Extend Your Wardrobe’s Lifespan With These Simple Tips

Before having kids, I never imagined how quickly laundry, chores, and messes could pile up. Gone are the carefree shopping weekends I once enjoyed. With so little time or energy to spare, I've become absolutely committed to keeping my favorite clothes looking fresh and like new—because replacing them simply isn’t an option.

Making my clothes last longer is essential to saving money and preserving my limited time. Friends and family are always surprised when they hear that I’ve owned my favorite white tee for ten years! So, I want to pass along some of my go-to laundry tips to extend your wardrobe’s lifespan. 

Why Making Clothes Last Longer Matters

Beyond the busyness of being a mom, part of why I started to care so much about making my clothes last is that I simply do not have the time to find something new. So, once I find something I love, I am committed to keeping it in my wardrobe for the long haul.

Now, let me get on my soapbox for a minute. 

I have tried to make more environmentally friendly swaps around the home in recent years. More and more research proves that fast fashion is one of the largest industries contributing to climate change. Recent data shows that about 92 million tons of clothing-related waste end up in landfills. What’s more is that people only wear clothes 7 to 10 times on average before tossing them; that’s so much waste! These two statistics alone convinced me that caring for the pieces I have is one of the most environmentally-conscious things I can do. 

Caring for clothes, in my book, is about sustainability, cost savings, and reducing environmental impact. Just think! By making some mindful adjustments to the way you do your laundry, you can help reduce clothing waste, making a small (yet important) impact. 

Laundry Basics for Long-Lasting Clothes

One of the best ways to make your clothes last longer is by going back to the laundry basics. I have found that proper sorting, cold water, and following the item’s care label are some of the easiest ways to keep your clothes in prime condition. Let’s take a closer look at some tips to promote garment longevity.

Sort your clothes by fabric type, weight, and color

Sorting clothes may be a step that you can convince yourself to skip. Maybe you’ve thrown some dark tops in with your white bed sheets and there wasn’t any color transfer. That’s fine, but you run the risk of colors running whenever you skip sorting by color. To preserve the original colors of your clothes, I recommend separating darks from lights for the best results. 

Sorting doesn’t end there; it’s also important to sort your laundry by fabric type and weight. To separate items by weight, toss denim, bulky sweaters, towels, blankets, and other heavy items in a pile separate from lightweight items like lingerie and tank tops. This added layer of sorting ensures your clothes get properly cleaned without getting damaged by other, bulkier items.

Sorting by fabric type is important too. Fabric care varies widely, from delicate lace and silk to more durable cotton. By sorting your clothes by fabric, you’re less likely to accidentally wash something improperly and cause unfixable damage. 

Let the care label be your guide

Beyond sorting, I recommend always paying attention to the care label. This is the best way to make sure you properly wash it and avoid unnecessary damage. When in doubt, cold water is your best option. Hot water can be damaging to some fabrics, so if you’re not sure, I always recommend a cold water wash.

Use the right laundry detergent

Many laundry detergents contain harsh chemicals that can break down the fibers of your clothes, resulting in a shorter lifespan for the wardrobe you worked so hard to build! However, some detergent formulas are gentler. 

I recommend buying a non-toxic, gentle detergent to get your clothes clean while preserving their lifespan. As a general rule of thumb, look for formulas that include cleaning enzymes on the ingredient list. These naturally-derived cleaning molecules gently break down dirt and grime to get them thoroughly washed out of every type of fabric. 

My favorite gentle laundry detergent comes from HeySunday, a company specializing in laundry detergent sheets. Their formula uses powerful cleaning enzymes to gently clean my clothes. Additionally the HeySunday laundry detergent has ditched many of the harshest chemicals found in other alternatives, making it an excellent choice if you’re trying to make your household just a little bit greener!

Hand wash delicates and specialty fabrics

Delicate and specialty fabrics require some extra TLC. These fabrics are often easily damaged by heat or the tumbling of a washing machine cycle. Some common delicate fabrics include:

• Silk and satin
• Wool
• Cashmere and other fine knits
• Embellished or embroidered items
• Fabrics with special treatments or coatings (for instance, sweat-wicking technology, water repellent coatings, or UV-resistant fabrics)

While you can use a specialized mesh laundry bag to wash delicate clothing in your washing machine, I recommend using a gentle detergent, like HeySunday, to do an old fashioned hand scrub.

To hand wash your delicates, you’ll need a clean sink with a drain stopper or a bucket, a gentle laundry detergent, and adequate space for your items to dry. Then, follow these hand-washing steps:

• Fill a basin or sink with cold or lukewarm water.
• Add a small amount of detergent and let it dissolve. 
• Gently agitate the water and submerge the delicate items.
• Soak for 5-10 minutes; do not scrub.
• Rinse thoroughly with cold water until no soap remains.

Remember to handle your delicate items with care, and they will come out looking good as new! Avoid wringing them or scrubbing them even if they're visibly dirty; these rough actions can damage the fabrics, even when hand washing.

To dry, lay the items flat on a towel or drying rack. Alternatively, you can hang them on a clothesline or on wooden hangers. Most important, though, is ensuring they are left to dry in a well-ventilated space, away from direct sunlight, to avoid damage to the fabrics’ color. 

