buying new clothes especially more expensive, staples pieces is so nice but it’s important to know how to take care of those items. clothing care and laundry are important, so you can keep them for a long time. some of these tips are simple but in case you’re new to this topic, i hope you will find this to be helpful.

1. have a laundry routine and system – do you do washing as you go or do you have a dedicated laundry day? it’s easier to toss one load of laundry in the washer every other day. this helps with the laundry pile and getting more time back in enjoying the weekend. 

2. the first step before washing your clothes is to separate them – wash your whites, blacks and colors separately. this helps so they don’t bleed into each other. this way, the whites stay bright and the blacks stay black. turn your clothes inside out too, this also helps with keeping the color. 

*pretreat clothes that have stains before washing

3. try not to overload your washer – you want to make sure that you can put your hand in there. if your washer is too full, you’re clothes aren’t going to get washed properly. 

4. not everything is meant to go in the washing machine –  so certain tops, fabrics, coats (suits, cashmere, silk) are much better to dry clean. this goes for workout clothes too. 

workout clothes should be turned inside out (to keep the logo of course). it’s best to use cold water because elastic clothing does not do well in heat. hang your workout clothes to dry. these simple tips keep them looking and performing well after so many washes. 

5. wash delicate clothing by hand –  if you’re short on time, you can wash them on the delicate cycle or put them in a laundry net. 

6. mesh laundry bag – place undergarments like bras in a mesh laundry bag. you can also do this for socks to avoid losing pairs.

7. remove fruit stains –  take boiling water and pour it over the stain. that’s it. this works for all berries and even cherries! this works really well as soon as you get the stain. 

8. maintenance of your machine –  deep clean your washing machine once a month. you can do this by running an empty cycle on hot water temperature. it’s also good to leave your washer door open to allow the moisture to dry between loads. no mildew for us. 

9. mesh dryer for sweaters – this is perfect for drying sweaters/cardigans, so they don’t lose their shape. try not to hang your sweaters. 

10. hang clothes to air dry – air drying is so much easier on our clothes. denim shrinks in the dryer, so even though your jeans will take longer to dry, it’s better for the fabric. 

11. wool dryer balls – these things are amazing. they speed up drying time because they keep your clothes circulating and separated. they even do a pretty good job taking away most crinkles.