Wednesday

WFMW:Sock It to Me


I've been fighting the lost sock war most of my adult life.

It's been ugly. The casualties have been many.

Over a year ago, I discovered a helpful tip right here on Works For Me Wednesday from the greatest tip- giver, Shannon at Rocks in My Dryer. She wrote a beautiful post about her sock battles. I may have even cried.

She slew the mighty foe by storing all her socks downstairs in a drawer.  I've tweaked the tip to work for me and find it to be the most helpful organizational tip in my house! I have labeled baskets (with my kid's names) in my laundry room and the socks go straight from the dryer to the appropriate basket (see picture below):



And, brace yourself, I don't even match the pairs. 

(Of course, when I need to stop complaining in the house, I send my complainers to the sock basket [insert wicked laugh here]).

This has been so helpful in trying to leave the house quickly and amazingly, we don't lose socks any longer. 

****************************
Alrighty, enough about me. 

Except that I wanted to mention my sweet friend Amber of The Run a Muck (also known as the beautiful mother behind the Mother Letter Project) has a lovely WFMW idea to step away from the web world and plan a sister party with real life friends. I need to do this more! You can read more here and see how you can participate (there are fun prizes too)!

a Sister Party

What works for you?

Thank you for joining me for WFMW! {You can read the guidelines here.}

Have a Works-For-Me Wednesday tip you'd like to share? I'd love for you to join us! Please note that the links will close at 9 pm CST tonight, in order to keep away the spammers!

