Because of my knack for living in many places at once in times past and my 'nearly-the-same- size-as-high-school-ishness,' I must now have collected at least 40 sock divorcees / widows / orphans. Sure, I could throw them all out, donate 'em all to charity, etc., but we've been through a lot together, darnit. The empty lot next door...

Socks are sent to a sorting house, populated by inmates, where they are sorted by size, color, type, etc. They're kept for two months, then 'put down.' Photos and descriptions are posted on the website. Interesting styles in good condition are posted on the website in attempt to find mates. Matches made by the house are sent to charity stores.

"SWF (single, white, footie) seeks SWF for companionship, prefers office environment to outdoor adventure..."
-- RayfordSteele, Mar 02 2003

(?) Lonely Socks http://www.lonelysocks.co.uk/
Baked? [my face your, Oct 04 2004, last modified Oct 05 2004]

(??) Intelligent socks? http://www.halfbake...ergalactic_20Travel
Don't wash them, and they will never be lonely, though you might. [pluterday, Oct 04 2004, last modified Oct 05 2004]

Single sock site's surely a shoe-in for success.
-- FarmerJohn, Mar 02 2003


Cool, someone to talk to. Would my rent increase for having roommates?
-- RayfordSteele, Mar 02 2003


//my knack for living in many places at once in times past//
Obviously you are a fellow time traveler!

A good idea, worthy of my croissant, but based upon the rather limited assumption that you have to wear matching socks. Why, except for ridiculous reasons of fashion, does the pair have to match?
-- pluterday, Mar 02 2003


Ohhh. nice nice nice. +1 Any chance of the missing glove / lost shoe repositry too?
-- liamdelahunty, Mar 02 2003


I thought that "... but we've been through a lot together, darnit" was clever phrasing.
-- jurist, Mar 03 2003


How can you possibly have that many different socks?
-- ironfroggy, Mar 03 2003


Believe it or not, that's probably a conservative estimate. I didn't want to blow your mind with the real number. I haven't counted, but there's a laundry basket half-full of mismatches somewheres.

Years of living in 3 places simultaneously, (2 families and a college dorm for a few), none of whom realized the enormity of my clothing nightmare until it was much too late, regardless of my repeated warnings. Couple that with a step-brother, whose mother, upon his going to college, bought him a new wardrobe, leaving his entire collection to my elf. Being a committed packrat at the time, (a bad practice for anyone who has bedrooms in two separate households, let me tell you), I happily accepted them.

There is a critical mass factor in sock wear, I've discovered. Having so many, you only wear any specific pair once every four months or so. And so they *never* wear out, as much as I'm actively trying.

Shoes and gloves... now why didn't I think of that?
-- RayfordSteele, Mar 03 2003


Oh my god... it's baked. I would've never had believed it, had I not seen it with my own eyes.
-- RayfordSteele, Mar 03 2003


Looks Baked to me.
-- dalek, Mar 03 2003


hmmm.... the sock exchange
-- ninjafishcake, Jun 19 2003


A good idea but a little extreme for many people who only have a few odd pairs. I think the solution may lie in a DIY kit. This you would buy for only a little more than a pack of socks and it would contain: one plastic apron, one pair plastic gloves, one instruction booklet, one plastic stirer and a small bottle of the worlds most powerful die. Throw all your socks into the bath and in goes the black (optional colour) and you turn them all the same colour. No more odd socks. Different fabric patterns are only noticible if someone is so close to your socks that they do your washing for you. So no more worries.
-- slanyon, Mar 05 2004


I would have titled it Sock Exchange. But then I found this idea.
-- theircompetitor, Jun 09 2005


//leaving his entire collection to my elf//

You have an elf? Cool!
-- dbmag9, Jun 09 2005


[+] bun.
-- FlyingToaster, Dec 19 2012


Socks have more options these days. The old barriers are coming down. One can buy socks in mismatched threesomes: no joke. The time has come. Free your mind and your feet will follow. When you can't be with the one you love, love the one you're with.
-- bungston, Dec 19 2012



random, halfbakery