Caring for your wardrobe while you’re not going out
Posted on 30th April 2020 at 17:32
How well are you looking after your wardrobe?
Chances are, at the moment, it’s not seeing much action. But unused wardrobes still need some TLC - a bit like your car’s tyre pressures if it’s left stationary for long periods of time.
How well are you looking after your wardrobe?
Chances are, at the moment, it’s not seeing much action. But unused wardrobes still need some TLC - a bit like your car’s tyre pressures if it’s left stationary for long periods of time.
If you’re like many of the furloughed employees currently investing time in personal projects and hobbies, or have suddenly found yourself working from home, you’re probably wearing a much smaller rotation of clothes.
That’s fine, obviously, but here’s how to ensure you wardrobe is ready for normality when it eventually returns.
Keep clothing fresh
There’s nothing quite like a brand-new T-Shirt or unworn pair of trousers. But did you know that you can retain most of that freshness after you’ve started to wear those clothes?
The secret lies in washing them regularly - but not too regularly. Depending on the garment, it’s a good idea to add it to the washing pile a day or two after wearing. Alternatively, you can allow clothing to ‘breathe’ by hanging it in your bathroom.
When the weather begins to improve during the spring and summer months, it’s also a great idea to dry your clothes outside - they’ll smell (and feel) far more fresh as a result.
Wear clothes in rotation
When you’re out of your normal work or social routine, it’s easy to fall into the trap of only wearing a handful of your favourite clothes.
That’s fine to a degree, but there’s no escaping the fact that you’re leaving the rest of your wardrobe unworn. This is why it’s a great idea to rotate through as much of your clothing as possible.
It’s important to be comfortable, of course, but you can have some fun with the need to rotate. For instance, if you’re having a date night at home, who says you can’t get dressed up for an evening in with your loved one? It’s going to look better on Facebook or Instagram anyway!
Keep workwear fresh
As nice as it might be to get a break from your workwear, you’ll want that clothing to be ready for when you go back.
For instance, if you wear shirts and trousers to work, hanging is usually the best way to store that type of clothing. Equally, if one of those shirts would suit your posh date night in, give it a wear, too.
The night before you head back to work, grab those garments from your wardrobe and either hang them in the bathroom for an evening or give them a quick iron. This will result in your workwear being fresh and ready for the following day. (It’ll save you time in the morning, too!)
Have a system
It might feel like a bit of a nuisance, but when your clothes are stored correctly and orderly in your wardrobe, they’re far easier to rotate.
For instance, if your clothing is folded on shelves, make sure you take from the bottom of the pile. If it’s hanging on a rail, try and opt for clothing that’s at the back.
These simple tactics will ensure everything is kept in order and that you wear all of your clothes equally.
Watch out for moths
During the warmer months of the year, moth larvae has a higher chance of eating away at your clothes.
The damage this can do is pretty bad, therefore it’s important to take some preventive steps.
Here’s how to ensure your wardrobe doesn’t succumb to an attack of the moths:
- vacuum your wardrobe regularly;
- put any expensive knitwear in the freezer for a couple of days (this will kill off any larvae); and
- store away your best clothing in air-sealed bags or storage containers.
Wrap up
It’s easy to assume that’s your wardrobe will be fine if left unattended for a few weeks or months, but it’s pretty susceptible to problems if you don’t rotate your clothing and keep it organised.
If you’ve got a bit of extra time on your hands at the moment, it really might be a good idea to invest some of it in your wardrobe. At the very least, this will leave it ready and waiting for an injection of new clothing when things get back to normal!
Once you’ve given your wardrobe a spring clean, remember to check out the rest of the Heaphys blog for fashion and clothing tips.
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