Fashion Friends

BITS ‘N PIECES ‘N TIPS:

May 9, 2017.

TIP #1: I think it is important to recommend that you remove dry cleaning tags from your clothes after you pick them up. The tags are computer generated now and contain personal information such as your last name. Some even display your contact telephone number.

TIP #2: Be sure to remove the plastic garment covers from your clothes after you have received them from the cleaners. Do not store the freshly dry cleaned clothes in the plastic in your closet. You must aerate your garments to prevent mildew, odors and molding. In addition, some dry cleaners still use harsh chemicals which should be aired out of your clothes before storing them once again in your closet.

TIP #3: If you prefer to cover your best clothes in your closet, use perforated garment bags in your closets. These are effective dust covers and allow air to circulate throughout your garment fibers.

Tip#4: CLOSET ORGANISATION  It is important to maintain the cleanliness of your closet to avoid unwanted odors or critters. Twice a year I recommend pulling out your clothes and transferring them to a clothing rack where you can sort the items you don’t wear vs. the ones you do wear. I do this in sections so I don’t get overwhelmed: Tops, bottoms, jackets, dresses. Wash the walls and vacuum the floor of your closet before you organize to allow time for the area to dry. Make sure it air dries before returning your clothes. Dampness is not your friend when it comes to storing anything.

Four piles: KEEP, CONSIGN, DONATE, GARBAGE. Be reasonable. KEEP your favorite items that you wear or just can’t part with yet (everyone has closet bling, let’s face it), CONSIGN your best items that no longer fit you and are in mint condition, DONATE those items that still have life left in them and DISCARD those damaged and soiled or stained items. Some clothes are too worn out for the donate pile. Discard clothes that are damaged beyond repair. Leaving damaged clothing for donation just moves the problem along to charities. Better yet, turn those fabrics into cleaning cloths to extend the life of the fabrics.

Once you’ve gone through your tops, for example, the rack should be thinner. 🙂 Return your tops to the clean and dry “tops” section of your closet. Putting them in color order also makes your closet look more appealing and could be better inspiring when dressing in the morning. Move to the “bottoms” section and so on.

Once completed, your closet will look fresh and organized and it just feels good.

Tip#5: NATURAL CRITTER REPELLANTS  I recommend placing a natural critter repellant in the four corners of your closet: Dried Mint, Lavender, Bay Leaves, Cloves, Rosemary and Basil are all fragrant herbs that critters avoid. Wrap the dried leaves in a cheesecloth or those cute little sachets that grandma made, or even just a netted jewelry bag, and place in the four corners of your closet. Some people put them in the pockets of their coats too. I’d recommend that for wool coats because moths can cause significant damage.