes in a range of hues. When you are wearing shoes, no one can see the colors, but they make it much easier to pair them up out of the laundry. Alternately, you can buy socks which feature distinctive textures. Even if they are all the same color, it should still be relatively easy to pair them.

• If you enjoy fun colors and patterns, think about buying socks which obviously stand out from each other, each pair featuring its own distinctive design. This will stop you from ever mixing up your socks. This is an especially good solution for children, who typically enjoy fun and whimsical socks. For some adults, it may be a feasible solution as well.

2. Set up a bin in your house for socks with missing partners.

Even with your best efforts, it is pretty much a guarantee you will periodically misplace socks. For this reason, another useful suggestion is to set up a plastic bin for organizing in your laundry room or somewhere else convenient in your house. Label it “Lost Socks,” and place stray socks inside whenever you find them (have everyone else in the household do likewise). Now it becomes much more likely that lost socks will eventually be re-united with their missing partners.

When it comes to staying organized, there are few challenges to match that of the sock drawer, especially if you have kids. Combining clever tips and tricks like these however can help you to keep everything sorted, both while you are doing the laundry and between loads of wash.