My husband recently told me how when he was a kid it was ingrained in his mind to never leave his bike outside overnight. Why? If it rains, it will cause the bike to rust and ruin it. As a kid, your bike is one of the best things you owned, so wouldn't you want to take care of it?

The same can be said for your wardrobe. You spent your hard earned money on your things so you can wear them time and time again, IF you take care of them. I hear all the time, I don't want to spend a lot of money on something because after a few wears, it usually falls apart. This is really a two part statement... purchasing higher quality clothing AND caring for them properly can ensure you are getting the best return on your investment. Here are some of my top tips to make your wardrobe last.

1. If it says dry clean, dry clean it. Dry Cleaning your garments helps to preserve their shape and the integrity of the material. For example, viscose is a semi-synthetic fabric that can shrink, wrinkle, and weaken when wet or washed. Viscose is also highly absorbent and relatively inelastic, making it delicate, especially when wet. If you're questioning a fabric and if you can wash it, Google it.

2. Dry clean, but not every time you wear it. While dry cleaning helps to preserve the garment, the chemicals also can break down the fabric. I only dry clean my garments when soiled or at the end of a season. You don't want your winter blazers to sit for months as sweat and deodorant can cause a garment to yellow.

3. When laundering delicate garments, don't wash them with denim or other rough fabrics. Garments that are prone to pilling can take a beating in the washing machine if washed with rougher fabrics.

4. Don't wash your denim every time you wear it, and certainly don't dry your denim. It breaks down the fibers, so hanging to dry is best. If you hate that 'crunchy' feeling, iron or steam them before wearing.

5. Get a clothes shaver and use it on pilling sweaters... and really on anything with pills. I've even used mine on the inner thighs of leggings, sweatpants, pillows and couches.

6. Don't hang your sweaters like you would a normal shirt. Check out this video here for how I hang mine. If you don't have a lot of hanging space you can fold them on a shelf.

7. DO suede protect your suede shoes. I spray mine twice before wearing. Shoes that I wear often I spray again once each year. Make sure there is no debris before spraying.

8. Don't leave clothing on dry cleaner hangers. Not only do wire hangers damage the clothing, it also isn't aesthetically pleasing to look at in your closet. Your closet should bring you joy and you should be able to see everything. I recommend swapping to velvet hangers.

9. Do button the top button of a dress shirt, zip up a hoodie, button a blazer... etc when storing it. It will help to maintain the shape of the garment.

10. Don't launder your swimwear like you would clothing, and certainly don't put them in the dryer. I use a swimsuit detergent on a rinse and spin cycle and then hang to dry to maintain the elasticity of the suit.

You can find all of these links (and a few others!) at this link here!