Was your link deleted? Click here.
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  1. Chicago homeschool - - treasure in the library
  2. Raise Them Up (Great Play Dough Recipe)
  3. Alisa The Sweet Life - Bigger Better Blogger Photos
  4. Heather @ JustDoingMyBest Freeze Meat w / o the Mess
  5. How to create an ART HOMEWORK or HOMESCHOOL space
  6. HoosierHomemade (Feathering My Nest and Giveaway)
  7. Cents to Get Debt Free (How to Can Green Beans)
  8. DelightingInHisR ichness - - Pencil grasp help
  9. Bake at 350 {freezing whipped cream}
  10. This Side of Eternity (Coupon Communities)
  11. Foodie plus 4 (cooking at the library)
  12. Monica@DailyDwel ling
  13. Lynns Kit Adv (making panini sandwiches)
  14. The Diaper Diaries (Wizard of Oz on the big screen
  15. The Happy Housewife ~ Waste Less Food
  16. Free Stuff For Preschoolers (HomeGrownMommy)
  17. Alana @ The Simple Me - The Babysitters Handbook
  18. Laura (Come Get Your FREE Pre - school Ideas Ebook!)
  19. ElizabethG (Healthier Home part 2)
  20. Amy @ Finer Things (Do it On Purpose)
  21. Jodi@ one blessed mama (Pizza Night)
  22. Christian Frugal Mama (Backwards)
  23. 20 Great Parenting Books
  24. Great Photo Editing for FREE!!!! Yay!
  25. UnfinishedMom (The Shower Call)
  26. Penny Raine ~ jalapenos work for me
  27. Erin @ Closing Time (travel fun)
  28. Molly Green (BIG inexpensive wall art idea)
  29. Overcoming Late Mom Syndrome!
  30. EASY Kids Pumpkin Craft
  31. Sarah Mae (A baby a vlog teething bling giveaway)
  32. Are coupons worth it? (Balancing Beauty / Bedlam)
  33. flexible dreams (free kids music)
  34. Muses of Megret (No more falling apples!)
  35. Easy and Delicious frosting for sugar cookies
  36. Saving Money (and Space!) At Christmas
  37. oh amanda (kids birthday party)
  38. Weird Unsocialized HSers (Grab - and - Go Bags)
  39. Streamlined packing for vacation
  40. Our dog rings a bell when he needs to go outside..
  41. {So Wonderful So Marvelous} Google Reader!
  42. Kate @ Stolen Moments (butterscotch no - bakes)
  43. Dinner in Under 30 Minutes
  44. A Simple Walk (simple quesadilla trick)
  45. Moms in Need of Mercy (Finding a Focus / Keeping It)
  46. NerdFamily Things (Staple Free Stapler)
  47. Adena@Friendship Alley (Kids Eat Free List link)
  48. BIG FAT LIES! Kelly the Kitchen Kop
  49. If you ever get the chance... (mombrud)
  50. ManyLittleBlessi ngs - Free Home Depot Kids Project
  51. Kitchen Stewardship (EASY SALAD PREP)
  52. Creative2xmom (Homemade Canned Applesauce)
  53. Kara (Prescriptions Dispensed to Order)
  54. PrairieCottageRo se (Kiss me over the garden gate)
  55. Alison (blogging menu planning and leftovers)
  56. Decorating on a budget (on - going posts)
  57. Jen @ Live Life to the Full
  58. (Locked out? No worries)
  59. PeasAndCoos - DIY Halloween Costume
  60. Se7en Bits and Bobs for Beginner Bloggers
  61. Lisa - Gratitude Challenge at TheSunshineIsIn blog
  62. Unintended Housewife (High Quality Low Cost Soap)
  63. Kim @justbeingamum (Recipe - Melting Moments)
  64. Joanna @ OneKrustyMama
  65. Kara @ Home With Purpose (Wearing My Baby)
  66. My New Design Works Well
  67. Kristine (Deodorize your garbage disposal)
  68. Jean Stockdale - When the cats away . . .
  69. Joanna @OneKrustyMama Shopping For Me!!
  70. Sunnymama (secondhand toys)
  71. Green Baby Guide (Maternity Halloween Costume)
  72. Good (&Cheap) Eats (Apple Pie tutorial)
  73. Heidi @ Blue Eyed Blessings (spruce up a wall)
  74. LifeasMOM (5 Great Fall Read Alouds)
  75. How To Care For Your Wooden Cutting Boards!
  76. Adventure Mom Janna ~ Training Kids Gods Way
  77. Lisa@StopnSmellt heChocolates (Dish soap drizzler)
  78. Peta (mum of 7) my laundry solution
  79. Stephanie (Bible Lessons Made Easy)
  80. Tara @ Feels Like Home (Automatic Bill Payment)
  81. Daily Diner (feeding young picky kids)
  82. A Busy Mom of Two (the importance of daycare)
  83. Tea Parties&Baseball Games (a neat fall day trip)
  84. Annie Kate (Free AP Resources for Teens and Moms)
  85. Mari @ My Little Corner (Cookie making tip)
  86. Tracey @ Girls to Grow (Book List)
  87. Girls in White Dresses (peel tomatoes fast / easy)
  88. All Things Heart and Home~Fall Fashion~
  89. Brilliant Moms (Favorite Kitchen Tool)
  90. Kates Kitchen : DIY dress shirt for little boys!
  91. Prayer and Children
  92. Steady Mom (most helpful parenting books)
  93. Julie From Inmates
  94. QAMom - Making closets accessible for kids
  95. Emily @ Live Renewed (Babywearing)
  96. Cindi @ This is My Life (Taking a Spin...)
  97. Missy @ missysthrifty (Soccer Season)
  98. Be Home Happy (prescription coupons)
  99. Be Home Happy (prescription coupons)
  100. Audra (Gas Stove Cleaning Tip!)
  101. Baileys Leaf (Uncle Wiggilys Story Book)
  102. GroovieMom (Have A Swap Party)
  103. KLee - keeping safe on the internet
  104. The Prudent Homemaker (Apple Tart)
  105. Alicia - tips for dinner and work when Dads away
  106. Sandra - scheduling the day with a preschooler
  107. Sandra @ A Lot of Savings (Blogger & Website Tips)
  108. Katie @ Clean&Classic Interiors (Chalk Ink!)
  109. Jeni (Free Kid Entertainment)
  110. Everything Moms - Cookie Help!
  111. Painting Pink Pajamas - Organizing with recyclables
  112. pennypinchinmomm a (the go box)
  113. Karen @ Mommy Im Home (Easy homemade bread)
  114. RedemptionUnlimi ted (3 Ways to Feed Toddlers Soup)

