When I was a bachelor, when I would run out of socks, underwear and/or t-shirts before I did laundry, I would just buy another pack and make a mental note to do laundry at the next available opportunity. needless to say my wife was amazed at the sheer number of socks (120 pairs+/-) and skivvies I had when she moved in and started organizing.
Side note: my large quantities of t-shirts came from a friend who was a manager at a comic book store I could easily go a month or more with out doing a load of blacks/dark colors.
Before you think what a slothful individual, keep in mind I was working 2 jobs quite often seven days a week when I did get free time it was eat/sleep.
I then started to notice that t-shirts, or comfy socks or a particular pair of shorts would disappear from time to time and started to realize that someone was tossing them for too many holes and what not (NOOOO! they were my garage rags!!!!) So now she checks with me before tossing—socks with too many/too big holes get cut up for cleaning patches...:)
Saw the topic, couldn’t resist.
I have approximately:
20 pair of black crew socks, 45 pair of white crew socks, 40 or so pair of assorted color dress socks.
40 white t-shirts, 45 or so colored t-shirts, and 25 or so dress shirts.
7 pairs of blue jeans and 6 pair of dress pants.
With mixing and matching, I don’t have to do laundry, sometimes, for a couple of months. Not necessarily a complete guy thing, but having enough of something, let’s one concentrate on more important things than clothes or laundry. Wal-Mart is a great place to shop for necessities and cheap, too.
When a sock or t-shirt becomes too hole-y or worn, it goes in the rag bag. I have a huge rag back (gun cleaning, car maintenance, computer work, etc.)
I used to have this pair of long underwear. I had them for years. Over time they developed rips and holes, and were eventually held together with a complex system of safety pins and willpower. I loved that pair of long underwear. Built for comfort and speed. One day, my ex was doing laundry, and commented on why I would keep such a revealing garment. I said, mostly, for sentimental value and extreme comfort, and that she should never think about throwing them away. One sad day, they came up missing.
When I began to curse the Underpants Gnomes and Cruel Fate, she volunteered that she was the culprit. I was, of course, understandably saddened and not a bit angry. That wasn’t the deal-breaker in our relationship, but . . .
Anyhoo, underthings take on a special sentimental/functional value and should never be gotten rid of until they fade from our Reality.
$0.02