Since everyone’s always grousing about the washer/dryer sock mystery thing, I’m not going to belabor that point. What I will say is this: I am convinced that my feet are extra sharp, owing to the really remarkably short length of time a typical pair of socks lasts me before one gets a hole. For those afflicted with pointy heels like mine (or flimsy socks), a few ideas from AltUse.com and Yankee Magazine’s excellent book Don’t Throw It Out:
1. Protect your shoes: Slip socks over shoes to keep them from scuffing in your suitcase.
2. Make a chew toy: Knot a sock up, or tie a few together around a rubber ball. Hours of fun for Fido. Don’t you wish you were so easily entertained?
3. Warm up your arms: Like leg warmers: Cut the toe off an old pair of socks and bunch ’em up on your forearms. If you want to cover your hands, too, you can cut a thumb hole into the heel.
4. Store ornaments: Kids’ socks work well for covering delicate Christmas ornaments. This trick works well for packing up tchotchkes for a move, too.
5. Clean with precision: Dusty, hard-to-reach corners are no match for your sock-covered hand. Spritz the toe with cleaning solution and attack.