  1. Paula@Organizing Tips 4 Moms (To - Do Lists)
  2. Lifestyle Logic - making budgets work
  3. Indiana Shannon (FREE museum admission this Sat)
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  12. Tips To Save 74% of Grocery Bill Carolina Mama
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  16. Sports Bra Nursing Bra
  17. Mellisa @ Getting all my Ducks in a Row
  18. Simple Mangerchine : homemade distressed jeans
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  20. SuddenlyStayAtHo me w / How to Water Hanging Plants
  21. LFinn Designs - honey vanilla granola recipe
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  27. Momarazzi - Toy Storage
  28. Michelle @ Saving Some Green (Cheap Thrills!)
  29. Twice Remembered {Red Cottage Kitchen on a Budget}
  30. Tales of a Mommy Monster - frozen pancake tip
  31. Titus 2 Homemaker (filling workboxes)
  32. Rachel @ Must Share... (Crock Pot Minestrone)
  33. Katie @ Favorites and Things (Free Things)
  34. Kaye (Its Like BOGO for Halloween)
  35. TwoHeartsTogethe r (Knitted Swiffer Mop Cover)
  36. ilovemy5kids (Paint colors that r good 4 the soul)
  37. Brandi (Stop Runny Noses FAST!)
  38. Mara @ Mission : Organization (backup meals)
  39. Abigails Mommy - Homemade Pitas
  40. Lisa @ Extraordinary Life
  41. Sheila ~ Resolving Conflict in your Marriage
  42. Mary Ann (cleaning husbands closet)
  43. Pam @ BeyondJustMom (being a good enough parent)
  44. Cheerios Underfoot - Start a lending library
  45. Condo Blues (Door decor)
  46. The Meanest Momma (Recipe Organization)
  47. Organize&Decorat e Everything (organizing ribbon)
  48. Make Money by Decluttering
  49. Eat More Coconut : chicken curry recipe
  50. e - Mom (Kids Film : Cloudy w / a Chance of Meatballs)
  51. Learn to Ferment Your Own Food
  52. staci @ teaching money to kids (Walking Tacos)
  53. Diann @ The Thrifty Groove - Thrifty Fall Decor
  54. Keeping the Castle (clutter control)
  55. Health Begins With Mom - Liquid from Cooking Veggies
  56. My Frugal Lifestyle {Decorative Cornstalks 4 Fall}
  57. Whats Cooking (takes time to eat healthier)
  58. Cheap teacher gift - - MOMumental Savings
  59. Amanda - A few helpful homeschooling websites : )
  60. Whats Cooking (seasoning cast iron)
  61. Colleen (personalizing gift card gifts)
  62. LaVonne @LongWait - Fall Consignment
  63. WLBA (getting young children to clean their room)
  64. More Than A Mom (Rubber Gloves)
  65. Kristen @ A Day in the Life (Using Hidden Spaces)
  66. Moveable Growth Chart
  67. Toddlers Telling Time (a countdown)
  68. Routine Charts for bedtime morning etc.
  69. Houstonmom (wasp spray for self defense)
  70. Bring on the Lloyds... (Frugal Craft Paint!)
  71. EnviroBecca (credit card sanity)
  72. Books in the bed
  73. Cheri @ What is it NOW - Dinner prep @ lunchtime
  74. Keeping the Kingdom First (Baby Essential - Bumbo)
  75. Jennie @ A Welcoming Heart
  76. Garibay Soup (Feeding my family natural food!)
  77. Free 2 Be Frugal (Wow Coupons)
  78. Thrift Store discounts!
  79. Kelly - Library Box
  80. Mrs. Wright Gone Wrong (Always have kid socks!)
  81. Amyswandering (Mega List of Birthday Party Ideas)
  82. Top10 Organizing Tips By Ashlee@WorkmanWitticism s
  83. Eden (getting kids to work)
  84. Tips for Tackling the Never - Ending Laundry Monster
  85. Olivia@Of Such is the Kingdom (Faerie Gold)
  86. Multitasking Mama - downtime
  87. Amber@ClassicHou sewife : Permt Marker on White bd!
  88. Odd Mom (Perfect eggs every time)
  89. Kristi_runwatch (organizing coupons)
  90. Thats {FAM}tastic! (Girls Night Treats!)
  91. Schwartz (cheap coupon organization)
  92. Tina@homeschoolr oadtrip
  93. BerryMorins Bits & Tips - Laid Off
  94. Jenna @ Decoupage Designs~ Organized Bedding
  95. Botanical sunscreen
  96. Abbi @Proverbs 31 Living (fixing a laundry basket)
  97. A Slob Comes Clean (Happy dog - no stinky chicken)
  98. Rebecca at Turned Loose (Are dishes clean or dirty)
  99. Secrets of a Southern Kitchen (Navy Bean Pie)
  100. Secrets of a Southern Kitchen (Navy Bean Pie)
  101. Kelli @ writing the waves (Awesome stain remover)
  102. Innkeeper Seely : new favorite food blog
  103. Alyssa @ A Lovely Refuge (The Joy of the Library)
  104. Ginny @ makeadiff21
  105. Ginny @ makeadiff21 (With the correct link - sorry)
  106. Simply Sweet Home (fruity pebble cookies)
  107. Heather @ Green Baby Green Mama (ear infections)
  108. LaaneLoves (repairing denim)
  109. Beating strep - throat naturally!
  110. Unexpected Bliss (Natural Food)
  111. Hilary (AKA KYredhead) ~ Conquer the Dish Monster
  112. ProlificMom (Do the Hokey - Pokey)
  113. TrentTribe (Free Sermons4Kids)
  114. Grateful for Grace (ya gotta have these!)
  115. Mom & Dad to R Kids (Saving $ with coupons)






