Unmess(Organize)Your Underwear Drawer–For the Ladies

I think we can all agree that stress is a mess, and nothing can be worse for a female than a messy underwear drawer. As part of my home organization goal for the next three months, I decided to tackle the unacceptable junk drawer residing in our bedrooms and boudoirs, using my untidy underwear drawer as an example.  

My Why? 

During my most recent move I knew I would need my underwear before I needed most other things, so I packed all my undies in clear shoe boxes and transported them to my new space and unpacked them neatly into place. 

For days they looked lovely and dainty sitting in my drawer. But over time, the drawer got junky and lost its neatness as daily selections were made, contents diminished and laundering was necessary. At which point, I had to start all over, folding and rearranging all my undies back into the same drawer, desperately trying to recreate its original (neat and uncluttered) form.

Have you had that experience?  

Well, I don’t know about you, but I do not particularly care for unnecessary work. Having to do a lot to keep something organized or neat is a turn off. 

Seriously, duplicating the same job is the bane of my organizing existence. Yet, it was the reality I experienced each time I washed my clothes or any time I pulled out one item and then decided on another. In my case, the whole drawer shifted, and what was once lovely to look upon and easy to reach in and select became a hot disheveled mess. Yikes!

But I am not one to stare and complain (for too long). I am one to conquer. So, I immediately got to work on a plan to tidy up my undies without having to re-tidy again (at least not for a long while). 

I referred to my trusty four-step process to organize nearly anything, which I mentioned in my Unmessy Girl Prep Work . 

Step 1: See what will work in my space.  

Simple. I already knew my measurements—a perfect 36-24-36.  Oops! Wrong measurements. Hehe! What I really needed was the exact length and width of my drawer, which was an ideal 2×2 feet and not too deep.  (You should not layer underwear so a  semi-shallow depth is perfect). 

Step 2. Inventory the items I already have.

To organize a space, you must know what you’re working with. So I tossed out any article that was too worn, too big, or too small, and I counted the rest. But then I began to wonder: how many bras and panties does a female need? I still had an ample supply.  The facts and figures I found were entertaining.  

It seems that a woman has on average 34 panties, based on one site. Ah, that made sense to me—one for each day of the month plus a few spares for just in case situations. Sisters, we know that accidents happen, right?  

Further research revealed that we need far less when it comes to bras. One source said as few as three. Well, that may be adequate for everyday use to have two neutrals and one skin tone, but I wasn’t throwing away my special occasion bras – backless, strapless, one shoulder out, pinks and reds and sequined. Okay, the last one doesn’t even exist, but maybe it should. 

After laughing at all the advice from popular magazines like Glamour to personal blogs, I decided to move to the next step. 

Step 3.  Prepare a list of things I still needed.  

For me, I needed not duplicate my organizing efforts each time I reached in to grab a pair of undies. I thought back to a system I used years ago. It consisted of plastic dividers that you could crisscross and velcro to the edges of your drawers. While it worked in the past, the aesthetics were more befitting a kitchen drawer than my undie drawer. 

When I shared my drawer dilemma with my mother, she asked me to follow her into her bedroom, where she proceeded to show me something that has changed my underwear drawer for the better. 

I found a similar brand online and ordered a set of three!  When my package arrived I went to work. 

Check out these pictures and video demonstrations which are handy for those who cannot fold to save your life and/or have more than the recommended bras and panties allowed by the organizing gurus.

Watch the end results.

You can buy your underwear organizer here. 

Step 4. Set a day and time to get it done.

Begin with the prep work (Steps 1-3). One drawer similar in size to mine will take you no longer than 10 minutes.  

Why Not Try This Today? 

We all deal with daily stress, so whenever we can minimize the mess in our lives, we should take full advantage of those moments. Ladies, let’s ditch the messy drawer we use most often and slide into a system that fits right and stays tight.  

If you try it and like it, please let me know down below or shoot me an email: leah@reallyleah.com use the subject: Underwear Drawer. 

ReallyLeah’s UnHotMess Series 2. 2021.Your Work Matters.

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