In today's economy, saving money on your wardrobe is like finding a treasure chest in your closet. While spending less on clothing by shopping discount stores and sales is always an option, there are ways you can save a bundle by just making your current wardrobe look better and last longer.
1. Only dry clean your clothing after wearing them several times
Most dry cleanable garments do not have to be cleaned after every wear. In fact, dry cleaning your clothes too often may even damage the fiber of the clothes. Opt for cleaning garments after about 3 or 4 wears. If your garment has an odor from perspiration, try store bought dryer sheets designed for dry clean items to freshen it up.
2. Store expensive items in acid-free paper
Archive expensive garments and special occasion clothes that you do not wear often in acid-free tissue paper. Regular tissue paper contains acid that will break down fabric fiber and cause clothing to yellow over time. Always make sure these items are professionally cleaned before storing, especially if they are stained, to avoid insect infestation. Acid-free tissue paper can be purchased online or at stores specializing in organizing or storage items.
3. Never hang sweaters on hangers
Never, ever hang your sweaters on hangers. Hangers tend to ruin the shape of sweaters, stretching areas of the garment to accommodate the hanger. Fold your sweaters and store them on shelves, in sweater bags, or in drawers to keep them looking fresh and beautiful.
4. Provide ample hanging space for your clothing
This is usually a tough one for most fashionistas but, hanging your clothes with with ample breathing space is a must. Most women have their closets jammed to capacity. However, over-filling your closets with garments presents a couple of problems. First, you can not see what you have to wear if an item is stuffed in your closet behind something else. Second, your favorite dress or blouse can be wrinkled or worse yet, damaged by getting hooked or torn by an adornament on another item. Ideally, clothes should be hung about an inch apart. Try making more room in your closet by investing in rod expanders to double the hanging space.
