I've Implemented My Friend's Laundry Trick And It's Saving Me Time And Sanity

Keeping clothing and linens washed, clean, and folded is definitely not one of my favorite chores. Frankly, I find other household tasks—gardening, cooking, and decorating around my home—much more enjoyable. Alas, the laundry does have to be completed. While everyone in my family, thankfully, does pitch in when it is time to carry out the laundry process, I’m still always on the hunt for tips or tricks to make this unfavorable chore go more quickly and more smoothly.

One day, while lamenting the recurring nuisance of lost socks in the wash to a friend, I listened a little more as closely as she explained her savvy tactic for conquering the lost sock dilemma. Indeed, any technique that can simplify laundry is a win in my book.

Professional organizers echo this sentiment as well. Sometimes, simple is just better. “I've seen too many people overcomplicate the laundry process. Keep it as simple as possible,” says Jean Prominski, Certified Professional Home Organizer and Owner of Sparkle Home Organizing.

Here are the simple steps my friend uses and the process I’ve implemented to streamline the chore of finding all those lost socks and keeping the laundry process a bit more organized. 

Corral Socks Into A Separate Bin

After washing and drying each load of laundry, place it all in a big basket. While folding other clothes, pull out the socks as you find them. Have a smaller tub or extra smaller basket handy. After all, socks are smaller laundry items than bulky towels and bedding, so they only need so much room. Toss the socks into the smaller tub as you fold other clothes. 

Finish Folding Other Clothing First

Avoid the urge to try to pair socks in the heap immediately. Hunting for an elusive sock amidst a mountain of other clean laundry ready to be folded can waste too much time during the search process. While folding the towels, tops, and pants, pull the socks out as you find them and toss them into their separate tub. After all the clothing and laundry have been folded, and ideally, all socks have been found and compiled into their respective bin, then begin matching and folding socks together. Or better yet, have a family member complete this task.

Enlist Help

Pulling out socks and placing them in a smaller bin is a simple way that others (of all ages!) can help tackle a mountain of laundry. If there are many people in your household, consider having everyone go all in on their own laundry when they’re old enough. “My recommendation is that everyone in the house wash their clothes separately so different people's clothes don't get mixed together,” Prominski says. This way, clothing stays separate, and socks for one person don’t end up mixed with others. 

Pair What You Can

After all the socks—whether they are one person’s or multiple—have been corralled into the assigned bin, begin the pairing process. Again, this is an easy task to sub-contract out to family members and kiddos. If the younger brother is finding the socks and tossing them in, then the older brother can pair them up (the way we do it at my house!). It’s never too early to learn how to complete general household tasks, including laundry. “Teach kids to do their own laundry so they don't end up at college having no idea what to do,” Prominski suggests. After all, if everyone is pitching in and helping, they’re learning, and the work is completed faster. 

Leave Stray Socks In The Bin

More often than not, a sock or two or more will be missing its mate at the end of a laundry folding process. When this happens, just leave the sock or socks in the bin and wait for another laundry round. It’s possible that the lost sock will turn up in the next load and just happened to be missed in the bottom of the laundry basket. Still, it’s possible the sock was lost to the abyss behind the dryer, so don’t forget to check there if it hasn't turned up elsewhere.