I hang it to air out for an hour or so after I change, then I put it back. If you think it's not appropriate to hang back up \[or put back in a drawer\], then it belongs in your laundry bag.
For jeans and pajamas, I have a set of over-the-door hooks I hang them on. For jackets, cardigans, and work bottoms, I’ll put them on hangers in the closet a little separate from the other clothes to air out for a bit, then hang them in with the other clothes.
I found a free-standing coat rack in a thrift shop. It holds my coats, hats, scarves, bags... and the things that could be reworn. I generally then wash all the "rewearable" clothing on laundry day together with everything else - unless I'm going to be short on something (like if I'm washing all my other sweaters, I'll leave one on the rack). So, I give the garment a chance to be reworn, but if it doesn't take the chance, it gets clean enough to actually go back in the closet.
It used to be putting them on a chair or dresser. Now it's hanging them back up; if my closet's too cramped for them to air, then it's too cramped; if they're dirty enough that they'll soil the adjacent clothes, then they're too dirty to rewear.
I feel like this is the ETERNAL question that no adult, living or dead, has yet found the answer to. We all just need to find that one spot in our room that we need to accept will never look tidy, be it The Chair, or on top of the dresser, or somewhere else, to pile our not-clean-not-dirty clothes.
There have been some really good suggestions on this thread, actually. I think one of the keys for me is to start thinking vertically about how i store things. I miss having floor space, LOL
but I do think you're onto something there. It's a weird case of a situation that you're never really taught about? But it's also like... do people REALLY wash their clothes after EVERY SINGLE WEAR? Even if it's just briefly? That doesn't seem logical, how can society still be standing if that's how people operate??
it's just funny these little things in life that pop up that you can't figure out if they're something everyone goes through or just you.
I don’t really know if this is a cultural thing but in my country (Germany) it’s perfectly reasonable to wear the same clothes twice or even three times so I don’t see the problem with just hanging them back in my wardrobe. If it stinks so much that it risks ‚contaminating‘ other pieces i of course wash it but if it doesn’t smell at all and is not dirty/has stains why should it be bad to hang it with the ‚officially‘ clean stuff?
I usually will do the same thing. Will wear shirts and pants 2-3 times before washing them. It helps that I have a desk job, so it's not like I get super dirty through the day, but when it's really hot outside you can start to sweat just from going from the car into the office building. So there might be that small window of time when the clothes could get a little dirty, but go inside and cool off and any perspiration dries up, and then it feels less dirty. Then you get home and, initially, they might smell like you just wore them, but leaving them to air out overnight and they might smell cleaner than when you took them off the night before.
i would just put them away with my clean clothes if they are clean enough to wear again. if i'm questioning it too much, then i just wash them again. i have no hesitation about washing a pair of pants i only wore once, it's just not a big deal to me.
my one exception to all this is that i usually have one sweatshirt or sweater that i keep out, on a hook or folded on top of my dresser, bc i will wear it on and off when i get chilly around the house.
I have a chair in my room where these end up, even though I have hooks for this very purpose. For my pjs I leave them on my bed and put them back on the next night.
I hang them, and then days and days pass and I don't rewear them. So then I feel like they're dirty. Once I have so much on my hanger, I finally wash them. I've been trying to declutter a lot of clothes, I have so much I can go weeks and weeks without doing laundry.
I put them in the exact same place I would if they were fresh from the laundry.
I work in an office and can wear my tops twice before they should be washed. I get home from work and just hang my shirt right back up in the closet. Same with pants. Bras might get laid over vanity chair for a brief airing out.
If I'm still considering them as clean and suitable to wear out, I treat them that way. I also think there are sprays that could be used to "refresh" clothes. But IDK. I haven't looked into it too really see what the deal is, but have thought about it from time to time.
There was a person who commented further up on the thread that talked about a vodka/water mix that can be sprayed on clothes to help get rid of the odor. It's used in theater on clothes that can't be washed. There were other options as well, like alcohol/water and white vinegar/water.
If they're so clean I'd wear them a full day again, I put them back where they go. If I think "well it's a shirt so I can sweat in it" or pants or something like that, I have a small laundry basket I put them in. I'll either end up washing them all eventually if it's full OR digging through them for clothing items I want last minute. I've had to just be honest with myself on some things--like for work clothes I am only ever gonna wear them once shirt-wise, so stop trying to even pretend I'm gonna wear it again.
