So today as I was rummaging through my running drawer looking for knickers it dawned on me just how much time I WASTE on doing this. Just to add that my running drawer is in the living room under the TV as I have no space in my allocated space upstairs.
I always run in the morning ( creature of habit and all that), and I never prepare anything the night before ( busy busy ) . So my routine in the morning involves lots of looking for things and flinging items out of the drawer trying to find parts that match. One problem is that I wear a lot of black so it all looks the same.... and socks.... don’t get me started... odd, lost, holes, theft... it’s the runners black hole.
I would love to know how you have overcome this problem and what storage ideas you have. I know this is below par by a long shot!!
Happy Panthering
Juju
Xxx
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Folding. Lots of folding. Then piles of the same item together - so, shorts all together, vests all together, running leggings all...you get the picture. Helps that I’m a Virgo and pretty much nothing makes me happier than neatly folded clothes/ linen. But ya gotta keep on top of it. Simple as that. But not so simple if you have a life. 😂 Simple if you love folding things. Like, almost as a hobby kind of weird way.
Sorry, not very helpful, I know. But it’s the only way I know, so I will be following this thread closely (whilst folding my running pants).
I aspire to live an ordered life but alas I lack the will to get organised. I lost my Nike wrist band the other day and had to turn my office (ha!) upside down to find it, which I didn't. I found it today when rummaging for something else (blush)
My rail is groaning under the weight of my running gear, plus I have drawers of the stuff, bits on my desk etc etc. So, like Ju Ju I waste ages every run, traipsing up and down stairs, room to room getting my sh*t together. My shoes, don't get me started on those
I keep saying that when it rains I'm going to stay in and sort it. I need a wardrobe cull. I might cull my husband's first. Mwaaaaaaahhhhhha
ju-ju- ...I am looking in that drawer of yours & I’m liking the look of whatever that gold number is to the right of the picture...you are sassy!! 😁....
My very bottom drawer in my bedroom is where my running kit is & it’s getting fuller by the week...I’m not a folder, but the drawer is quite big so on the left is stuffed with vests & tops, in the middle is stuffed in leggings & shorts & on the right is bras & buffs, every now & again they get mixed up so I get them all out & stuff them back in where they belong, I must say that I am an expert stuffer..it was 5:30 ish when I snook out like a ninja this morning, all in black so I have to know that when I put my hand in a drawer in the dark I am pulling out a complete outfit otherwise I wake DaddyCav with my huffing & puffing...I think IKEA do drawer separators if you could be bothered???? 🙄...practice organised stuffing x
Must go to Ikea... my daughter needs new furniture so I feel a trip coming on!! I have used boxes in the past for socks but it kind of goes wrong.... and the gold is my shorts and I have a matching corset that I wear for celebratory runs and when tummy allows!!!!!
Mine is all folded neatly in piles like yours too, Sadie-runs. I’m a Cancer but I have the folding gene too. All my clothes is in a built-in sliding mirrored door wardrobe ( my ex built it for me). There is a Rail for hanging stuff and underneath it is divided into boxes about 2’ square. All the bottom row are shoes, then I have one for tee shirts, in two piles of long and short sleeved, in colour order. One for jumpers, one for pjs, one for underwear, one for running stuff - in piles of tees, running shorts, leggings, sports bras ...and one for jeans - rolled and stacked . Then the hanging rail is left to right .. tops, capris, running jackets, hoodies, skirts, dresses.. again sadly in colour order too. Yes I am slightly OCD but I feel better once it’s sorted and it’s easy to find stuff at a glance.
I thought my drawer was a mess until I saw this!! My clothes have outgrown their allotted space and are now also bulging out of a wicker basket next to the drawer. I would love to be as tidy as Sadie, that's what I aim for... but it never lasts. Everything gets chucked in and mixed up.
Summer hols are coming, I will rearrange stuff to a bigger drawer with good intentions to stay neat and tidy! Then I can add to it too!
I try to keep mine in an orderly folded pile at the bottom of my wardrobe (no available drawer space) and I try to resist the temptation to buy more. However recently I had to buy shorts to add to the pile as I’ve been way to hot in my capris. All the long winter leggings are right at the bottom of the pile, but I’m keeping my rain jacket in s cupboard by the front door - hopeful 😂😂😂
I keep one set of running clothes in a large lululemon carrier bag with my runners, socks, sunnies, water belt and garmin. If I wake up before anyone else in the house I sneak downstairs with my bag and get dressed downstairs so that I don't wake anyone. Grab my water bottle out of the fridge and I'm gone ..... ahhhh freedom!
