How to Keep Bras and Lingerie Organized

One of life’s little pleasures can be discovering a drawer of underwear that has been meticulously organized. That is, if you make the time to get everything organised in the first place, all neatly organized. This can seem like a difficult process, but if you approach it step by step, it won’t take you long to reach a state of organized happiness, with all of your bras, bralettes, briefs, hipsters, and other assorted underwear clearly out of a tangle.

First Step: Discard the Old

Take all of your underwear and lay it out on the bed as your first task. Why? Sorting is something you must do. However, editing underwear is simple because there are just two piles to manage: items to keep and items to discard. No maybes. No, it won’t possibly come back in style.

Anything you really wouldn’t want to be hit by a truck while wearing should be the first thing to go. Throw away everything worn, torn, stained, or dotted with holes as well as anything that was once white but is now gray. Leigh Bantivoglio questions, “Are you not good enough to wear beautiful panties?”
With the same “I’m worth it” attitude, examine what’s left carefully and discard it if:

• It’s been a year since you wore it (there must be a reason).
• The colour has diminished.
• The seams are starting to unravel.
• There is no more elasticity.
• When a bra is put into the washing machine too frequently without a lingerie bag, the underwires either lose their original shape or begin to poke through the fabric.
• It no longer fits correctly. Weight changes, especially during pregnancy.
• It was never going to fit right.
• Remove any uncomfortable clothing, such as thongs and bras that ride up.

 

Second Step: Implementing the New

The type of underwear you wear and how much you keep in your drawer are personal decisions. A few pairs of cotton underwear and flexible camisoles are sufficient for the minimalist; for the collector, lace-trimmed and leopard-print teddies are only the beginning. In either case, there are some things that everyone should own. You need 1) enough everyday, simple underwear to get you through the week without doing laundry, and 2) special occasion lingerie that can answer queries like, “What am I supposed to wear beneath that?” in order to simplify your life. You should have: Between what you already own and potential future purchases.

• Comfort: You should own seven straightforward, comfy bras. You’ll want seamless ones that look sleek under T-shirts for work and the weekends. Get a few in black and a few that will mix in with your skin tone.  You might also wish to occasionally change into a camisole.
• Strapless and racerback: Purchase a racerback bra in neutral colours to wear beneath tank tops and a black strapless bra for formal occasions. Spend money on a full-body shaper that includes a bra, a tight-fitting bodice, and control-top pants that reach your mid-thighs. You might also want to get a backless bustier to wear under an evening gown.
• Push-up bras: Look for gorgeous, lacy push-up bras in various colours for evenings and romantic encounters, and get matching thongs or panties, depending on your desire.  Spend money on a silk chemise that reaches your mid-thigh. Bantivoglio explains, “It has to be seductive but not too specific-looking.” So your lover won’t comment if you wear it again a week from now: “Oh, I’ve seen it on you.”
• Panties: For panties, there are fewer strict guidelines. Some ladies purchase bottoms that match each bra they own and won’t wear separate sets. Buy a selection of interchangeable thongs (to wear with tight pants), bikini designs (to wear with low-rise jeans or anything that rides low on your hips), and boy-cut panties instead, sticking to the neutral black and nude formula for an edited collection (which offer both coverage and freedom from panty lines).

Third Step: Make Plans

Create a storage system that will enable you to see what you have and locate items quickly after you have reduced the size of your lingerie collection and filled in the gaps.

If you have a sizable collection of lingerie, think about buying a chest specifically for it. But bear in mind this straightforward tip for successful organization: drawer dividers.

Separate my bras into black, white, and nude, and then organize them by style and fold them to conserve space. Keep your panties separate.

Try keeping your underwear in sets to save time: Fold the bra cups in half, put the folded panties inside, and group the sets according to color. Simply grab one pair in the morning; when packing for an out-of-town trip, include two extra sets for every day you’ll be away.

Divide your drawer into three or four compartments and arrange by color for a more straightforward solution. Alternately, divide your drawer into two parts and arrange your bras and underwear in each. Keep your matching sets together, though, if you can. They should be kept apart from your fancier, more expensive things. Lay the latter flat if you have space and it is especially delicate. Use the appropriate hangers if you like to hang delicate clothing. Purchase some with notches so that straps won’t slide off and some with cushioned, buffered clips so that lace or fabric won’t be harmed.

Treatment and Care

When you were little, your mother got you those pants with the days of the week on them for a reason. You require a new pair each day. And in an ideal world, you’d have an equal number of bras. However, washing bras every two to three wears is more practical for the majority of busy women (sports bras being an exception). Don’t worry if you don’t have time to hand wash your delicates every few days like other lingerie lovers do.

Simply place your bras and underwear in a lingerie bag before throwing the entire ensemble in the washer with the rest of your things. Use a mild detergent like Woolite if you’d like, and wash in cold water. Close the bras completely to prevent the hooks from catching on anything. It is best to hang delicate bras and undergarments or to lay them flat on a towel to air dry.