How To Make Your Clothes Last Longer

1. Sort your washing properly. Separate darks from whites but also keep heavy fabrics away from light ones, heavily soiled garments from less soiled and always wash towels on their own.

2. Don't overload the washing machine. Not only will you avoid having to iron your clothes so often, but there is also less chance of clothing-on-clothing accidents if the drum is emptier.

3. Wash jeans inside out... to prevent the colours fading so quickly.

4. Wash jumpers as little as possible. In fact, aside from underwear, most of your clothes can last longer than just one wear before they need to be washed.

5. Dry clean as little as possible. All those heavy chemicals aren't great for the shelf-life of your clothes - and it's expensive, too. Try spot cleaning or hand-washing until a deep clean is completely necessary.

6. Invest in good hangers. Try to avoid cheap wire hangers which won't support your clothes properly and might mishape the shoulders of your clothes. Matching hangers will also give uniformity to your wardrobe and prevent hanger-related clothing injuries.

7. Zip all zips, tie all drawstrings and stick all velcro together before washing to avoid any nasty snags in the drum.​

8. Steam your clothes where possible. Steaming is a much less aggressive way to remove creases from your clothes than ironing. If you don't own a steamer, try hanging your clothes in the bathroom while you have a hot shower.

9. Keep your shoes and bags in dust bags... to keep them dry and protected from dirt.

10. Store all clothes and accessories in cool, dry places, away from natural sunlight.

11. Don't keep suits or dresses in plastic dry cleaning covers. Plastic harbours heat and moisture which is bad for your clothes - only use canvas bags or pillow cases to store your occasion-wear.

12. Rotate your clothes. If you wear the same things over and over again, they are going to wear out sooner than necessary - try to give your wardrobe an even wear to give your favourite items time to recover.

13. Air dry your clothes... instead of using the dryer as it's more gentle on clothing.

14. Dry whites outside and dark colours indoors. Sunlight could lighten/fade dark clothing, so keep it away from natural light while it is drying.​

15. Re-dye black clothes instead of buying new ones. Use speciality clothing dye to breathe new life into your faded darks.

16. Use pillow cases... as dust bags to store your shoes, or garment bags to store your occasion-wear. 

17. Freeze your tights. Avoid annoying ladders by soaking your tights in water and freezing them before their first wear.

18. Use lavender in your drawers. Not only does it smell nice but it'll keep moths and bugs away from nibbling at your clothes, too.​

19. Stuff your shoes and bags... with tissue paper to keep their shape.

20. Hand wash delicates... or place them in a cool wash inside a pillow case or mesh bag.

21. Fold your knitwear. The weight of jumpers or cardigans on a hanger can cause them to stretch out of shape. Fold and place in a dry drawer instead.​

22. Regularly waterproof your leather accessories to prevent damage in the first place.

23. Spot clean small stains instead of washing the whole garment. The more you wash clothes, the quicker they will fade and lose shape.

24. Respect the clothes. The more your clothes are stuffed together, the more you will need to use an iron to get rid of creases. Give your clothes space to breathe by storing any you don't need for that season away.

25. Treat nasty stains straight away. Never leave anything greasy to stew on your clothing. You'll have the best chance of it completely disappearing if you take the initiative to spot treat it straight away.

26. Clean matching two-pieces together. The more you wash clothes, the more they fade. Keep your co-ords looking similar by washing them the same amount of times.