Fashion is an important part of our lives. That’s why you read fashion blogs and that’s why we write one. In fact, we spend a lot of money on our fashion, specifically our clothes.
According to Forbes, the average American family spends more than $1,500 a year on clothing, although sometimes it seems like that price tag only covers ourselves.
We spend our hard earned money on our possessions, so why wouldn’t you want to do everything you can to make sure they last as long as possible. Mulled wine waxings aren’t cheap so how can we afford these little luxuries if we have to keep replacing our clothing?
Check out these tips we put together to keep your wardrobe in mint condition.
Regulate The Weather
This can’t be accomplished outside the walls of your home. As for the inside, there are ways you can keep the humidity out. A little bit of humidity is great for our hair and our skin, but too much can lead to problems with your clothes, and your home.
A dehumidifier can help you regulate the level of moisture floating around inside. An added benefit is that this device can also help dry your clothing, when you hang them up damp.
Hang Them To Dry
Since we brought up the whole, “drying your laundry naturally” thing we might as well continue. No matter what the item is it’s probably a good idea to hang it to dry or to lay it on a flat surface. It is suggested to use wooden hangers for your good shirts and jeans, and you should also tug on them a bit after you hang them up to combat the wrinkles. You can also smooth them out with your hands in an attempt to keep them wrinkle free.
Don’t Overwash
Washing your clothing too much can do a lot of damage to them. Overwashing can rob them of their vibrant colours. It can also mess with the shape of your jeans and shirts. If you only wore that sweater to a dinner meeting but plan on taking it off when you get home, hang it up and let it air out for a bit.
Of course, if you smoke or are around smokers this will be more difficult to do.
Color Code
When you are getting your laundry ready, keep strict to that “like colors” rule. You don’t want to accidentally put something like a sock colored like a candy cane into your pile of whites, unless you want them all to be pink. Of course, that’s a pretty obvious scenario. Still, drastic colors in a shared load can cause damage.
Change The Cycle
If it says that your item is delicate, then don’t throw it into a pile of clothes that will be washed in a heavy cycle, like denim. Wash those separately on the gentle speed. Manufacturers put tags on clothes for a reason. Follow them closely and stick to the rules.
Hand Wash Some Items
Not all of your items have to make a run through the washing machine. Some of them are so delicate they should be washed in a nice bowl or your bathroom sink. Just put a little bit of detergent into the basin and run some cold water. Put your items in and let them sit for an hour with a little bit of swishing over the next sixty minutes.
Drain the basin and gently rinse out your delicates. Pat it dry with a towel and hang it up to dry. If it’s super delicate then place a towel on a flat surface and reshape your item.
Beware The Dryer
Don’t go crazy on the heat when it comes to drying your clothing. The low setting works for most things. This machine can put a lot of wear and tear on your items and fade them prematurely. If you can dry it on a hanger do so. Use the dryer for your towels and socks.
Dry Clean
There are some items that have three words on their tag where the cleaning instructions are. Dry clean only. This is another one of those rules you shouldn’t break. If the creator of this product designates its care to be handled by a professional then you should heed that warning.
Dry cleaning kits can be found at the store in the detergent aisle but I have used them before and they don’t do as great a job as an actual dry cleaner. Invest some money into your clothing and bring it to a professional. The nice thing about this is that you can wear something like that a few times before cleaning again, as long as you don’t smoke cigarettes or are around smokers. We aren’t judging folks that smoke, but the odor clings to clothing like onions or garlic.
Store Them Nicely
When you aren’t wearing your clothes, they still need to be taken care of. This is done by hanging them nicely in your closet without over packing the items in there. If your closet is packed with clothes you may need to go through your items and start to purge. The rule is if you haven’t worn it in a year then let it go.
In your drawers, you can use a nice liner so the clothes don’t rest right on the wood and you can keep small scented pillows in there to add a little bit of aroma to the drawer in case the cleaning smell wears off while they sit there waiting to be worn.
Conclusion
Our clothes are a way we express ourselves. We understand the importance of fashion and live our lives accordingly. So why wouldn’t you do all you can to keep them in the best shape? You would. That’s why you are reading this article. These tips will help you get on your way.