Keeping It Fresh

A trendy and organized wardrobe

What good is the style and cut of the outfit, if they can’t take their eyes away from the wrinkles?  Maintaining your wardrobe to look its freshest is simpler than finding the perfect sweater to match your new skirt and less painful than paying the bill for your fashion expenses.

The best way to keep your clothes fresh and attractive is to avoid over stuffing your closet and drawers.  If you use your space wisely, you will save countless hours by not having to iron, continue looking for something that isn’t wrinkled, looking for a different pair of slacks to go with the sweater that is wrinkle free and most importantly of all not having to put all of those outfits back into their respective homes.

Keep it as organized and clutter free as possible.  Rule of thumb is, if you haven’t worn it in three years, you never will.  Unfortunately, this never works for me.  I no sooner toss a relatively worn out shirt, then my youngest daughter asks me why I haven’t worn it.  Immediately upon discovering its demise, she bursts into tears and laments a lost opportunity to wear something truly retro and amazingly authentic.

What to toss:

  • Clothing you have outgrown (Believe me, if you haven’t lost the 20 pounds that you promised to lose on New Year’s Eve three years ago, you aren’t going to lose them.)
  • Pantyhose that have a run in a visible spot.  Even if you are desperate, you are still going to switch the skirt for a pair of slacks and grab a pair of socks.
  • Stained clothing, which have refused to bow down to the magical powers of the newest stain-removing agent, are never going to appear on your body outside of your home.
  • The t-shirt that the ex-boyfriend left at your home the last time he was there two years ago needs to find a new home.
  • The sweater that itches because it is made of wool and you are allergic to wool.
  • The ugly scarf that your sister-in-law gave you for your last birthday.

I offer a bit of cautionary advice here.  If it is one of your old favorites, a time proven classic, one of those items that is only worn at weddings or formal events, or something you might pass down to your daughter in a year or two, then find a place to keep it safe.  Otherwise, toss it in the trash or give it to a charitable organization that collects used clothing.

Quite possibly one of the best ways to avoid too many clothes in the closet is to curtail your shopping trips.  Let’s face it; no one needs three identical sweaters, which differ in color only. 

Another easy method of maintaining a wrinkle free wardrobe is to invest in clothing that is relatively wrinkle resistant.  Many of the polyester and spandex blends offer a wrinkle resistant capacity that is nearly perfect.

By Susan M. Keenan
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(Related Categories: Ironing & Wrinkles, Maintaining Your Wardrobe & Storage)