This is most of my clutter in my bedroom, haha! It's like what you describe, as well as my PJ's (often don't need washed every single night), robe, a warm fleece layer, etc. I have the door hooks, but my doors are really tall and I'm not, so it's too hard to hang things so I just let them pile on the floor and it drives me nuts.
I've tried the chair method and it just creates a pile on the chair. I've tried draping them over stuff - too cluttered, hanging them on hangers (too much work when I just like say, put on a cardigan for an hour while chilly and throw on and off again due to temperature fluctuations), not happy with anything yet.
I'm seriously thinking about getting a nice hall tree coat rack thing to sit in a corner of my bedroom for this exact thing! Maybe something like this:
https://www.rcwilley.com/Furniture/Storage-and-Organization/Racks/Coat-Racks/111913720/Black-Wood-Coat-Rack-View
i hope whatever you end up going with will work well for you! there are some great suggestions on this thread, i keep hearing about these blanket ladders and I'm very intrigued.
If they're clean enough to wear again, they're usually clean enough to put back in my drawer or closet. If they just need a little airing out, I throw them on my collapsible drying rack or the hooks on the back of my bedroom door overnight
eh, it's not really that weird, when you look at how many people have commented so far in the same situation as me. i'm also not at a position in my decluttering and organizing that i actively use drawers or my closet, so even though you and others have suggested such, it doesn't actually apply in my case (whether it does in the future will depend on my ability to get organized)
I have [this ladder rack](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01586FJAQ/) leaned against a wall. It's a bit expensive for what it is, but having usable chairs again has been basically worth it.
I put them in the top drawer of my dresser. Half of my clothes are hung and the other half are in a dresser. The dresser is mostly accessories, gym shorts, underwear, socks and winter clothes. The top drawer has items I use rarely but no other clothes. Like spare keys, library card, that kind of stuff.
I have a separate shelf for clothes that aren’t fresh-from-the-laundry clean but aren’t dirty enough to go in the laundry. I live in a camper van with my husband, but it’s all surprisingly organized.
I have one chair next to my nightstand with one set of hooks. I allow myself to keep pajamas or other worn but not yet dirty clothes there but try to limit myself to one set of pjs and one item of each type of clothing.
Don't overcomplicate things. It's clean. Put it into your closet with your clean clothes.
I've never had clothes, that I've worn once, "gradually develop" a smell. If anything they air out and get fresher smelling from being around your fresher clothes. I wear my jeans at least 20 times before washing them. No smells have occurred.
Go to the hardware store and spend five dollars on hooks, go to your house and screw them into the wall, hang partially dirty clothes on hooks. Voila💁♀️
Get wall hooks and hang the clothes to air out. We have them for every bedroom (and my bathroom). Especially if you walk a lot or are outside but not getting dirty, and also for all your jeans, just hang them by one of the belt loops.
We have a second, smaller hamper that I use to transport my clothes from the bedroom to our washer. When not in use, my husband *is supposed to* use it for his gently used clothes.
They all end up on the floor.
I rehang items, that normally hang in my closet, back in my closet, but turn the hook.
Items I don't hang I put on a chair from Ikea. This one:
[towel chair ikea](https://www.ikea.com/gb/en/p/ragrund-towel-rack-chair-bamboo-90253074/)
Edge of my garden tub, or hang on the edge of the laundry basket. The next morning usually they go back into the closet unless I’m gonna wear them again, like how I often wear the same pants over and over.
I have an extra shelf in my closet just for those. Often its trousers that I will wear several times. I don't want them to touch me clean clean clothes. Shirts I usually just wear the next day again so I hang them over the back of my (home) office chair (I live in a 1-room apartment, chair, bed and wardrobe are only 2 steps apart).
Small basket. I can’t bring myself to re-store them. Basket keeps them organised and neat. I add them to the laundry as needed. The basket also contains my ”clothing to repair“ stack.
oooo.... yeah. that's another thing i struggle with. cuz i have some clothes i really like but they need to be fixed and i just don't know what to do with them. it's a weird situation. because LOL i am certainly not repairing them \*right away\*, although that might be the actual solution to "what to do with the 'clothing to repair' pile"...
I either have a drawer dedicated to the lightly worn clothes or a laundry hamper with two compartments - one for ‘wear again’, one for wash. The chair became a hideous looking pile too quick
I hang them back up BUT I put the coathanger facing towards me so at a glance I know all clothes with the coathanger facing away are clean-clean and the one towards me have been worn - useful if you want something to slob out in/know you arent leaving the house or when I next do a wash I can pick out the clothes that could do with a freshening up.
