With many of us working from home, our work clothes have been hanging unworn in our closets. I think everyone has a pile of clothes somewhere that need to be dealt with… and that pile sits there and sits there and sits there. Since you’re not wearing the clothes right now anyways, now is the perfect time to do some wardrobe upkeep.
Putting off: Getting skirts hemmed
Get it done plan: Find a tailor and drop them off this week
If you have skirts, dresses or pants that you’ve been meaning to get hemmed, take 2 minutes today and post a message on a local Facebook page to find yourself a tailor. Many drycleaners and tailors are hurting for business right now, so it is a great time to use some local services to check some hemming off your list. Oh and if you have any clothes that need buttons sewed back on, take 5 minutes and do them all at once tonight.
Putting it off: Dry cleaning sweaters
Get it done plan: Drop them off at the drycleaner this week OR try Dryel
I love our local drycleaner for taking care of things like pressing shirts (I don’t iron), however when it comes to sweaters, I prefer to launder them at home. I’ve also found that many times when clothing has a “Dry Clean Only” tag it’s a lie (I just laundered a skirt and it turned out fine), so use your judgement. If you have a pile of clothes waiting to be dry cleaned, get it done now so that when we return to ‘business as usual’ you’re ready.
However, if you haven’t tried out the Dryel bags, I’ve been using them for years and they work wonderfully. You can get a starter kit off Amazon for less than $16 (find it here) and it is good for 6 loads of clothes. I usually wait until I have 4 or 5 things to be cleaned, throw them in the special bag, add the cleaning cloth and stick it in the dryer for 20 minutes to steam.
Putting it off: Backpacks and lunchboxes
Get it done plan: Throw them in the washing machine TODAY
When your kid got home from school, what did you do with their backpack and lunchbox? What about your own lunch bag from work? Did you look through them for food and then stick them in a corner somewhere like did? If so, now is the perfect time to throw them in the washing machine for a nice cleaning. Jack uses his backpack for camp, so it ends up smelling like mildew after he shoves his damp towel inside after a day at the pool. Same goes with stinky cloth lunchboxes. Just throw them in the washing machine with a few towels and let them hang dry and they’ll be as good as new.
Putting it off: Shoe care
Get it done plan: Wash them, cobble them, replace insoles, shake in some powder
Shoes need care. Many shoes are washable, like Rothy’s, and you can throw them in the washing machine on cold and let them air dry. I buy Rothy’s slip-on’s for Jack specifically because I can throw them in the washer once a week when they are filthy from playing outside.
For shoes that you can’t throw in the washer, you may need to have a cobbler replace the heel, or you can add in new comfier insoles on your own. For stinky shoes, I swear by “T for Toes” from Lush (find it here) We have a shoe area by our front door and every so often I sprinkle a little of the powder in each shoe like a fairy to keep the room from smelling like feet. It’s magical!
Spending a little time this week doing some wardrobe upkeep is like a gift you’re giving your future self. By taking care of it now, you can ensure that when we do go back to work outside the home, you aren’t annoyed that you never got your favorite work pants cleaned.
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