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35 comments:

Hoosier Homemade said...

That's a great tip! Thanks for hosting another great WFMW!
~Liz

Monica said...

What a great idea for socks!

I didn't put my topic in I wrote about Early Bird Shopping for groceries.

Raise Them Up said...

I love that idea! I wouldn't be able to sort out which socks belonged to which kid (some crazy mom bought them all the same kind of socks). But I could just put them all in one basket and consider myself done. :)

The Happy Housewife said...

Interesting, very interesting... I might have to consider the whole not matching up the pairs of socks thing...
With 18 feet, we have a lot of missing socks in our house.
Toni

Alisa said...

I hate folding socks and love the idea of the complainer having to do the job!

Jen - Balancing Beauty and Bedlam said...

Ok, I am seriously pondering how to implement this one. It may work, even for us. :)

ohAmanda said...

I have been thinking about doing this very thing. Now I totally am!

Mari said...

What will I do with all that extra time (that I'm not searching for socks)?

Mari said...

What will I do with all that extra time (that I'm not searching for socks)?

KellytheKitchenKop.com said...

I tried that sock tip and my husband hated it...darn it. Maybe he can be my new favorite sock matcher upper, eh? :)

My post is about a food movie that teaches us the truth about which fats are healthy - I'm weird that way, that kind of talk *always* "works for me"!

Thanks for hosting!
Kelly
www.kellythekitchenkop.com

Jennifer said...

I LOVE IT!!!!! I really do not like Laundry and this makes it a bit easier!!!! It can really teach the smaller kiddos something also!!!

Kara said...

What a GREAT idea! I may just have to try this.

Here's mine for this week:
http://homewithpurpose.blogspot.com/2009/09/wearing-my-baby.html

Jennifer said...

My post this week is about a Nursing Bra that is just a simple strappy sports Bra. It works for me!!!!

Peta said...

Hi I missed the Mr linky thing so here is mine for this week. It is about laundry also http://7kidsmummy.blogspot.com/2009/09/works-for-me-wednsday.html

Shanna said...

LOL! Socks have been on my mind for a while now. Someone posted a while back about how they always lose socks in the dryer. I never, really, lost socks and thought that it was weird to write a post about it. Then it seemed everyone was posting about it, so of course it was real. There really is a sock monster, really. And the kiddos bring them home from school because I hadn't lost socks until until the three of them started school!! They started this fall and my laundry duty has more than doubled! Going from Zero to Three in preschool/prek is crazy! Ok, so anyway. It's late, I've been sick, now I'm better and I'm trying to catch up. Sorry.

