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Can I ask you something?
When’s the last time you threw away socks?
Not because they went missing in the dryer. Not because they accidentally got bleach on them. But just because they were old and worn out and you deserved better ones.
If you’re struggling to remember, you’re not alone.
I see this in so many homes I organize. Drawers full of socks with holes. Underwear with stretched elastic. T-shirts that are threadbare and faded. Bras that stopped providing any actual support years ago.
And when I suggest getting rid of them, I hear the same thing every time:
“But they still work.”
“I can wear them around the house.”
“They’re fine for just running errands.”
“I’m saving the good ones.”
And here’s what I want to say to that—gently, because I get it:
You deserve better than “fine.”
Why This Is So Hard
Getting rid of worn-out basics feels wasteful.
These items aren’t broken, exactly. They’re just… tired. A little worn. Not quite comfortable anymore. But still technically functional.
So throwing them away feels wrong. Especially if you grew up learning to use things until they literally fell apart. Especially if money was tight at some point in your life. Especially if you were taught that taking care of yourself was less important than being practical.
I get all of that.
But can I tell you what I see when I look at a drawer full of worn-out socks?
I see someone who’s been putting their own comfort last.
The “Good Stuff” Problem
Here’s the pattern I notice all the time.
People have two categories of basics in their drawers: the “everyday” stuff and the “good” stuff.
The everyday stuff is old, worn, comfortable enough but not great. Socks with thin spots. Underwear that’s lost its elastic. Bras that are technically wearable but don’t fit quite right anymore.
The good stuff? That’s saved. For special occasions. For when it matters. For when you’re going somewhere important.
Which means that on a regular Tuesday morning when you’re just going to work or running errands or staying home with the kids—on all the normal days that make up most of your actual life—you’re wearing the stuff that’s falling apart.
And the “good” stuff sits in the drawer, waiting for a day that feels special enough to deserve it.
But here’s what I want you to hear: Every day you wake up and get dressed deserves the good stuff.
What Keeping Worn-Out Basics Really Costs You
This isn’t really about socks.
It’s about what you’re telling yourself every single morning when you get dressed.
When you put on socks with holes, you’re saying “this is good enough for me.”
When you put on underwear with stretched elastic, you’re saying “my comfort doesn’t matter today.”
When you put on a bra that doesn’t fit right anymore, you’re saying “I’ll save the comfortable one for when it matters.”
And after you do that every day for months or years? You stop noticing.
You stop noticing that your socks are bunching up in your shoes. You stop noticing that your underwear is uncomfortable. You stop noticing that you’re not actually comfortable in your own clothes.
You just accept it as normal.
But it’s not normal. And you don’t have to accept it.
You’re Not Being Wasteful
I know what you’re thinking.
“But it feels so wasteful to throw away perfectly good socks.”
Except they’re not perfectly good. They have holes. The elastic is shot. They’re uncomfortable.
And here’s the thing about waste: Keeping things you’ll never actually want to use isn’t being thrifty. It’s just filling your drawers with stuff that makes you feel guilty.
You know what’s actually wasteful?
Using valuable drawer space to store socks you actively avoid wearing.
Spending time every morning digging through old uncomfortable basics to find the few pairs you actually like.
Feeling slightly uncomfortable in your own clothes all day, every day, because you’re trying to make worn-out items last just a little bit longer.
That’s the real waste. Not the socks. Your time. Your comfort. Your energy.
What “Good Enough” Actually Looks Like
Let me tell you what I consider “good enough” for basics:
Socks without holes. That’s it. That’s the bar. Not fancy socks. Not expensive socks. Just socks that are intact and comfortable.
Underwear with elastic that still works. If you’re constantly adjusting it throughout the day, it’s not working anymore.
Bras that actually provide support. If you’re more comfortable the second you take it off at the end of the day, it’s time for a new one.
T-shirts that aren’t see-through or falling apart. They don’t have to be new. They just have to be comfortable and wearable.
This is not a high bar.
And yet, so many people are living below it every single day.
Permission to Throw Things Away
If you need someone to tell you it’s okay to get rid of worn-out basics, I’m telling you right now:
It’s okay.
You don’t need to keep socks with holes “just in case.” In case of what? In case all your other socks simultaneously disappear?
You don’t need to keep uncomfortable underwear “for around the house.” You deserve to be comfortable around your own house.
You don’t need to keep that old stretched-out bra “for lazy days.” Lazy days still deserve comfort.
Here’s your permission: If it’s uncomfortable, if it’s worn out, if you actively avoid wearing it and only put it on when everything else is dirty—you can let it go.
Right now. Today.
You don’t need to wait until it’s completely destroyed. You don’t need to feel guilty about it.
