The 3 Must-Haves This Minimalist Expert Says Will Stretch Out the Lifespan of Your Clothes
As much as we love sustainable brands that make concrete efforts to reduce their environmental impact, like leggings made from water bottles or these eco-friendly swimsuits, let’s face it: the most effective way to reduce your footprint is to make what you own last longer. For clothing, this means storing, stacking, washing, and drying your clothes carefully. Stretch out sweaters’ lifespans, not their shoulders.
Stylist and mindfulness mentor Christina Mychas built her platform around her journey from a shopaholic to a minimalist. In a recent Reel highlighting how to be more intentional about fewer items, she shared a few hacks for taking care of your closet.
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She recommends a a steamer for pressing and refreshing, velvet hangers to avoid pulls or tears, fabric shaver to avoid pilling, as well as helpful storage strategies. For example, hanging T-shirts from the bottom instead of the neck will avoid stretching, and you should always fold your sweaters.
Her advice is spot on, especially for those whose sustainability journey might call for owning a smaller number of investment pieces à la capsule wardrobe rather than a more traditional wardrobe.
Whether fixing a tricky fabric, a small tear (repair, don’t replace!), or simply refreshing an item that looks haggard with wear, these products are one time buys that can drastically reduce your consumption overall.
3 items to help you keep your favorite clothes forever (or for as long as possible)
A handy steamer
This traditional steamer will be your new best friend if you always end up with wrinkles post-wash. This powerful compact steamer from Amazon has over 50,000 positive reviews, with customers praising how quickly it heats up, and a “shockingly good” build quality for the price.
Inspired by the dorm-forged savvy of a girl, a sundress, and a hair straightener, the Nori Press is an innovative steam iron that combines the best of both steamers and irons. Sleek, effective, and travel friendly, the Nori Press has six different settings for poly, silk, wool, cotton, denim, and linen. It’s no wonder it’s become a go-to rec of fashion bloggers and influencers alike; I love that it fits in my carry on, and it’s so speedy that it makes all my wrinkles an easy five minute fix.
Velvet hangers
My family swears by velvet hangers, and professional home organizers love how they can give any closet a matching, polished look. As an alternative to plastic or wire, velvet hangers’ soft coated edges reduce friction that might otherwise stretch, tear, or harm your clothing over time and use. As far as hacks go, this one’s easy! Buy a massive case to swap all at once, or go item by item as you pull out and replace pieces to wear. These ones from Amazon are budget-friendly, and have 154,00 ratings (and an impressive 4.8 stars).
A fabric shaver
Pilling can make your sweaters appear worn and tired, even if you bought them last season! Luckily, there’s a simple fix: This cheap, compact fabric shaver gadget. You run this defuzzer under the top of any fabric, and its blades collect any lint, threads, or puffs. Bonus: you can also use it to smooth down your couch. This version runs at two speeds, comes with replacement blades and a safety lock, and boasts over 50,000 five-star reviews.
If you’re in the market for a steamer that’s so sleek it looks like one of those speakers that blends in with the house, this was made for you. Steamery’s Pilo No. 2 fabric shaver is wireless and works hard and fast to de-pill your clothing—even your most delicate cashmere sweaters. Bonus? You can use it while it’s charging (you know, for those last-minute emergency situations—you know the ones).
Bonus: A laundry drying rack
I know. We said three things. We lied. While this wasn’t on Christina’s list, we wanted to emphasize this: Out of everything you do, your dryer is what does the most damage to your clothing. (Um, who else has accidentally shrunk their favorite blouse?) Say goodbye to shrunk items, warped elastic, and rough texture. Instead, consider air drying more—and think of how much power you’ll save! We love this rack for air drying. It’s sturdy, reliable, and folds up neatly after use.
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