Roll, Fold or Toss: An Adventure In Getting Organized

I’ve been an avid fan of underwear for way too many years.  I see new styles I like, new colors or patterns, or just a new version of an old favorite and I simply have to have it.  I wait until I can find it on sale (I do have bills to pay, you know) and then I strike.  There’s usually a package in the mail containing a pair or two at least twice a month.  So it’s no wonder that my collection has outgrown the space I’ve designated to store them in.  I have two drawers in my dresser where I keep the ones that I wear on a regular basis.  Two other storage containers in the closet keep the ones that I don’t wear but simply can’t bear to part with.  Is it time for an intervention?  Some might think so, but I don’t think I’m quite at hoarder status yet.  Not quite, but close.

I recently decided it was time to  do some organizing. Usually when i do the laundry I just throw all my underwear into  one of the two designated drawers.  So every morning when I am getting dressed I spend a good amount of time rummaging, digging through the pile to see what strikes my fancy for the day.  This is what one of the drawers looks like on any given day.

I painstakingly took them all out of the drawer and laid them out on the bed.  Separated them by brand and style.   If I had the space I would have just left them there, they looked so nice.

I posed the question on twitter, asking my followers how they managed their underwear.  Here are some of their responses.

@Sergio_Trentin Jan 22 : Usually I roll up all my underwear and I place in a fine Ikea boxes for briefs or boxers.

@BikinisNThongs : By style. Thongs, bikinis, jocks, etc. are all in their own drawers.
separate drawers for style, but just tossed in one big messy pile in each drawer.
My organization works because I typically know what style I want to wear that day based on mood, etc. Then I just reach in a drawer and get a surprise. Its very rare that I’m looking for a very specific pair.   I have considered keeping another drawer for my most favorites….those that I like to wear for special occasions.  But then I feel like they would be excluded from the normal rotation.

@undiescanuck : By style, then alphabetical by brand 🙂

I decided to go with rolling up the underwear.  It seemed like a good way to get the sorted and hopefully keep them that way.  And much easier than trying to fold them.  This is what I ended up with.

So far it seems to have worked.  They are three deep down in the drawer, with the ones that I wear most often from each brand at the top.  Easy to get to the other ones should I decide I want to wear something a little different.  Now here is the next problem.  This is only one drawer.  I still have another drawer to do.  Should I do the same thing or something different?  And what about all those pairs in the close that I don’t wear at all?  Does it ever end?  Let’s hope not!  =)