Many of us love clothes and want to keep the longevity of them, because after all we do pay for them and sometimes pay a lot for the better quality. One of the reasons we pay more is because we know the clothes will last longer if the material is better. Even if you paid a cheaper price for it, you still want to make the items last if possible, so you don't have to constantly go out and buy new clothes.
But how can you keep the longevity of your clothes? Is it even possible? Yes, it is possible for your clothes to remain almost new for many years. Just look at vintage clothes and how long they've been able to last. Take care of your clothing especially if you have clothes that are considered "classic pieces." There are garments that you can have for years to come I know I do, that will always be in style. I have clothes that I've owned for almost a decade, and the way I've been able to do so is with some of these helpful tips.
Good Hangers Are A MUST
The best hangers are either velvet hangers or wooden hangers they will hold your clothes better than plastic and wire hangers. They are meant for the longevity of clothing. They also look better than the plastic and wire hangers. Let's leave those hangers for retail stores and the dry cleaners where they belong.
Wash Less
Yes, that's right wash your clothes less. I know that might sound kind of crazy but it's not. Overtime if you wash your clothes too much the color, fit and style just don't look the same anymore. I'm not saying don't wash them but don't be so quick to constantly wash them. It's like hair, you're not supposed to wash your everyday because overtime that will do more harm than good. Helpful tip, keep a stain removal pen in handy and you'll avoid constantly having to wash your clothes to remove the tiniest of stains.
Make Sure to Look at The Materials
In order to take of your clothing read the tags for the materials. Once you know what the materials are, you can research how to properly take care of the garment. One piece of advice I've heard, and it seems to work is that if you can't or don't want to constantly to take your clothes to the dry cleaners wash your clothes in cold water. Once you've washed your clothes in cold water hang them to air dry. There will be certain clothing that you might want to just leave for the dry cleaner only, just make sure you check the tags.
Steam Your Own Clothes
If you want to avoid the price of dry cleaning and save your clothes especially those that are very expensive then steam them at home. The most common way I know is to hang the clothes in the shower. Turn the hot water, hang the clothes on the shower rod, and close the door for about 20 minutes maybe longer and the wrinkles will fade away.
Choose Quality Over Quantity
As I've stated in a previous article chose quality over quantity and avoid fast fashion as much as possible. They last longer even after washing them many times. For more details on why you should choose quality over quantity check out my previous post.
Washing Inside Out and Air Dry
When it comes to dark clothing and jeans make sure to wash them inside out to avoid fading. Also, air dry them, just like you shouldn't rush to always wash your clothes you also shouldn't rush to throw everything in the dryer especially your jeans. Wash them inside out and air dry them inside out. You'll be surprised how long your jeans can last with this helpful tip.
Separate The Colors
Growing up I always heard that you had to separate light colors from dark colors and the whites must be washed separately as well. However, as the years have gone by the machines have become more "advanced." You no longer need to separate the colors, right? Wrong! You should still separate the colors. You'll notice sometimes colors even with the latest washing machines the clothes will still fade and the colors will still bleed on the white clothes. To keep the longevity of your clothes and to keep them looking new for a long time make sure to separate the colors before you wash them. The tags on the clothing still suggest for you to wash the lighter colors with lighter colors and not dark.
Stay tuned for more articles to come this month!
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