There is something about April that demands honesty.
The light changes. The air shifts. And suddenly the things you have been tolerating: the stretched elastic, the faded fabric, the drawer you have not properly sorted since last year become impossible to ignore.
Spring is not just a season. It is an invitation to audit.
Starting with the most private drawer you own.
Your Underwear Drawer Is Overdue
Most of us replace our underwear the same way we replace our smoke detector batteries, only when something goes wrong.
The data suggests we should be more intentional than that.
Experts recommend replacing underwear every 6 to 12 months to maintain optimal hygiene and comfort. The reasoning is straightforward. Underwear absorbs oils, perspiration, and bacteria throughout the day. Bacteria accumulates naturally over time, increasing the risk of infection and skin irritation.
The signs are not always dramatic. The elastic around your legs and waist will lose its give over time. Once the stretch is gone, your underwear will not have the smooth, glove-like fit you want. Fabric that once felt soft begins to feel rough. Colors fade. The garment stops doing its job quietly and well.
That is the signal.
The standard recommendation is simple. Aim for a minimum of 14 pairs to ensure you have two weeks' worth of clean underwear allowing for proper rotation, laundry delays, and backup pairs for travel.
And when you do replace them, choose natural fibers like those used by House of Saint Joy. Natural fibers allow air to circulate freely, preventing overheating and excess sweating. Unlike synthetic fabrics, they are free from the chemical dyes, flame retardants, and additives common in conventional garments. Your most intimate layer deserves the same standard as everything else you are intentional about.
Your Pajama Drawer Deserves the Same Attention
Sleepwear carries a different kind of intimacy. You wear it for hours every night. It is the first thing you reach for when the day is over and the last thing touching your skin before you sleep.
The American Cleaning Institute recommends washing pajamas after three to four wears. In reality, surveys show the average person waits significantly longer, with women averaging up to 17 days between washes.
That gap matters. Pajamas absorb sweat, dead skin cells, and body oils as you sleep. Over time this buildup creates conditions for bacterial growth, clogged pores, and skin irritation.
The solution is not complicated. More pairs. More rotation. More intention.
When you wash, care for the fabric the way it deserves. Cold water. Gentle cycle. Air dry when possible. The way you wash your intimates has a significant impact on how long they last. A garment made well can last years if treated with the same care it was made with.
The Real Question
Spring cleaning is usually framed as subtraction: what to throw out, what to donate, what to let go.
But there is another question worth sitting with.
What do you want to put in its place?
The drawer you clear out this April is an opportunity. Not just for organization. For intention. For choosing, deliberately, what touches your skin during the private hours. The ones nobody else sees.
That choice is not small.
What We Are Reading This Month
The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue — V.E. Schwab
France, 1714. A young woman makes a Faustian bargain to live forever — and is cursed to be forgotten by everyone she meets. Thus begins the extraordinary life of Addie LaRue, a dazzling adventure across centuries and continents, as a young woman learns how far she will go to leave her mark on the world. Everything changes when, after nearly 300 years, she stumbles across a young man in a hidden bookstore — and he remembers her name.
Memory and identity are central themes. Addie's curse is, at its core, a curse of erasure — her existence rendered invisible by the inability of others to remember her.
It is a book about what it means to be seen. To leave a mark. To exist on your own terms in a world that keeps forgetting you are there.
We think you will recognize something in it.
Available wherever books are sold.
The House Journal is published for members of The Inner House.