Taming the Sock Monster
I've posted about socks before, but I feel sure that Mother Hen would really like me to do a Help For Growing Families post this week and my poor addled brain is reduced to recycling. Just act surprised and pretend you didn't already read this last year, ok?
A friend asked me yesterday how we handle the Sock Monster. Her question made me laugh because our family has roughly the same number of feet and I share all of her frustrations! I hope she won't mind that I'm sharing my answer here.
Can you hear me laughing? Don't worry. I'm not laughing at you; I'm laughing with you.
Maybe this will make you feel better. I was greatly relieved a couple of years ago to learn that our sock system is nearly identical to that of the Duggar family. If it works for them, we're sticking with it.
It goes like this:
- All girl socks are the same color: white. In the Duggar house, the boys all have black socks.
- If 2 socks look the same, they match.
- If the socks fit you, they're yours.
A few more sanity savers:
- I try to always buy the same type of socks, so if the size and color are the same the sock will match. This way we don't have single socks waiting about for a proposal, wondering if they will live out their lives in celibacy.
- I encourage the kids to wear sandals whenever it's appropriate. The less socks they wear, the less chances to lose or destroy them.
- Learn to think of socks as consumable. Just resign yourself to buying a new pack every time you go to the store, and your sock-stress level will plummet. It's all in the spirit of that serenity prayer - you know, God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change...
When to throw them away? We tend to lose ours first. I think it has something to do with the trampoline. I once found over 20 socks under it, in various stages of composting. But if a sock lives long enough to get hole-y, I usually tell the kids to toss it if the hole is big enough to start letting toes through.
Kim
So there you have it. Now that you're ready to tame the Sock Monster, go visit Ship Full O' Pirates for more ways to tame more big-family monsters.
Related posts:
- Works for us and the Duggars
- Socks
- Surprising fringe benefits to the New Sock System
- Another mystery of life solved
- Crazylegs for Becca
Did you enjoy this post? Subscribe so you'll never miss a new post!
Filed under: big family, methods
I love the concept of the single sock leading a celibate existence. Now I have pity on my purple basket of loners.
Our solution, which has worked brilliantly, is buying the Hanes socks that are considered “whites”, but that have different colored toes. Each size is a different color. So we always know to whom the socks belong, and they’re easily spotted in the laundry. Each kid pulls their own color. So easy!
And like you……we wear sandals as much as possible!
we do the same here! i started this when we moved to the amish farm… i couldnt stand the sock monster any longer and needed to fix it once and for all with doing laundry by hand and the occassional laundry mat!
Thanks for the permission to quit fighting it and just buy some new socks! We have piles of socks with no mates!
Hi! I just started reading your site, and I love it. I really appreciate your advice on socks. We have soon to be 8 and I had to smile when I saw you said “if it fits you, its yours”. Too true!
I just saw another idea for socks! I wanted to share it. My husband brought home a book the other day on how to turn socks like “loner” socks into little sock animals! If the sock is in good shape, it would make a cute little gift item for a baby/child. One could make a bunch and keep them to tuck into gifts, esp. when you need one at the last minute. I can’t wait to dig in and give it a try!
Nobody warned me about the sock monster before I had children! I was always a fan of fun colorful socks- argyle, stripes, etc. That has changed!
We do the same thing Candace mentioned. That way the kids have no excuses for getting their own socks out of the pile. Also, I can keep track if a certain kid keeps loosing their socks. I was laughing when you mentioned the trampoline, I know what you’re talking about.
Kim — We used to buy all white socks but now the boys are at such as age that they have all different feet sizes. Now, we buy socks with different “logos” for each boy and that is how we can seperate and clean and organize them better. It seems to be the only thing that has worked so far.
You are listed on my giveaway this week! Thanks so much for donating the bookmarks
This one will last the whole week…
God bless,
Sallie
Being just a wee small family of 4.
Hubby and I have white socks no confusion over mine and his.
My 16 yr old son gets black socks so not to confuse dad who will claim all socks he can get his feet into.
Darling daughter (14) gets every color under the sun. Which of course results in her never ever wearing matching socks. If she can avoid wearing a knee sock and and ankle sock I can live with it.