Asked on Jul 11, 2019

Tip on avoiding losing socks!

Granny Jan
by Granny Jan

I have not lost a sock in over 30 years. When I take my socks off I roll them together and turn the cuff down to cover the ball. It then goes into the hamper and the socks are opened just as I put them in the washer. One Christmas I gave my grandchildren a small (indoor) basketball hoop to hang on their bedroom door. When they roll their socks into a ball they can toss them into the hoop and a waiting bag below. It works.

  7 answers
  • Vimarhonor Vimarhonor on Jul 11, 2019

    Great idea!

  • Kathy Gunter Law Kathy Gunter Law on Jul 11, 2019

    I used to do that but husband won't so I quit. I realized how much time I was spending rolling & unrolling. Fortunately, we have a hamper in the closet where we change clothes and so far (11 years now) none have been lost. When the kids were little, I used to pin them together in the wash to save time matching.

  • Lucky Home Today Lucky Home Today on Jul 11, 2019

    Basketball hoop sounds like fun!

    • Granny Jan Granny Jan on Jul 24, 2019

      it made the idea fun for them as they worked on making a hole-in-one.

  • Redcatcec Redcatcec on Jul 11, 2019

    Sounds like a really good ideea, one question, does it stretch out the elastic top?

    • See 3 previous
    • Granny Jan Granny Jan on Jul 24, 2019

      I've never had a top stretched out. I only turn the one sock top over the other once.

  • 17335038 17335038 on Jul 11, 2019

    You're welcome.


    As far as keeping sock mates together during the laundry, you might want to consider purchasing some net washing bags. I have used these successfully for many years, and find that sewing a snap to the zip loop easily prevents it from coming undone (and spilling all the socks out) during the wash cycle.

  • Johnavallance82 Johnavallance82 on Mar 04, 2021

    Hello, Do the socks actually get washed??

    • Granny Jan Granny Jan on Mar 16, 2021

      When the socks go into the washer, with the detergent and water, they are separated and tossed into the washer, which then goes through a full cycle. Yes, the socks are washed, perfectly clean. The socks then go into the dryer, separated from each other, and are always there when I take them out and fold two matching socks, together. Nothing is lost.

      I might add: I bought two, over the door inside basket ball hoops and taught my grand sons to roll the socks together and toss them into the hoop, which had a bag underneath it to catch the socks. Mom can then take them out and follow the previous instructions. Fun for the kids and no socks lost. 😄


  • Granny Jan Granny Jan on Mar 04, 2021

    I haven't lost a sock for over 30 years. When I take off the socks I turn down the tops (together) and make a lose knot.

    When I put them in the washer, I separate them, I take them out of the dryer and fold them together immediately, and put them in a separate drawer.