3 Simple Steps to Kickstart a Whole Home Organizing Spree

It starts with the underwear drawer!

Whenever somebody asks me where to begin with a whole house organizing project, I always suggest starting with their underwear drawer. It might sound silly, but the reason is that your underwear drawer should be the easiest thing to tackle and can make a dramatic impact on reducing the stress in your life. Decluttering your underwear drawer only takes about 15 minutes and can change your life. 

I remember the first pack of underwear I had. They had Barbie designs on them and they were small enough to fit on my tiny little toddler behind. WHY would I remember such a thing and why would I tell you??? The reason is that I had them for nearly a decade. And I wore them all that time. While this example is probably a bit extreme and illustrates to you my extremely scrawny childhood body (to this day I am an ideal fit model for a boy size 10), this is to show you that 10-year-old underwear does NOT belong in your life.

Towards the end of my Barbie underpants’ lives, they were so uncomfortable. But I would keep wearing them. As if I deserved to have bad days just because my underwear had stretched with me and still fit even though it was saggy, faded, and just plain gross. I got some new underwear but didn’t get rid of the Barbie ones and would occasionally cycle back through them. What the heck? Why would I do that to myself?

In my early twenties, I was still holding onto a few frustrating pairs of underwear when I noticed that my favorite underwear was all I wanted to wear and the rest could go to heck. I pitched them and went to the mall. I did this task in person as if I wanted to shop my options and really make a well-educated purchase. I checked out at the register and felt the need to explain to the cashier why I was buying 10 of the exact same pair of underwear. They certainly didn’t say anything to me but I blurted out “No more bad days”. Again, WHY would I do that???

I’m an honest person. Maybe to a fault. But guess what? I don’t have bad days anymore because my undies are in a bunch. I have 10 pairs of black underwear that fit me well and are comfortable and I don't rummage around frantically trying to find the best undies. They are all the same. And they are ALL my favorite. They are easy to locate and are guaranteed to be a good situation. 

I don’t think about underwear anymore and you shouldn't either. Let's commit to a life free of underwear drama.

A real life picture of my underwear drawer circa March 2023. Notice how all of my black undies are in a bunch, but I like it that way!

Here's how to tackle your underwear situation:

1. Go to your drawer right now and set a timer for 15 minutes. 

2. Select your 10 favorite pairs of underwear. Before you groan and complain about this task, please know this is just a guideline, not a rule. Consider how often you do the laundry and your lifestyle. Maybe you always exercise in underwear, live in a hot climate, or generally sweat a lot… I don’t have to remind you of all of the reasons you might need more underwear. I do need to remind you to be thoughtful about this. Just because I’m giving permission to somebody who wets their pants twice a day to have 14 pairs of underwear doesn’t mean you need that, too. And also, PLEASE WASH YOUR DIRTY UNDERWEAR ASAP. And please don’t make unrealistic excuses about why you need many more than 10 pairs of underwear.

3. Get rid of the excess. 

• Throwing them away is the easiest way to eliminate them from your life. Most donation centers don’t want your old undies.

•  If you have any that are unworn, donate them to your local shelter for unhoused folks.

•  And if you are doing what is best for the earth, consider textile donation centers.

•  Many underpants are 100% cotton and can be composted if you cut out the elastic band.

•  This might be a stretch, but I've also repurposed boxers in a quilt. Just because you don't want to wear them anymore doesn't mean they need to go into the landfill!

A note on specialty underwear: If you have some pairs of underwear that are a must for a specific dress you love, you should definitely keep them. Again, please be reasonable with how many pairs of specialty underwear you need to wear and how many outfits require them.

Do you want to buy some new underwear now? I get it. I really do. Because every 10th day I have to wear a pair with a weird snag in the waistband and it is bothersome. Remember, NO BAD DAYS. So, if you need to bring in some new underwear, you can, but you HAVE to get rid of the other pair. One in, one out.

If you are nervous about parting with your excess underpants (does that sound ridiculous??) you can employ a "purgetory" box.

Purgetory: A box that you store out of sight and out of mind to place items you would otherwise get rid of, or purge, from a decluttering project before deciding to remove it from your house for once and for all.

I didn’t think we were going to have to go there quite yet but if you can’t seem to get yourself to rid yourself of bad underwear days, place your excess underwear in a box and forget about it. If you need more pairs they are there for you, but if you don’t think about them for 2 weeks (I WILL remind you), they gotta go! Judgement day will come.

As for folding and actually storing them? I don’t care what you do. Marie Kondo folds underwear into adorable little squares. You know what I do with them? Chuck them in their designated spot. That’s it.

Decluttering your underwear drawer is the easiest way to ease the stress in your home and in your life. Let's commit to finding an end to having our undies in a bunch. Pick your favorites thoughtfully, and maintain a life of good days only by following the one-in, one-out rule. You deserve it!

Thanks for stopping by,

Laine