What do I do with my homeless socks? If I have any misfits at the end of laundry, they get tossed back into the dirty laundry basket! Lazy, OMGoodness YES!! Stress free, absolutely, without a doubt! Oh and the separate baskets is something I was thinking about doing just this week while I was trying to figure out how to keep all of our laundry sorted and put away timely. Anyway, sorry so long. :) Going to bed now...

se7en said...

Never lost a sock!!! i don't know what we have done to appease the sock monster, or make his visit so unpleasant that he doesn't bother to visit us... I do have a sock strategy - with 9 almost 10 of us one must!!! But no the sock monster does not visit us - hahaha he is visiting all of you instead!!!

Rina said...

Oh crud. I didn't put my blog name or my name in my link - the cutting board link. I'm sorry!!!!

Unknown said...

Good sock idea! I only have 1 kid, so it isn't a problem right now. Sounds like a great time-saver too!

BusyMom said...

I don't fold socks either, but I buy only one kind of sock. So I simply put all of my son's socks in his sock drawer...sure, there are short and tall, but they are all the same. When it is time to put on socks, reach in pull out two socks and they match - Voila! For my daughter, same scoop, all the same. For me, all the same (although my work socks have varied as I lose pairs and can't find the exact same to replace them, but all of my white socks are the same). My husband - his socks I match...because his mom always did I guess.

Julie From Inmates said...

Sounds like that would work for me, too! By the way I triple love your header. Then when I came back a few minutes later, the picture changed. I LOVE LOVE LOVE it. Such a great look!!! You have a beautiful family =)

JennyMac said...

So far...we are lucky on socks. Love the tips and the concept of WFMW!

Elena LaVictoire said...

I go one better - with five guys in the house (four of whom have size 9 to size 14 shoe sizes) I just dump all the clean socks in one basket, put in the downstairs hallway, and let them fight it out all week for socks. Takes me completely out of the middle!

Erin @ Closing Time said...

This is a great idea! We have lost so many socks as well!

Cheryl@SomewhatCrunchy said...

What am I missing? I don't see socks in your photo...just backpacks. I'm fortunate to have lost very few socks, but I do have a drawer where I keep the singles...if it's mate shows up, great! But I think there are a few that have been in there for years...

Jamie (Suddenly Stay @ Home) said...

Thanks for hosting! I have a tip today about how to water hanging plants without getting water everywhere. Hope you enjoy!

Susannah said...

As always, thanks for hosting. Enjoy your day! :~D

e-Mom @ Susannah's Aprons
http://susannahsaprons.blogspot.com

Thena said...

I like that idea. Because for some reason I HATE to fold socks. Maybe it's because the washer always eats some of them. lol

No I wasn't Sleeping said...

breaking out the socks is the worst thing about fall... oh to live in a place that you can go barefoot all year...sigh...

Launa said...

LOL!! I have a "sock basket" too and an "evil laugh"!!! :) But mine is just a big laundry basket that all the socks without matches live....every once in a while I send a smart mouthed kid to go match them up! ;) But I LOVE this idea....might just have to use it!! Thanks!! :D

sunnymum said...

Thanks for the tip and for hosting!

Lisa Anne said...

I wouldn't know because the BF does all the laundry. Lucky me!

Amber@theRunaMuck said...

Kristen, I adore you. Thank you for spreading the word. You always encourage.

Love,
Amber

Kelli @ writing the waves said...

I may have to try this. I hate dealing with socks! That's why I love summer so much. Sandals all the way!

Julie From Inmates said...

Man, I just discovered that I put the wrong link in to Mr. Linky. I put Monday's post URL in the linky thing. I'm sorry. I hope you can look over my nonsense.

Sharon said...

Kristen--I hate to be a pest again, but since it take me so long to go through the many links I didn't catch this earlier.

Starting on Friday, it's opening the links in the same tab rather than opening a new tab, so I have to click back to get to your page again after reading someone's tip. :-( It makes it hard for me to read all the tips I want to. I don't think I did anything on my end, so I hope you can figure it out for me and anyone else that it bugs. ;-)

BTW--I LOVE reading you blog! And one of these day's I'll have my own tip to contribute to WFMW.