Happy Simple Mom

I make a decision to declutter socks every time I end up with twenty random socks, none with a match.

How does this happen?!

Often times it’s my kids’ socks. It can be my socks too.

We had no system and WAY too many socks.

Today is day 1 of our monthly decluttering challenge, and this month we are tackling our clothes in our closets and drawers.

To not make things too complicated, let’s start by decluttering our socks.

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Sock Types to Declutter

As I grew older, I started to accumulate socks, and a lot of them.

I was drawn to all the pretty designs and different functionalities.

Thing is, I wore the exact same socks week over week. Those at the bottom of my plastic crate (yes, I had so many I stored them in a plastic crate), never saw the light of day.

Types of socks to declutter:

Everyday socks
Lounging socks
Dress socks
Sport socks
Knee Highs
Pantyhose

What socks to toss when decluttering?

Socks with holes (admit it, learning to darn socks hasn’t happened yet and probably won’t)
Socks covered in paint (you only need one pair of painting socks)
Pantyhose with holes
Pantyhose covered in lint
Stretched out socks
Socks with no match

What socks to give away when decluttering?

It probably doesn’t need to be said, but don’t give away socks that aren’t worthy of giving away.

Nobody wants your old worn out socks.

Socks you don’t like
Socks you haven’t worn in a year
Socks you only wear because all your other socks are dirty
Socks you don’t wear based on your current lifestyle

What socks to sell when decluttering?

Um, no.

I don’t care if you have a $30 pair of socks, 🙋‍♀️we don’t sell socks. We donate them or give them away and make someone’s day when they are on the receiving end.

I bought a pair of ski socks once at the recommendation of a salesman for $30! My feet were in awful pain, and I was desperate. Turns out, my shoes were the problem, not my socks.

Every time I looked at those $30 socks, I felt guilty for the money wasted.

As soon as those socks left my sock drawer, instant relief! Do yourself a favor now.

Reuse or upcycle socks?

Will you really reuse them, like this week? I’m not talking about that cute Pinterest project you saved two years ago.

If you legit have a craft plan for your unwanted socks, schedule to do it today, this week at the latest. Otherwise, to the donation pile they go!

Consistency or personality?

There’s a lot of debate in minimalist circles on how to manage your socks, especially for your kids.

Some people swear by buying all white socks.

Having all white socks makes laundry and getting dressed a breeze, especially for kids.

Throw all of them in a drawer or basket and be done. Lose a sock? No problem. They all match.

I prefer designs over all-white socks. I don’t know why but having designs on my feet makes me happy.

I like giving my girls the chance to pick out their own socks and show off their personality. It makes me happy to see them get joy from something as simple as socks.

However, there is such a thing as too many socks, for anyone. Myself included.

Family colorful socks, all wearing a different color.

Types of socks to buy

As my socks wore out, which they did after my one year no shopping challenge, I really became in tune with the kind of socks I LOVE.

One type of socks I discovered loving was wool socks, for both summer and winter wear.

I especially love any socks from Darn Tough and Smart Wool. They have beautiful and fun designs and a lifetime warranty.

Wool socks usually cost about $22 a pair. I know, that’s crazy. However, they last forever. If you have only seven pairs of socks, the investment is pretty good.

I admittedly don’t have seven pairs of wool socks yet. I’m working on it. I search for them on clearance at the end of seasons, ask for them as gifts, and am waiting on my non-wool socks to wear out before replacing them.

How many socks did you declutter? Let me know in the comments!

Better yet, join us on social media with #30daydeclutterchallenge!