How to Make Your Capsule Wardrobe Fit Your Laundry Routine
You’re all for dressing from a capsule wardrobe. You’re thinking: “33 pieces? 15 pieces? LET’S DO IT!”
And then this thought pops into your head: “I’m gonna have to do laundry... ALL. THE. TIME (face plant emoji).”
That was certainly the thing I disliked the most when I put together my first capsule wardrobe for Project 333, but I had no idea that I was doing it all wrong. Over time I learned a few tricks that have made a huge difference in keeping my clothes fresh longer, and have kept me out of the laundry room every week.
(If you’re new here, Hi! My name is Fernanda and laundry is my nemesis. Ok, now that you know that…)
Here are four key things you need to take into account to make your capsule wardrobe fit your laundry schedule:
Don’t wash your clothes after every use. You just don’t need to.
In the same way that your hair loses its flair if you wash it every day, your clothes get damaged with every wash. The washing machine is basically a super intense 35-minute roller coaster ride for your clothes: it spins them, rings them, shakes them, sends them for a upside down loop, and then the dryer does it all over again! It’s a lot.
Unless your clothes are visibly soiled or smell badly, they don’t need to be washed right away. Instead, air them out after every wear, ideally overnight, somewhere where they can get a bit of fresh air. If your clothes smell a few hours after you’ve taken them off, then they do need to be cleaned, but for the most part, most clothing will stop smelling once it’s gotten a break from being against your body.
There are two big exceptions to this: underwear and synthetics. Which brings me to my next point:
Include as many natural fabrics as you can in your capsule wardrobe
Personally, I had to learn the hard way how much synthetic fabrics suck. Natural fabrics are way more breathable than synthetics; they make us sweat less, hold onto that sweat less, and therefore, make us smell less. Natural materials like cotton, wool, silk, even nylon, are better at staying fresher longer than polyesters. Silk in particular is a great material to include with your capsule wardrobe, because aside from looking incredible, it has wonderful benefits for your skin and hair.
Get a single silk item and compare it to a similar synthetic already in your wardrobe, and notice the difference in the way it feels against your body and how long it stays fresh. I promise you, this makes a huge difference.
A quick word about our sponsor, LILYSILK
A great place to shop for silk is the sponsor of this video, LILYSILK. They carry all sorts of quality silk products, from blouses, camis, pajamas, bedding and so much more. The top I am wearing in the video is from their spring collection, and it is quickly becoming one of my favorites. I highly recommend you check out their website; they have something for everyone. Use the discount code FERNANDA15 for 15% off your entire purchase.
Undergarments: Have PLENTY
I’m all for minimalist wardrobes, but if you don’t want to be doing laundry all the time, you can’t afford to go minimal with your underwear collection. Underwear is the one thing that you have to wash after every single use. Really. I mean it. Ask your doctor about it.
It is critical that you have enough socks and underwear to last you for the amount of time that you want to go between doing laundry. In addition to this, it’s helpful if you have a few tanks and camis in your wardrobe that don’t make it into your capsule, but serve as ‘undergarments’ and as an additional layer of protection between your body and your clothes. These will need to be washed more often than the clothes in your capsule wardrobe, but they will do wonders for keeping them fresh (and looking good!) longer.
Use the right detergent, and the right amount!
When the time comes to actually clean your clothes, using the right detergent for your machine (high-efficiency vs. regular) and most importantly, the right amount, makes a huge difference. Why? Because washing machines don’t know how much detergent you are putting in and adjust the water accordingly. Washing machines use water based on the weight of the load, so if you have a small load and a ton of detergent, the machine won’t know to use more water to properly rinse it off.
This can leave detergent residue on your clothes that may not be visible, but will make your clothes smell badly faster, because odor-causing bacteria needs two things to thrive:
Moisture, aka your body’s sweat, and
Food, and that leftover detergent is excellent food.
The best thing to do if you suspect you have detergent buildup on your clothes is to run your clothes through the washing machine with one cup of white vinegar and no soap, and then launder as normal with the right amount of detergent. The vinegar will strip all the leftover soap from your clothes and the acidity will kill all the bacteria, allowing you to start fresh.
This detergent is zero waste and does wonders for your clothes. Click the image to check it out!
These four things will make a huge difference in keeping your clothes fresh longer, and will keep you from having to do laundry every few days.
Do you have other tips for keeping your clothes fresh longer? Leave me a comment and let me know!
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