It served its purpose. It’s time to let it go.
How to Actually Do This
Okay, so how do you actually get rid of worn-out basics without feeling terrible about it?
Here’s what I do with clients:
Step 1: Pull Everything Out
Empty your sock drawer. Your underwear drawer. Your bra drawer. Whatever you’re tackling.
Put it all on the bed where you can see it.
Step 2: Make Two Piles
Pile 1: Would I be happy to put this on tomorrow morning?
Not “is it wearable.” Not “could I make it work.” Would you be genuinely happy to wear it?
If yes, it goes in Pile 1.
Pile 2: Everything else.
The worn-out stuff. The uncomfortable stuff. The “I guess I’ll wear this if everything else is dirty” stuff.
Be honest with yourself. If you haven’t worn it in six months because it’s uncomfortable, it goes in Pile 2.
Step 3: Count What’s Left
How many socks do you actually like wearing? How many pairs of underwear are actually comfortable?
That’s the number you’re working with.
If that number feels too small, that’s information. That’s telling you it’s time to buy a few more.
And if that feels hard because of money, I get it. But here’s the thing: You’re already doing laundry constantly because you only have a few pairs you actually want to wear. Buying a few more comfortable basics means doing laundry less often.
Step 4: Get Rid of Pile 2
Right now. Don’t put it back in the drawer “just in case.”
Socks and underwear with holes can’t be donated. They go in the trash. And that’s okay.
If items are still in decent shape, they can be donated. But be honest—if they’re stretched out or uncomfortable, donation centers don’t want them either.
Let them go.
What Happens Next
Here’s what I’ve seen happen when people finally get rid of their worn-out basics:
They buy a few new pairs of socks or underwear. Nothing fancy. Just comfortable basics that fit.
And then something shifts.
Getting dressed in the morning gets easier. Because everything in the drawer is something they actually want to wear.
They stop feeling slightly uncomfortable all day. Because their clothes actually fit and feel good.
They stop thinking about their socks or underwear at all. Because they’re finally comfortable enough to forget about them.
And that’s what basics should be. Something you don’t have to think about because they’re working exactly as they should.
This Applies to More Than Socks
Once you start paying attention to this pattern, you’ll see it everywhere.
The “around the house” clothes that are stained and stretched out.
The shoes that hurt your feet but you keep wearing because you spent money on them.
The towels that are threadbare but still technically dry you off.
The sheets that are worn thin but you’re saving the nice ones for guests.
All of it comes down to the same thing: You’re saving the good stuff for later, and making do with less-than-comfortable things in the meantime.
But “later” is now. Today is the day that matters. This morning when you got dressed. Tonight when you go to bed.
You deserve to be comfortable in your own home, in your own clothes, on a regular Tuesday.
A Small Change That Matters
Getting rid of old socks seems like such a small thing.
And in some ways, it is.
But it’s also a statement about what you deserve. About whether your daily comfort matters. About whether you’re worth taking care of.
And the answer to all of that is yes.
You don’t have to wait for a special occasion to use the good towels or wear the comfortable socks or sleep on the nice sheets.
Every single day you wake up is occasion enough.
If You’re Doing the January Challenge
Day 8 of the January Decluttering Challenge is all about getting rid of old socks and underwear.
If you’ve been putting it off because it feels wasteful or hard, I hope this helps.
You’re not being selfish or wasteful by wanting comfortable basics. You’re just taking care of yourself.
And that’s always worth doing.
Download the free challenge calendar if you haven’t already, and let’s tackle this together.
And If You Need Help With More Than Socks
If you’re reading this and realizing this pattern shows up everywhere in your home—keeping things that don’t serve you, making do with less-than-comfortable systems, putting your own needs last—I can help with that.
At Just Organized by Taya, I work with Houston-area families to create homes that actually support them. Not just organizing for how things look, but organizing for how you actually live.
We can tackle the closets full of clothes you don’t wear, the spaces that drain your energy, the systems that make you feel like you’re constantly behind.
Book a consultation or call 832-271-7608. Let’s create a home where you feel taken care of.
(Not in Houston? I do virtual consultations too.)
One Last Thing
If you pull out that drawer today and realize you only have three pairs of socks you actually like wearing, that’s okay.
That’s not a failure. That’s clarity.
Now you know. And knowing means you can do something about it.
You deserve basics that feel good. You deserve to be comfortable. You deserve to stop making do with worn-out things that don’t serve you anymore.
It’s just socks. But it’s also so much more than that.
And you’re worth it.
Working with Taya and her team is easy. You can book an appointment easily on her website, or contact her directly at 832-271-7608
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- The Truth About Organization: Why One Size Never Fits All - January 6, 2026