I have the dressing table in the spare room, with three drawers looking exactly like this. Sadie-runs you need to come and Virgo mine as well - I haven't had a tidy drawer since I parted company with my own Virgo 35 years ago (he used to fold his socks at night!). I fold it all neatly in categories, but it has a party in the night and gets mixed up again. But mine is a lot more colourful than yours ju-ju- - I would like to say it makes it easier to pick out what i want, but I'm afraid it doesn't; it's a Gustav Klimt jumble of garments: bit.ly/2OemYBN
Virgos usually have one area of their lives that is tidy, but can be surprisingly messy (unless they are double Virgos like Sadie-runs and my ex husband). i had a friend who galumphed around with her hem torn and her boot heel held on with tape and coming loose on and off (yes, really) but her makeup was totally immaculate and complex. the area they most turn their perfectionism on is themselves and they can be very self critical. ju-ju- you look very Leo, so I would hazard a guess that you have a fair bit of Leo in there
That is so me!! I have to be uber organised as I work full time, running and stuff then kids, domestic stuff and my role here. I abhore lateness and over time I have allowed myself some areas of slack that I dont see any point in, like I never blow dry my hair, I never ever iron and my cleaning is fast and furious but not thorough... sorry this is good therapy I have gone on a bit!!
Uh oh! Now I’m getting worried. I’m only at the beginning of my running adventures and already have quite a drawerful, in differing sizes (ever the optimist) Smaller sizes at the bottom, but am looking forward to others input it might save me from wearing my tee shirt not only back to front, but inside out at parkrun 🤭 in my defence I got dressed in the dark!
But fortunately Flick I have a cunning plan, I have been admiring and gazing in wonder at your glorious capris and leggings and when you mentioned Sturdy by Design, I checked them out and Joy! they do ship to New Zealand, its agonising waiting for the courier to pull into the drive its been a whole week waiting! 🙁 with my pressies to me. Zap! Pow! I will glow in the dark next park run too. Inside out tee shirts banished 4 ever. Thank you for them 💕
I went completely overboard he he! Cos I’m worth it, comic cartoon leggings and capris, elephant leggings and capris, paint swirl leggings, alien capris and a splash snug. I had my eye on a matching top (or two) but couldn’t get my size alas I will just have to keep checking the website. Am so looking forward to having a pocket. Photo promised. 😎
They are superb! I can’t wait to see the paint swirl, stunning colours. When I started c25 I wanted to be invisible and wore grey, I want to be seen now! Won’t miss me in these. Only thing is I’ll have to find another drawer, shh! to hide them from my daughter and 16 year old granddaughter, they’ve got their eyes on them.
I found a nice chest of drawers by the bin six months ago which I picked up and took up three flights of tenement stairs to the spare room, which has now become my running chest. It was originally just the top drawer but I've slowly evicted Mr Squeak from the bottom two and he's not yet noticed. I'm not a tidy person in general (creative chaos, books and ideas spilling everywhere) but must admit my wardrobes and drawers are 👌 I fold my tshirts and vests vertically down one side so I can see exactly what's what, roll up my trousers and shorts. Socks and smalls are in compartments I've made with actual wood. Wood! That's when I knew I was going to stick with running, when I got the Black and Decker out. 🛠
Ooo, now that is organised!! I knew I was going to stick to running when I dedicated a drawer to it!! DaddyCav would be very worried indeed if I started hammering & banging!! 😂
Ok, time to enter the ring FlickM3 !! One pair of socks, one running top and one pair of shorts 😂😂😀👌 Odorous !!! Plenty of eau de toilette 😂😂😂😉👍🏃♂️🏃♂️🏃♂️
I used to just put mine in with my other clothes but as my collection grew (although I really have a small amount compared to some people I’m sure!!!!) I started using a four drawer plastic storage thing which sits in corner of bedroom! I just use 2 for my running things! Tops and sports bras / socks in one and shorts, leggings in other! They aren’t nicely folded all the time but at least I’ve got easy access!! 😀
Forgot to mention I have a basket on the hall table with all my accessories! earphones, running belt, gloves etc! I’m organised in an untidy scatty way!! 😂
That's me too. Books on the shelves in categories, cutlery in the dishwasher in a particular way and - wait for it, a horrendously messy running drawer ... but ... everything is in categories there too, leggings morph into capris into shorts into tops, but somehow they visit each other and all get messed up and mixed together.
Hmmmm my running gear has suddenly exploded in size and quickly filling up the tiny cupboard above the bed! I fold everything and organise every ....well....just the other day for the first time!! It’s all muddled again now! 😆 I just throw everything up there and quickly slam the door before everything falls out!
