Here's Why You Shouldn't Bundle Your Socks

While folding your socks in bundles seems like a convenient and easy way to keep pairs together and prevent losing a sock, it can wear them out and takes up more space in your dresser. Sock drawers can quickly become cluttered and unorganized, making it difficult to quickly find the pair you need. By avoiding bundling, you can make your sock drawer more accessible and save your socks from becoming stretched out.

When you bundle a pair of socks, the elastic in the cuff stays in a stretched position and will become loose with time. If you're sick of your socks sliding down your ankles and digging through the sock balls in your drawer, you can try rolling your socks or folding them into small squares. This will save the fabric from unnecessary damage and will make it easier to organize your socks so you can quickly find the pair you're looking for.

If you're working with long socks, like crew socks or dress socks, there are several folding methods you can try. The easiest way is to roll your socks together; simply lay your socks together right side out and begin rolling from the toes until you reach the cuffs, then place them in the drawer with the spiral facing up. However, this approach can take up more space and works best if your drawer has an organizer, as the socks could unroll. If your drawer doesn't have dividers, you can lay the rolls on their sides and stack them.

To save space, you can stack your socks without folding or fold them into squares. To make a square, lay your socks in the shape of the letter T, with the top sock vertical. Fold the left and right sides of the bottom sock over the top sock, and bring each half of the top sock over the middle. Then, you can tuck the edge of the sock from the last fold into the middle of the square. The socks will stack neatly in your drawer and shouldn't come apart.

For ankle socks, lay one on top of the other and fold in half at the arch, lining up the cuffs with the toes. You can also lay the socks in the shape of an X and take the toe of the bottom sock and tuck it into its cuff. Repeat this with the top sock, and you're done.

Even if you've switched from bundling to neatly folding your socks, your dresser drawer may still need some help. The easiest way to make more space is to take out ripped and worn-out socks, or pairs that you don't wear as often, like holiday-themed socks. If you know you'll wear the pair again, but they're not in your typical rotation, you can either stash them in the back of the drawer or store them with your clothes for next season. Throwing away socks that are damaged but still have some life in them can feel bad, though you can repurpose them for cleaning cloths or sock puppet crafts for your kids.

To organize your drawer, you could install dividers, which will allow you to group your socks together in compartments and keep them from coming undone. If you don't have a divider and don't want to purchase one, you can try stacking your socks or lining them up in rows. This should work whether they're rolled, folded, or simply laid together, and if you put the socks you wear the most at the front of the drawer, getting dressed in the morning will be more convenient. However you decide to fold and store your socks, avoiding bundles will keep the elastic in better shape for longer.