15 smart tricks to keep your clothes looking brand new for longer

Keep your favourite outfits looking great for longer with these tips and advice.

1. Don’t put your clothes back into the closet immediately after you’ve taken them off. Let them air for half an hour. Sweat and dirt attract moths! But use a hanger, throwing clothes over a chair causes extra wrinkles.
2. Never keep your clothes by the window – the sunlight ruins the colours. Make sure it’s dark in your closet!
3. Protect leather bags by applying a transparent shoe polish on them every now and then.
4. Spray your new leather shoes with a waterproof shoe protector.
5. Vacuum packing your seasonal garments might sound a bit too technologically advanced but, actually, not only will it save you a lot of space but also prevent moisture build-up, a problem we’re all too familiar with in New Zealand.
6. Regularly remove fuzz and bobbles from your clothes with sticky tape or a special brush.
7. Wash delicate clothes, and the ones prone to bobbles, inside out to protect the side that is supposed to look beautiful, not the other way around.
8. Don’t neglect to do an empty wash cycle in your washing machine every so often! Just use white vinegar, or a machine cleaner, to remove limescale build-up that could otherwise end up on your clothes.
9. Use a hemming tape or special glue that strengthens the fabric and prevents it from fraying. This will keep your hem and sleeves looking sharper for longer.
10. Do not underestimate the power of a good detergent. Colour detergents prevent colours from fading and detergents for white clothes contain optical brighteners to make them look crispy white.
11. Every now and then refresh your closet with a lavender and cedar spray to prevent moths.
12. Apply your perfume and hairspray before getting dressed, as they may fade, discolour or stain clothes.
13. Ditch plastic bags. Store your clothes in breathable cotton bags to avoid mildew.
14. Wire hangers put a lot of stress on clothes and can even rip through thin fabric. Choose wood or professional quality plastic hangers instead.
15. Better yet, fold, don’t hang! When it comes to sweaters or delicate fabrics like cashmere, it’s better to store them folded to maintain their shape and proportions. And, according to Marie Kondo cleaning and decluttering rules, it also helps to save a lot of space!