I get it all ready the night before and pop it in the bathroom as everyone is still asleep when I go for my runs too.
ju-ju- have to say I’ve never heard of anyone using the tv cabinet for clothes storage - genius!! Where do you put your running shoes - the dishwasher? 😂😂😂
This made me laugh out loud.... I think we are similar. There is a cupboard where I keep Henry my long suffering hoover, but there is so much stuff in there he never goes in neatly so I have to put him on his side, ram all the tubes in and then slam it shut. There is usually a few bangs afterwards but the door has a good catch..... Oh running shoes...... I have giant plastic truggs which are full of running shoes, cycling shoes ( husband cycles every day), horseriding stuff ( daughter) and a variety of helmets. I usually have to fling out half of it to locate my shoes.... Good plan re bathroom...
Surely the main point is we get out and run??! Who cares about pants sticking out of the drawer right? Btw love your Sweaty Betty Zero Gravity orange stripe leggings - just ordered them in the sale! Now where to put them...🤔😆
More drawers.... I have tops of all kinds folded, in with shorts, skorts and running underwear Then in the other drawer leggings, capris, small basket with all my running socks etc.
Under the stairs.. pull out trolley with shelves which holds all sorts, but one shelf has... baskets holding, cap, gloves, buffs, earbuds... etc...
I do lay stuff out the night before,, habits from when I worked... everything ready and laid out including shoes...I always do it last thing before heading to bed... and I used to do it when I worked too ( although before C25K) with a really buy life
I love doing it, although not obsessionally neat , tidy or houseproud... especially now on the IC, I can go and look at my stuff and think,,, soon, soon!
I think all this goes to point to rather too much lycra going on in our lives. Who would have thought it? I can relate to the looking at your stuff and thinking soon: ifI want to motivate myself, I only have to go into the spare bedroom. Running jackets on the door, dressing table full of gear, shoes in ranks on the floor.
I have a nice mango wood wardrobe with some gear hanging on the rail, more in two large plastic organiser tubs and then two slim drawers underneath which are currently underused but have odds and ends like accessories. Unfortunately it is currently in peanuts room so I have to get my gear sorted out for a run prior to him bunking down. I have a further stash of hats, belts, water bottles and runner stuff in a tub in the kitchen.
So not exciting. And now I look at it, I realise it could be much better. It seems to have acquired winter coats in there also which is not on. I need to loft all the warm running stuff and separate running from gym gear.
A man in touch with his genome side. He’s got more running gear than the rest of us put together! 😂😂😂
in reply to
Omigods, have GOT to turn off autocorrect. That was supposed to be feminine side, so how on earth did it become genome? Sorry ju-ju- I’m not actually quite that mad!
Isn't all that sturdy by design stuff yoga inspired? I can't tell the difference mind you surely one pair of lycra leggings is the same as another..
"My name is Nicolla Nuttall and I am thrilled to be a Brand ambassador for Sturdy by Design, I want kit which can take me from yoga classes to running out on the hills and fells. I love the fit, the comfort and especially the designs."
Really? You read that? As far as I knew they are running gear. Certainly the woman who designed them and owns the firm was a runner who had to start using the gym instead because of injury. I always thought yoga pants were looser and didn’t have sweat wicking properties, but what do I know? I always wore ordinary clothes for yoga, or nothing at all.
I think modern yoga gear is pretty much the same as gym gear/ run gear for ladies at least ie sweatybetty.com/all-clothin...
as said it all looks the same to me. For yoga I just wear a gym top and shorts as it's in an non air conditioned classroom but in the cooler weather I just wore my running leggings. I think the older baggier style stuff is exactly that.. older.
My running stuff is a sub-section of my gym stuff, which I’m afraid looks just as bad as yours, Ju-ju ! 😂 It’s all squeezed together on a shelf in our spare bedroom wardrobe, and all falls out when I try to find anything. (The bed settee in there also regularly goes missing under piles of unfolded laundry, until it gets so bad we sort it and put it away!)
My only advice for getting out quickly in the morning is that I pull out what I’m going to wear the night before and leave it in a mini pile on the floor somewhere...just have to remember where I put the pile and I’m sorted! 😂😂
I also need a clothes / outdoor kit cull... In case it makes you feel any better, our smallest bedroom was turned into what’s basically a walk in closet of outdoor kit years ago. And that stuff goes even crazier! (Despite out of season stuff being moved to the attic!) Shelves and boxes bursting with hats / gloves / fleeces;wall hooks and plastic buckets over flowing with ropes / climbing gear / harnesses etc; a rail over-stuffed with waterproofs; the whole floor covered in rucksacks, boots and assorted bags filled with extra stuff left in the car when we’re out for the day, then never emptied out again... You get the picture... Sadie-runs would you like to come over and stay for a month please?! 😃❤️
Oh Ju-ju what a wonderful post ... I can't remember a post and it's replies that I've enjoyed more!
