I moved into a new apartment a few months ago, and one of things I (finally) got around to last week was organizing my closet. I have alot of clothes, and I have gotten more selective about my wardrobe over the years. One of things I am strict about is maintaining my wardrobe. Quality clothing is expensive; and I want my clothes to last as long as possible. After lots of trial and error I’ve found a few tried and true tips on how to take better care of your clothes.

For most of my life I’ve had prime rib taste on a chicken nugget budget. My taste in clothing is no exception. I’ve curated a collection over the years high and low. One of the first things I’ve learned is if I wanted my clothes to last I needed to care for them properly. These are my best tips for making your wardrobe last.

How To Take Better Care of Your Clothes

Use Less Detergent

I use to think the more laundry detergent, the better. Wrong! You do not need an entire lid full of laundry detergent to properly clean your clothes. Most washing machines these days are high efficiency, and a few tablespoons of detergent are more than enough to get your clothes clean. Too much detergent can cause a build-up on your clothes, so do they won’t end up as clean as they should. This is one area where less is definitely more.

No More Fabric Softener

I know I am going to ruffle some feathers with this one, but fabric softener is a waste of money. It coats your clothing in a film, and makes it harder to get the fabric clean. There’s a culture that clothing needs to “smell” clean to be clean, and that is false.

Don’t Be Afraid To Air Dry

Some of my more delicate or more expensive items I always air dry. Sweaters, silk, lingerie, bras, anything I wouldn’t want to risk getting damaged or shrinking, I air dry. Hang it up, give it a few hours, and you’re good to go.

When In Doubt, Hand Wash

The more expensive the item of clothing, the more likely it is that it will need to be dry cleaned. Or if the care instructions seem complicated, you can hand wash to be safe. The exception this is fabrics that can’t get wet (leather, viscose,). I keep a small foldable wash tub in my laundry room strictly for handwashing. This is my favorite detergent for hand washing, and it doesn’t require any rinsing!

Cold Water Is Best

I used to feel like my clothes weren’t getting clean unless I washed them in the hottest water possible. The reality is scalding hot water can destroy the fibers in clothing, and with the technology most washing machines have it isn’t necessary. It can also cause fabrics to bleed and dark colors to fade. The exception to this is lines and towels, but we are focusing on clothing here. These days, I rarely if ever wash my clothes in anything but cold water.

Vinegar is Your Friend

White distilled vinegar is one of the most affordable effective cleaning products. If your workout clothes are smelling kinda funky, put some vinegar in the fabric softener basin next time you wash them. It helps deodorize, and will remove any mildew that might be built up from fabric softener or too much detergent.

These are my best tips for taking better care of your clothes. Use these and watch the life of your wardrobe extend!