I saw a very cute cartoon the other day. It said something to the effect of singleton socks are hanging out somewhere with the storage container lids and laughing at us. There was a second cartoon where Teacher Sock is telling the other socks to use the buddy system as they enter the dryer in the way children do on a field trip.
It is an interesting phenomenon. Why are there so many socks without mates? Why do the storage container lids not have a bottom to go with them? I really don’t know. Your guess is as good as mine.
Since this does seem to be a fact of life, the question is whether to accept it or find a solution. I choose to find a solution.
The Klutter Koach’s Pearls of Wisdom dealing with Singleton Socks and Mateless Lids are as follows:
- For socks: keep a basket close to where you usually fold your clothes. Every time there is a sock without a mate, toss it in. If luck is on your side, the mate will be in a future load and you can pair them up. If the mate is MIA after a month, toss the sock. Or use it for a dusting mitt. Or perhaps a pre-school wants it for puppet making, but if it’s easier to chuck. it, chuck it.
- .For lids: a good decluttering session may be in order to deal with an overabundance of storage containers, but in the meantime, start with a good matchmaking session. Pair each lid with a bottom. If there are tops with no bottoms or bottoms with no matching tops, into the trash they go. They are worthless. The only reason to keep a bottom is if you want to re-purpose it as a drawer or cabinet organizer, but unless you have a specific purpose in mind as you do this task, then get rid of it.
- Do not feel guilty. The world will not come to an end if you throw out a lid or a sock. You are not parting with family heirlooms, so there shouldn’t be any emotional attachment to these items holding you back from completing this task.
- Enjoy the feeling of peace as you take a paired duo of socks from your drawer and a storage container with lid out of your cabinet.
These are two very low-stress tasks needing little time commitment you can do in your decluttering process. Good luck and happy matchmaking.
–Karen
The Klutter Koach
The Klutter Koach 