If you struggle to find matching pairs of socks every morning because your sock drawer is overflowing, it may be time to try a new folding and organizing technique. Keeping socks sorted and organized can appear to be an impossible task because they are one of those things that appear to multiply in the laundry basket and then vanish as soon as they are put in the dryer. But with a few easy steps and space-saving folding techniques, your sock drawer will quickly appear to have been professionally organized.
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Fold Them Into A Square
In order to create a crisscross pattern, stack a pair of socks on top of one another so that they are perpendicular. Fold the bottom sock’s toe end over the top sock and tuck it in at the overlapped area. Take the opposite end of the bottom sock and fold it over similarly, tucking the end under. To create a neatly folded sock square, repeat the process with the top sock, folding it under in the same way and tucking the toe end inside the sock opening.
This is a great space-saving folding technique that makes organizing your sock drawer much simpler, gives everything a uniform appearance, and guards against the elastic at the top of the socks stretching out and becoming damaged over time.
Roll Them Into A Jelly Roll
This is a quick and simple folding technique that works best if you have a sturdy organizer or separator inside your drawer because there is a chance the socks will unroll if they are not contained within a compartment.
To make a compact jelly roll shape, simply stack a pair of socks on top of one another and roll them tightly from the toe end inward. The rolled socks can either be stood up or laid down and stacked, depending on the size of the drawer and whether or not you are using dividers.
Roll Them Inside Out
The best way to ensure that your socks won’t unroll is to use this folding technique. Place one sock on top of the other before tightly rolling it from the toe end in the manner of a jelly roll. Once it is tightly rolled, take one of the cuffs and fold it inside out. Then, place the tightly rolled socks inside the folded cuff to form a ball.
The socks will stay together with this method even though it does stretch them out more than the others do.
Flip Them Inside Out
As with the previous folding techniques, stack the socks one on top of the other before turning one of the cuffs inside out and folding it halfway down the socks.
Socks can be folded quickly and kept in pairs using this method, which works best for casual or athletic socks.
How To Properly Fold Regular Socks
Let’s start by going through the quickest and easiest way possible to fold regular socks so they can be stacked if you’re in a hurry: the single fold method. The quickest and simplest way to fold socks is by doing it like this.
- Stretch your socks out on a flat surface and place one on top of the other
- Grab both socks by the cuff
- Fold the cuffs over so they’re now in line with the toes
- Stack them in your drawer
How To Fold Ankle And No-show Socks
Although Marie Kondo was already mentioned in the introduction, her methods for folding that save space and are clutter-free have become wildly popular. Fortunately, they’re also very simple to use, especially when folding socks. The KonMari method for ankle and no-show socks is as follows:
- Place the socks on top of each other
- Visually divide the socks into 3 sections
- Perform 3 folds – from the toe up, keeping in line with your 3rds
- Stand the tightly folded socks up on their ‘sweet spot’
- Repeat until your sock draw is MUCH more organised and satisfying to look at
Folding Dress Socks
Dress socks are typically made of a thinner, finer material than, say, wool socks, so you should fold them carefully to prevent damage to the elastic band around the ankle.
One sock should be layered on top of the other. The toe ends should then be folded over three times. Fold the socks in half, tucking the toe ends inside the outer cuff end. Then, flatten the folded socks to remove any creases and allow for neat storage.
How To Fold Long And Knee-high Socks
These longer socks can be difficult to fold and keep tidy, but if you use Marie Kondo’s second method, you’ll have them neatly and tightly packed in your drawer like a small collection of sushi rolls:
- Lay them on top of one another
- Fold them in half – grab the toes and fold them up to the cuffs
- Roll them up tightly (from the creased end)
- Pack in your drawer
How To Fold Socks For A Gift
Grab a small, square gift box and brush up on your folding techniques if you’re giving a pair of socks as a gift. We’ll show you how to use the “square method,” which is a little more difficult but looks very polished:
- Flatten out each sock so that the heels are facing up
- Place them on top of each other in a cross shape – one heel on top of the other
- Flip the toe of the bottom sock up and over, tucking it into the other side
- The bottom sock’s cuff should be folded over, but don’t tuck it in just yet.
- Repeat step 3 for the top sock
- And then repeat step 4 – you should now have a square shape with 2 cuffs sticking out
- Take the first cuff and fold it backwards and under the other cuff
- Take the final cuff and tuck it into the pocket created by the folded socks
While this method is undoubtedly more difficult, it looks very polished and is ideal for adding a special touch to your socks as a gift. It’s also a great way to keep your own socks organized in a drawer so that it’s simple to see the different patterns and hues.
Final Thoughts
Even though it may not seem important, folding your socks correctly can prevent overstretching, which over time can cause even the best socks to become uncomfortable and misshapen.
Whether you’re wearing pricey silk dress socks or inexpensive cotton gym socks, folding your socks properly will help them last longer and keep you looking professional.