I know longer feel guilty for continually wanting to buy more running gear, most of you seem to have far more than me.
I know longer feel guilty about sorting and re-sorting my gear.
... and sadly I've realised I'd rather read about running clothes than run statistics!
One of your recent 'tips' comes back to me, the one about wearing something you like when you run. I shall take that as an OK to keep hoarding lovely gear!
Happy folding, happy hoarding and happy running everyone!
You may think this is completely bonkers but this lady has a method that works if you have lots of stuff and can’t find things when you’re bleary eyed - I often have to get dressed in semi light and, same problem, everything black or grey, just makes it easier to see what’s in there...
Oh! This is how I do it! I didn't realise it was a thing. Gah, I could have made a YouTube video and monetised it and bought more lycra with the profits. I'm not quite as calm and delicate with my folding as this lady though! I'm more bish bash bosh in the drawer, relax and have a cup of tea.
I was totally mesmerised by that, I’m definitely going to adopt that method nah! Think I’ll adopt Marie instead. Although I could free up all of the husband’s Scotch chest and put my new running gear in it. Now there’s a plan 👍
Oh dear, now I’ve watched this I see what my problem is...I don’t love my clothes enough and want to stroke them, I just think of them as something practical to pull on and do stuff in...😂😂😂
I got dressed in the dark once, and it was only when I stopped running down the hospital corridor that I released I was limping. I had one black shoe and one blue shoe. One was a sling back, the other wasn't ☺️😁
when i was a teenager and worked with horses, i used to crawl into bed with my horsy smelling gear still on and crawl out next morning and off to the stables again.
Changing the subject Flick, there once was a belief, that if a male heir was desired the male went to bed with his boots on, heaven knows the result if the lady went with her boots on also.🤔🙈😂😂
I have a bit of shelf. Leggings & jacket folded up in a pile. Smaller things are in magazine file boxes. Although that seems odd they're perfect for making use of the space and one for socks, one for undies, one for bras. I was quite smug coming up with that plan! haha!
I had a friend round for lunch and hadn't looked at this thread for a few hours. It's gone on morphing and evolving. This is one of the best threads ever ju-ju- , thank you so much for posting. Such fun, so many insights and so many belly laughs. Did me good x
Wow... only a day old and this thread is all over the place! 🤣🤣🤣
I have two boxes on a shelf, one for cycling gear and one running. My fave items are all at the top, but I have to dig around if I want a change or the fave outfit isn't available.
Stuff goes in folded(ish) but doesn't really stay neat. Cycling one is worse as padded shorts do not fold well!
I do lay my work things out each night but run stuff I just grab and go! 👍🏃♀️🏃♀️🏃♀️
Bottom drawer of chest of drawers has running tops and capris, leggings, all neatly folded. For some reason I keep my running bras and socks in 2 other drawers. It would make more sense to keep them all in the same place. Running shoes are of course on a shoe rack by the back door. Headphones and phone armband are on the dining table which doubles as my home office, my laptop is there and always has my Garmin charging.
Oh my God, I couldn't read all 154 replies as I was too hot and sweaty with distress at the sight of your drawer. As someone who loves a good plan with boxes to tick you will not be surprised to hear my drawers are equally well organised. I even have separate areas for running and non-running socks and knickers.
Last week I bought some padded cycling shorts. They are on the chair beside the chest of drawers as I am yet to decide on their final storage location. I must decide soon or I won't be able to sleep at night.
Likewise I’ve skipped through the huge response - shows you’ve hit a seam of gold in our running lives.
Despite my reputation for being a kit magpie I actually have very little. I have a roughly cubic shelf alongside my wardrobe devoted to running gear.
At the back is my cold weather clobber - leggings, thick long sleeved top, mesh long sleeved top. Under these, the Decathlon shorts that don’t quite fit.
At the front are my three polyester running tshirts, neatly folded, with my zipped-pocket shorts and two pairs of Lycra undershorts. On top of them my air-con shorts and mesh vest. Next to them my 2 pairs of Aldi exercise socks.
Rattling around a three-bed house alone, I have lots of space to buy more 😳
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Iconic landmarks on my run
My favourite running photo.
Running with my son - at last
My truly easy hard run! 🏃♀️ 💪 
Fainted during my run