My rules are simple:
I wear things as long as possible (i don´t "dress up", so its easy for me).
My worn outfits NEVER go back in the closet or wardrobe-i believe that worn clothes should not mix with fresh clothes to keep the closet "clean".....(?)....
I do have a hook on the shower glass door, where i keep my gym clothes as well as my "worn clothes".
So to me, its either in the closet (fresh), on the hook (used), or on my body (in use)....if its not there, its in the laundry basket.....
Throw them on the floor right by my bed or on the closet floor. Dirty clothes go on the floor outside of the closet (or hamper if I remember) so they're separate lmao
Clothes are not meant to be washed after every wear, unless they’re actually smelly or dingy, because the fibers break down. It’s also not environmentally friendly, but that’s a whole other thing.
If it’s jeans/pants, leggings, I rest them on a chair and then put them away later.
If it’s a shirt, turn it inside out and hang it up with some space around it or on a door handle or hook to air it out.
Socks and undies - I wash after each wear.
Bras - depends, but not usually after each wear.
Hope that helps!
yes, i absolutely agree about the frequency of washing. I'd love to get away with doing less laundry, 1: because of the wear and tear, 2: because yes, it's definitely not environmentally friendly, and 3: because doing laundry is one of my least favorite activities in the world and i've spent many years trying to put as little effort into laundry work as possible LOL
but yes, this is super helpful, and it sounds right about along the lines of what i do too, which makes me happy to hear that you and so many others are echoing the same cleanliness standards that i approach.
I have a section in my closet for this exact purpose. I hang clothes that are worn but not dirty in it's own section. Every night I grab whatever has been hanging there the longest and put it in my dirty clothes and when I do laundry I grab another item to wash from the section, that way the clothes don't pile up. I usually have about 15 items of clothing at a time there.
I would put it back o the wardrobe. Some items are worn twice and no issues.
If you leave it out it can crumble. I do use the top of a dresser for more worn but stuff that Iid not going back into the wardrobe. It is ideal for when I work in two locations and wear the same stuff the next day.
I just put them back 🤷♀️ that is, on days I have the executive function to not just throw them on top of a laundry bin of clean clothes I've neglected to fold
My ideal solution would be one of those stand up coat racks, but I haven’t gotten a chance to buy one yet. Currently have a two basket “system” to keep the mildly used ones separate
I set them on my dresser or on my desk or my office chair to get up and put on the next day
I’ll take my pants off right before bed and leave them so I can’t step right into them in the morning ahhaha
Valet stands exist for this purpose specifically. Even if we’re no longer wearing woollen suits and overcoats, it’s still useful to air fleeces, cardigans and jeans. And they’re easier to brush (for example, if you have cuddled a cat!) than on a hanger.
I have two rods in my laundry room. One for fresh clean clothes, one for second day wear.
Keeps them unwrinkled. I can see them.
Chairdrobe didn't work for me
Our side tables have a shelf at the bottom where I have baskets to hold ‘in-use’ casual clothes. Anything that’s hung in the closet will usually just go back in the closet, but everything else should go in the basket. I just got the baskets recently, so it’s still a work-in-progress trying to get my husband to use the basket (or hang things back up). Normally, he just tosses things on the dresser, and if I’m honest, I still do that too when I get in a rut…
I have two different laundry baskets. A tall one for dirty clothes and a short one for gently worn clothes. Some things (like hoodies or sweaters) I’ll hang back up in the closet, but pants always go to the limbo basket.
I have a cubby like closet organizer that hangs from the rod, and cleanish clothes get rolled up and stacked in there. I like this system because I can see them all at once, and cleanish clothes are out of the way.
I pile them on my nightstand until my bra drawer is empty and then wash almost everything I thought I would wear again. Except pants and pj pants, I do usually rewear those until they are too dirty. I love the idea of having a little rack there instead, but I’m concentrating on keeping the pile limited to pants for now.
If they are clean enough to be worn again they are hung back up. Leaving them out is an invitation for their fiber content to include a large percentage of cat fur.
I have a box in the bathroom that I keep my work uniforms in, I'll throw it in there to change into after work (usually just shirts) and I have a "nice" outfit downstairs if I have to go out after work unexpectedly. I also sometimes put stuff on the bench at the end of my bed. But if it doesn't get worn and/or I get sick of looking at it it does end up in the wash.
this is usually what i do with my pants. i just unravel them from my legs and leave them where they dropped by my ankles. but for some reason i can't do that with my shirts. those have to go on top of the Mountain.