Avoid overfilling the washing machine

Finally, avoid overloading the washing machine. I am guilty of this myself and know how easy it is to try to get everything done in one load! Overloading your machine may put excessive friction on your clothes, causing the fibers to deteriorate faster.

Additionally, overstuffed loads are more likely to come out of the washing machine with lingering detergent residue. Remember, it’s important for your laundry to have adequate space to circulate during the cycle to ensure they wash properly and get rinsed free of detergent. 

How to Properly Dry and Store Clothes

Drying and storing your clothes is half the battle when it comes to clothing care. Here are my top tips to ensure you’re drying and storing them to extend their wearable life!

Air dry as much as possible

Dryers are efficient for getting large loads of sheets or towels completely dry. When it comes to clothes, the high heat and long dry cycles can do more harm than good. Air drying is one of the best laundry hacks you can use to extend the lifespan of your clothes.

Air drying avoids shrinkage and preserves elasticity, ensuring your clothes don’t lose their shape prematurely!

To air dry your clothes, you need a place in your house with good airflow and natural light, if possible. Gently lay your clothes out on towels or a drying rack. Then, reshape them as needed. If you live somewhere warm and sunny, you can also hang a clothesline and dry your clothes outside. I promise this is the best way to get your clothes smelling fresh and clean!

Proper folding and storage

I went through a phase of life when everything I owned was hung on a hanger, even my delicate knit sweaters! While I thought this would keep everything wrinkle-free, what I ended up doing was stretching and ruining some of my clothes.

Fine knits, cashmere, and other delicate items are often best folded and stored in a drawer. This ensures they don’t stretch while hanging in your closet. Once properly folded (i.e., not crumpled or balled up), store your clean items in a cool, dark place to avoid sun damage or exposure to dust.

For cotton, linen, silk, satin, and other lightweight fabrics, I recommend hanging them in your closet. Hangers with plastic or fabric pads are excellent to ensure items don’t slip off and end up crumpled on the floor. Like with your folded items, store your clothes in a cool, dark place to avoid damage from the sun.

To go the extra mile, hang cedar wood or sachets between the hangers to keep your clothes free of moths and smelling fresh!

Storing seasonal clothes

Depending on where you live, odds are you have clothes you wear in the summer and a separate set of winter clothes. To keep your favorite garments free of moths and dust, be sure to rotate your wardrobe with the seasons. This ensures that the items in your closet are things that you will actually wear!

For items in storage, consider investing in fabric storage bags. These bags will keep your clothes clean during the months when they’re stored away so that they don’t smell musty when you break them out late in the year. I also love hanging cedar wood or lavender sachets in my garment bags. These naturally deter bugs and keep clothes smelling fresh year-round!

Avoid over-drying in the dryer

Don’t get me wrong, the dryer is great! Especially when drying bulkier, more durable items. However, there is such a thing as overdrying. Over-drying fabrics can weaken the fibers of the material over time, making it more likely that your items will tear or start to fade faster than expected. 

To avoid over-drying, I recommend using the proper dryer settings to minimize heat damage for specific fabrics. For instance, some dryers have a towel setting; this setting is great for towels and sheets, which require more time in the dryer to get fully dry.

A normal setting may be perfect for a load of regular tees, but I recommend trying the permanent press or “less dry” settings instead. 

Every dryer is different, so it may take some trial and error to find a setting that gets your clothes perfectly dry without baking them. In a pinch, I recommend stopping your dryer every now and then to feel the dryness levels. If your clothes feel dry but still have time in the cycle, take them out early. Better to end the cycle early than overdry them!

How Long Should Clothes Last?

We’re putting all this effort into making our clothes last longer, but when is it time to give up on a clothing item? 

Generally, these are the lifespans for some popular fabrics:

• Cotton: 3 years or more
• Good-quality denim: 2 to 10+ years
• Silk: 80+ years, if cared for properly
• Wool: 10+ years

As you’ll see above, some fabrics are naturally more likely to last you a lifetime. And, with proper care, you can definitely get your favorite silk blouse to last your entire life. 

It’s important to know what to look for when inspecting your clothes. I recommend looking over each item regularly to look for signs of wear and tear. If you see some faded spots or weakened fabric, know that the fabric should be handled with more care. Then, think about whether the problem can be fixed. Small repairs may look like:

• Small holes that need repairing
• Minor stains
• 1 or 2 missing buttons

With basic sewing skills, you can tackle these small mends and extend the lifespan of some of your favorite pieces! Bigger problems that require professional repair help, or simply are beyond repair, are signs that the item likely needs to be replaced. 

Get the Most Out of Your Clothes

I love clothes, and even though my life has become filled with mom duties, I still find joy in getting dressed every morning. By putting in a little extra TLC, I’ve been able to extend the lifespan of many of the pieces in my wardrobe. This means that I shop less and spend less!

When it comes to getting the most out of your clothes, remember that it all starts with the basics: good laundry detergent, proper washing and drying, proper storage, and mending. These building blocks can help you keep some of your favorite pieces around for years to come. Happy washing!

If you found this article helpful, share it on social media! Let’s help more moms extend their wardrobe lifespans, one article at a time, pun intended.

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