Shoes, Dresses, and Sweaters, Oh My!— How to Best Take Care of the Items in Your Closet
When you're ready to invest in quality clothing, it's time to set up a care regimen to make sure that your shoes and garments stand the test of time. Washing, drying and storing your clothing can all contribute to or detract from the life of a garment. When you buy something wonderful, make sure you have a plan in place to keep it looking great.
Shoes
To protect your dress shoes, do your best to keep them out of rough conditions. Rain, snow, ice, and snowmelt chemicals can all damage leather shoes. On warm days, your feet will sweat and dampen the interior of the shoe. It’s a good idea to let your leather shoes breathe for 15-20 minutes at the end of the day and then store them. If you drive, consider keeping a pair of older shoes in the car that you can wear while you're on the road to avoid wearing out the back of your heels.
Dresses
Most women's dress clothing can be found in a polyester blend. As a general rule, you can machine wash poly clothing. Avoid over-drying your best dresses as this can damage elastic and may impact the hang of the dress. If you've found a great formal gown in velvet or silk, make sure to give it plenty of space and avoid crushing damage. For fuller skirts in fine fabrics, you may want to line the skirt with crumpled tissue paper to avoid creases. Fine fabrics are hard to iron without damaging them, so avoiding wrinkles is a good investment.
Sweaters
Invest in a chest or make space in drawers to keep your sweaters stored flat. A shelf unit can also be used for sweater storage. A sweater stored on a hanger will be ok for the week if you like to prep your clothes on Sunday, but for long-term storage, fold or roll your sweaters to avoid stretching out the shoulders. If you need to move your clothes to a different storage area for seasonal access, choose a cool and dry spot. Add desiccant packets to the drawer to maintain airflow.
Caring for your clothes for the long term is a great use of your time and storage space. Avoid smashing things into your closet as this can lead to a great deal of creasing and may even cause long-term damage. Launder carefully and be sure to spot treat stains before you put garments in the washing machine.
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