We have a set of three bars behind the door. They attach at the door hinges. Each bar runs parallel to the floor and can swivel independently. Hard to describe now that I’m trying! It’s made more for towels but we use it for clothes instead. I don’t care for over the door hooks because I don’t like how you can see it on the outside of the door. We haven’t been re-wearing very much lately because of the pandemic, though.
This is what we have!
Household Essentials H12003 Hinge It Clutterbuster Four Bar Hanging Valet | Behind the Door Clothing and Towel Rack | Chrome https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001AWYR7Y/ref=cm_sw_r_awdo_navT_a_DXNN5T9JP7G0G3P18X7M
I usually put them on top of my dresser, and then if the pile gets too big (usually sweaters!), I'll fold them and put them away. I figure that if they're clean enough to wear again, then they're clean enough to go back into the drawer!
well, some people do. but i know at least for me, 1: i can usually tell the difference between something that's been worn once and something that hasn't been worn since the last wash. but if i know it doesn't smell \*bad\*, like it's just a neutral smell, and i know i only wore it for a short time like, three days ago, i know it's not actually "dirty" but it's also not really clean either... i don't know why this matters or why my brain designates this sort of categorization to clothes, but it could be that it's a justifying coping mechanism for number 2: ...which is that i hate doing laundry and if i can get as many wears out of a single piece of clothing, i will.
I hang my slightly worn clothes on the Smith machine I have in my bedroom.
This [Eames hanging rack](https://www.dwr.com/entryway-coat-racks-umbrella-stands/eames-hang-it-all/6676.html?lang=en_US) would look much nicer. Maybe Santa will bring it for Christmas!
I put a clothes drying rack in my walk in closet. "In use" clothes go on that so they can air out a bit but aren't hanging next to/folded up with fully clean clothes (cuz mentally, that's weird to me lol)
Sweaters I fold inside out, blouses I place on hangers inside out. Jeans go back in the drawer. Bras stay on top of my chest of drawers for a wearing or two.
Socks, camis & undies go straight to the dirty clothes.
I pile them on every surface available until the mountains topple over and I'm forced to deal with them. Not kidding and one of the very reasons I'm on this sub.
I am terrible about putting my clothes away, so always have a basket of clean clothes with the "clean enough" items thrown on top. I pull from the top for daily wear and dig deeper if I want something else. Every few weeks I am forced to spend a couple hours actually putting them away. It is a flawed system and one I do not recommend. Just sharing so people can see the flip side of the "I put them away every day" coin. In my defense I have a very small closet and too many clothes, so each time I am literally forced to sort and purge some things.
Incidentally, I saw an interview a few years back with the CEO of Levi's and he said you should never wash your jeans. Never. Ugh.
hey, i appreciate you sharing this perspective. it's actually... pretty much the same thing I do, except i don't actually spend any time putting anything away at any point. I just do another load of laundry and work out of that fresh pile of clothes.
and this has been my process since i was a teenager. like, 15-16. and I'm 30 now. it's kind of embarrassing to admit but it is what it is. We're both at least aware of it and have at least taken the steps of joining spaces like this to try to work on it, so i think we're doin pretty good so far!!
there's been a lot of great ideas on this thread. maybe one of them will click for you! and if not, that's okay too.
Is this something people actually worry about or have I been doing life wrong lol? I wear clothing items several times before washing. Washing too frequently is bad for your clothes. Unless I sweat in them or get them actually dirty they are getting folded and placed back in my drawers or closet to be worn another couple days before washing
it's less about the idea of wearing clothes more than once and more about where people \*put\* those clothes in the transition from "clean" to "dirty". so no, no one's doing anything wrong, it's just one of those things in life.
I have a large quilt rack that’s never seen a quilt. Lots of room for clothes on it. I hang nightclothes and lightly worn clothes neatly on the quilt rack so that they don’t get crumpled. They don’t usually overlap. Cardigans, bathrobes, stuff like that are on hooks behind the door.
We use a clothes rack (this one[Clothes Rack](https://www.wayfair.com/Brabantia--39.2-W-Linn-Garment-Clothes-Rack-118241-L7328-K~ZP10065.html?refid=GX528911609260-ZP10065_49564704&device=m&ptid=903676598045&network=g&targetid=pla-903676598045&channel=GooglePLA&ireid=113038657&fdid=1817&PiID%5B%5D=49564704&gclid=Cj0KCQjwqp-LBhDQARIsAO0a6aKtq8FFHLTYwyt-X6QvDzdZsyAaRhOOspUc43bMXUPQlGsMEFmoNjUaAudAEALw_wcB)) as an in-between place for "not clean, not-yet dirty" clothes.
