This Is The Best Way to Organize Your Socks and Underwear, According to Experts

Your best chance at success with setting up any organizing system around your home is to make sure the method is practical, accessible, and low-maintenance. And as it turns out, when we asked professional organizers about the best way to keep your socks and underwear drawers from becoming messy black holes, they agreed on exactly what to do. Their technique checks all three of those boxes and follows a simple formula: sort, fold, assign a zone. And spoiler: We’ve all been ruining our socks with the standard sock ball.

So, keep reading to learn the right way to organize your socks and underwear for good. But before you get started, Ryen Toft, owner of Simply Luxe Organizing highly recommends decluttering, and calls it perhaps the most important step in this process toward unlocking drawer euphoria. “If you don’t wear them, stop saving for the ‘what ifs,'” she says. “Edit down to only those you love and wear!” Once you’ve completed that, move on to step number one.

Step 1: Sort by Type

Most of us go only as far as designating a drawer for a clothing type such as bras, underwear, shorts, socks, etc. But don’t stop there. Both Toft and Ashley Murphy (NEAT Method co-founder and CEO), agreed that sorting by type within a drawer is the way to go. “For socks, sort by athletic, no-show, dress, comfortable (think fuzzy lounge socks) or specialty items like compression,” advises Toft. “For underwear, it all depends on what you wear, but keep together the briefs, thongs, bras, sports bras, shapewear, etc.”

Step 2: Fold for Visibility (Or Use the Bin Method)

This was the only “rule” that had some flexibility, and it all goes back to your maintenance threshold. “Your underwear doesn’t need to look like a department store display,” says Murphy. “Most people can’t be bothered to fold individual pieces, and honestly, that slippery material fights back anyway. Sort by type, drop in drawer dividers or bins, and call it done, no folding necessary. Simple systems beat perfect folding every time.” However, if lingerie department vibes are what you’re after, Toft suggests this folding method: “Fold over once or twice into compact rectangles that stand vertically.”

As for socks, we’ve all been going about this wrong. “Stop stretching one sock over its mate; you’re slowly killing the elastic,” notes Murphy (Toft, by the way, agrees). “Instead, lay pairs flat and fold them in halves or thirds to fit your drawer height. That way, they can stand up in rows by type. The result? Socks that keep their shape and a drawer where you can actually see what you own. Your morning routine will thank you.

Step 3: Assign Zones to Your Sorted Types

Now that you have a concise collection, each grouping should be in it’s own “lane.” For underwear, Murphy prefers the bin method, so find something that fits your drawer size, add in however many you need to satisfy your type count, and toss them in.

Another winning product? The adjustable drawer divider. “They enclose each group and prevent those zone lines from disappearing,” says Toft, noting these are particularly useful for socks. For kids’ drawers or for an even more low-maintenance option, she also recommends a honeycomb organizer. “These keep their shape well, and allow for smooth pulling and replacing of items without disturbing the entire drawer or zone,” she says.