tidying one's sock drawer

Verb

tidy one's sock drawer (third-person singular simple present tidies one's sock drawer, present participle tidying one's sock drawer, simple past and past participle tidied one's sock drawer)

1. (figuratively) To do, or supposedly do, a mundane and unimportant activity as an excuse to avoid something onerous or unappealing.
   • My tax return has to be completed today, but I feel a sudden urge to tidy my sock drawer.
2. Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see tidy, one's, sock, drawer.