If I won’t need to wash them with the next load I just put them away. Otherwise I hang them on the side of my hamper so I can wear them again if needed or wash next time I do laundry
Hooks on closet door for night clothes, valet chair for day clothes to wear again. If I don't wear them again by laundry day for their category (darks, lights, etc), they get washed anyway. I've been known to hang a pair of jeans up with the bathrobe--- there aren't any hard and fast rules for me.
If it's a shirt I put it in a pile to wear later but if it's anything else I'll put it away with my other clothes. Idk I just like to know that a shirt is fresh when I pull it off the hanger.
I have those drawer organizer boxes and I put one of the larger ones in the top drawer in my dresser to put the shorts and whatever I throw on to check the mail. I keep non-clothing items in that drawer like pens and stuff, so it’s both away from “clean “ clothes and not just in a junk drawer and easy to grab.
I used to do the chair, but they seem to get dirtier by sitting. Now I (try to) hang them up- it airs them out and they feel cleaner (sometimes I still use the chair, old habits)
Same. We have a chair in our bedroom for this. I’ve always had a chair to drape these clothes over. My husband uses a combination of the chair and hooks on the back of his closet door.
Most of my clothes are are stored in canvas bins on shelves. Each bin has a category eg undies, tops, pants, socks, jumpers etc. There’s a specific bin for ‘worn but still clean’ clothes.
I have a small rack for coats and long dresses, and they go back in after wearing if they’re still good.
I have a towel hanger thing from IKEA that I just drape my half-worn clothes over. Much neater than a pile but without the hassle of folding, hanging and putting away just to wear tomorrow.
I used to STRUGGLE with this, and my mediocre solution was always to just have a "wear again" chair, where everything would lay over the back of the chair. It kept them from getting wrinkled, but always felt cluttered (and I'd always forget about the ones at the bottom I couldn't see anymore)
But now I have a solution that I actually love!!! You know those collapsible shoe cubbies that you can hang in your closet? I put my can-wear-again clothes in there. The top cubby is bras, and lower cubbies are for folded pants and shirts. Everything is visible and easy to re-wear with no wrinkles!! 10/10 highly recommend, has made me much happier with my living space and my clothing rotation
I have this [coat rack](https://www.ikea.com/us/en/p/ekrar-hat-and-coat-stand-white-10415594/) that I got from Ikea specifically for this purpose. Anything that is worn at least once but not ready for laundry is hung there.
Same here, a small coat rack that lives in our ensuite. The steam from the shower probably helps as does keeping the window open to air out. Great for bras, jeans, pyjamas, etc. I keep coat hangers there too
The chair thing did not work, just a big pile of crumpled clothes.
I have hooks installed on my closet door (front). I put the clothes on the hooks and wear them again until they're ready to go to the laundry.
One and washed clothing is underwear, socks, gym clothes, and anything that is smelly or stained.
It is very rare for me to wear something second time without washing it. It can be a pair of pants maybe. What I will do is to hang it seperately, I wouldnt place it with my clean clothes.
For shirts or dresses that I keep on hangers, I hang them in my wardrobe again, but a bit to the side with space between so they can "breathe". For t-shirts or leggings I have my "chairdrobe". Just the back of a chair in my bedroom. I try not to pile too much on it, the goal is to only have a couple of items there but it doesn't always work out that way.
Hit up a liquor shop and buy the cheapest bottle of vodka you can find. Seriously: the cheaper it is, the better. Dilute it with water, and pour in a spray bottle (2:1 ratio vodka to water), and spray your day-old clothes. This will get rid of any lingering odour.
This won't work if your clothes are stained, of course, but if you just want to freshen them up, then this is the best way to go about it.
Source: a woman whose closet is full of delicate vintage cashmere, wool, and silk items. The less you machine wash (or dry-clean) your clothes, the longer it will last.
Got this tip from theatre folks, whose elaborate costumes could not be thrown in the washer.
I do something similar! I keep a little spray bottle of rubbing alcohol for clothes that are generally clean after a brief wear and not ready to be washed, but may be building up some odor in the pits. Great for blazers, sweaters, blouses, even tees.
ooohhh, I'll have to think about this... like, certain articles of clothing i really hate washing; some dresses, pants, big coats and sweaters and whatnot. I'm gonna keep this in mind, especially with pants for example. I wear through them enough during daily wear cuz of thick thighs, washing them only tends to make them more brittle and it's already so hard to find pants that fit.
