Making Clothes Last

I wrote my weekly organizing post for Pink Lemonade online magazine and today's topic was laundry. Yes, that never ending mountain of dirty clothes that stares at us from the laundry room, mocking our attempts to keep up with it. That laundry!
Writing on that topic got me thinking of clothing in general and things we can do to make our clothing last longer. In today's economy, clothes shopping may not be a priority so we need to take care of the clothes we already own.

The following are some tips I found while researching this and others (marked with an *) that I have tried myself:

~This is one that I mentioned in my article today- launder your whites after every use. Our body oils and perspiration can get in our white clothes without us even noticing. If you allow those to set in the fabric, it becomes like any other oil stain- difficult to remove. So, wash whites after each wear*

~For heavy sweaters (the perspiring kind, not the wool LOL) you can order (or make your own) fabric barrier between your underarms and the material of your shirt. I often layer clothing to achieve this same affect as I sweat alot as a side effect of a medication. One company that offers such barriers is Garment Guard.

~Take clothes from the dryer and fold them immediately. This can often reduce the need to iron. If you do need to iron a garment, make sure to use the recommended settings according to the clothing manufacturer. Using too high of a heat setting can damage the garment. (this is something I strive to do but let's face it, is not always possible.)

~Rid your closet of wire hangers! Please! There are actually plenty of things you can do with wire hangers (crafty things). Our Christmas wreath is made from a hanger, but for clothes- so not good for them!*

~Wash your jeans less often. Yes, you read that right. The denim fabric is not made to sustain being washed after every wear. Some sources say every other wear and some recommend every third wear. Instead of trying to keep track of all that, I just wash them when I know they are getting dirty (and that could be 1-2-3+ wears)*.

This topic has really piqued my interest. I am going to keep looking into it and may have more random clothing tips for you soon!

Happy Organizing,
Melissa, Multi-Tasking Mama