How to Make Your Clothing Last

Day 9 of my 31 day challenge – I hope you are enjoying the posts as much as I am writing them!

A great way to stay on budget when it comes to your wardrobe is to make sure you are taking good care of the clothing you have!

CLOTHING

Did you know that there is a “right way” to do laundry?  Here are some pointers, or refreshers…

• Sort your dirty duds.  I usually sort them into whites, darks,delicates and towels but I read that the proper way to sort is below.  Sticking to that will eliminate dullness in your clothing color.  I think I need to reassess my piles.
  • whites
  • lights and almost whites (pastels, off white)
  • brights (red, orange)
  • darks (navy blue, purple)
  • blacks and browns
• Avoid over or under loading the washer.  We have a tendency of overloading because we have SO MUCH laundry.  This is a bad thing because by stuffing the washer, I am not allowing the clothing to rub up against each other (because there is no room) which helps in cleaning the clothes along with the washer’s agitator.
• It’s common to use too much detergent, so watch how much you are using!
• Read the clothing labels – they are there for a reason (ahem R…)
• Place undergarments and other delicate items in a mesh laundry bag.  Close the clasps of your bras so that they don’t snag something during the wash.  Definitely hang dry too!
• Water temperature: I use hot water for my undergarments, towels and sheets.  Cold water is best for color – it prevents fading and is also reduces wrinkling (score!).
• Drying clothes
  • Always clean the lint filter before each load (ahem again!)
  • Don’t overstuff the dryer…you’ll end up having to run it more than necessary.

If you dry clean some of your clothing, be sure to take the plastic bags that the cleaners place over the clothing off…this allows the fabrics to breathe and for any of the chemicals used to clean the clothing to be released.

SHOES

I have a great pair of heels that I love and want to make sure that I take good care of them so they last.  Here are some tips to care for your shoes and extend their life!

• Polish leather shoes regularly to maintain shine and preserve the moisture of the leather.
• If the heel of your shoe gets worn down, or in my case once, falls off – take them to a shoemaker/cobbler.  For a few dollars they will replace the heels.
• Suede shoes need a bit of extra care – use a soft bristled brush to brush any dirt off.  I use a suede protector as well – just in case.
• Sneakers can be tossed in the washer and are great for distressing jeans when putting in the dryer as well.

I hope these tips helped!  Do you have any that you’d like to share – I’d love to hear them!!

Click on the image above to read other posts from my 31 Day Challenge!