Whether your item of clothing was a bargain or expensive we all want to keep them looking as lovely as when we first bought them. But every day unknowingly we are doing things that are causing our clothes, shoes and accessories to wear. So here are my top tips on how to extend the life of your clothes.
Rotate Your Wardrobe
In my husband’s wardrobe, his clean shirts go in on the right hand side and he takes out from the left. This gives even wear to all his shirts, but it is easier for a guy to do this if they are wearing shirts and trousers to work each day. We always talk about putting together a capsule wardrobe and buying less clothes to make more outfits but there is definitely something in rotating your clothes rather than wearing something you love over and over again. This is particulary true of shoes or boots, try to wear each pair two or three times a week rather than every day as this will wear them out so much quicker. It is also better for your feet to wear different shoes each day.
Stain Removal
Since having my daughter, I swear by wet wipes as they get out most stains without leaving a ring. They are great for small spillages and I always keep a pack of wet wipes in the car.
Dry Clean with Caution
I always check the cleaning label before buying an item as I don’t want to dry clean jumpers or blouses that I wear regulary. The dry cleaning process and the chemicals used can be pretty tough on the material more than if you hand washed it yourself. If the item is new with a dry clean label I would do so, but after some wear I might try to hand wash with a gentle product.
Hand Washing
All my jumpers and delicate items are hand washed and just spin in the machine. To avoid ironing, immediately hang on a hanger to dry naturaly. I try not to overwash my clothes as this does age them. You can freshen up clothes by hanging them on the line, or spraying them with a clothes freshner like Febreze to breathe the freshness back.
Machine Washing
Before putting your items in your machine make sure that your favourite jumper and jeans are turned inside out so they don’t get pills or fade. Trousers should be zipped up and velcro put together. The last thing you want is other items in the load snagged on a zipper or caught up on velcro. I always put my bras in a mesh bag so they don’t get hooked up on the other washing. I always wash at low tempertures 30-40c.
Ironing
Well who likes ironing anyway? The heat from your iron is not liked by your clothes. Try hanging your clothes straight out of the washing machine. I try not to tumble dry as this can cause shrinkage in some items and of course it is expensive to use, but hanging usually results in minimal ironing needed and is so much better for your clothes. I have a heated airer that I bought in Lakeland which is fantastic it cost 6p an hour to use.
Store your clothes correctly
Particluary your shoes. I have bought some great shoe boxes from Lakeland that are see through and I have a stack of them in my wardrobe so I can see which pair is which. Boots all have boot trees inside them and are also stored in boxes. Jumpers should be folded and not hung in the wardrobe as they are likely to stretch and you will get marks where the hangers have been. Jewellery – Hang all your necklaces so they don’t get tangled and are rubbing up against each other causing them to tarnish.
Things to Avoid
Make sure your deodorant is dry before putting your clothes on to avoid any damage to the fabric or discolouration under the arm of your favourite shirt or blouse. Make sure you spray your perfume before you get dressed and if you are a lady who loves to wear lots of hair spray that also should be done before putting on your clothes. All these perfumes and chemicals are not good if they get into the fabric of your clothes. I hope that helps you to extend the life of your clothes.
I am a Colour & Style Coach based in Chelmsford Essex and I enjoy empowering women to look and feel fantastic and make changes in their lives. You can follow me on Facebook where I regulary post with style updates. I also have several boards on Pinterest with fashion ideas. If you would like to have a chat and find out how I can help you please call me on 07786 632798 or email me sandra@colourworx.me or visit my website www.colourworx.me