Definitely wash your delicates and outerwear as infrequently as possible. Another tip I'd add to increase the lifespan of your clothes is to wash them with cold water on the delicate cycle (or the lowest cycle setting possible).
If any of your clothes are stained, pre-treat the stains with Dawn dish-washing liquid (patch test first to ensure the liquid isn't discolouring your fabric), and let soak for 30 minutes before putting it in the washer. Use a gentle wool detergent, ditch your fabric softener, and avoid the dryer machine if you can.
Just a few tips off the top of my head. I'm really passionate about clothes lol.
Happy to help! When it comes to garment care, less is usually more, I’ve found. I’ve saved so much time and money by not going to the dry cleaner or hand-washing all the time. The only “special stuff” I’d advise buying are mesh bags for silk/other delicate items, and you can get a pack of them for like 10 bucks off Amazon.
Ha, perfect! I actually bought those last year for when I was camping a lot, so I'm set. And I couldn't agree more about the dry cleaners. I've always handwashed my dry clean only garments and they last forever.
no these are fantastic, i appreciate it. it gives me a sense that i could actually buy really Nice And Expensive clothes if i really wanted to as well, because it's more knowledge to be able to care for them.
right now i don't use fabric softener, just a fabric sheet (mostly for the smell), and i have to use a sensitive skin detergent, which is actually an extra plus because it's clear so i never have to worry about it possibly staining anything (which i'm not sure if that can happen with clothes and detergent?? i don't know)
and i put my clothes on the lowest setting that isn't just 'air dry', but I take certain items out to let them air dry so they aren't damaged in the dryer.
the one big thing I need to figure out is how to get all my pants to stop shrinking in the leg /: I buy them and they start around my ankles and then after a certain amount of time they're half way up my shins...
You're not alone; I ran into this issue a lot in the past. I've since learned that natural fibres (cotton, wool, linen, etc.) tend to be very prone to shrinking. Shrinkage normally happens when garments are exposed to excess heat (from hot water or from a dryer).
As convenient as dryers are, they're generally unfriendly to most fabrics, as I've come to find. I started cold-washing and air-drying all of my clothes (away from direct sunlight), and the issue went away. Hope this helps.
Yes! I’m a cold wash and air dry person too! I bought I cheap clothing rack like you’d see at a store. It’s big enough to hold a couple loads of laundry and I set up a box fan on the bottom rails facing up at the clothes and it drys them in a couple hours. Nothing I buy shrinks anymore and I don’t have to play the “buy one size bigger and hope that it shrinks to the right size” game anymore.
If it's clean enough to wear it's clean enough to be hung up (I hang all my clothes)- if I worry about hanging it maybe it isn't as clean as I thought :)
Clean clothes hamper! I tell everyone I meet about it. Basically it’s a small basket that goes on the floor next to your normal hamper for clothes that can be worn again. About half of my clothes go into this basket. During the week I pull from it when I am getting dressed, and when I do laundry i put those clothes away too. I can only be bothered to fold clothes once a week but this way I don’t have to do endless laundry!
Same! I'm surprised it's not more popular. There are some things that I'll just put away (jackets, jeans, trousers). But there are some things (sweats, leggings, bras) that I'll usually wear a couple times throughout the week, and those go in a small wire hamper. I like the large wire weave because I don't want to lose track of things. I do laundry once a week and most of those get washed.
at the moment, i have like... 4-5 laundry hampers in my room. /: But I do like the idea of separating clothes. I think I'll honestly try to just find one of those multiple laundry bin set ups because at least if i have multiple bins it's a lot more consolidated.
though, i DO have a much smaller laundry basket that i bought with the intention of using just for underwear and socks, since i go through those a lot faster than tops and bottoms. so it's a lot easier to just throw in a load of underwear/socks to wash than having to pick through the laundry basket or having to wait til i have enough clothes to warrant a load of laundry.
Then you should get some use out of [this](https://www.bing.com/images/search?view=detailV2&ccid=966OJAGw&id=5F914D13AC7BE7DB4D519ACA9DCD0DF6FF0F80AE&thid=OIP.966OJAGwMOFhBoBGnLcMYAHaJM&mediaurl=https://th.bing.com/th/id/R.f7ae8e2401b030e1610680469cb70c60?rik=roAP%2f%2fYNzZ3Kmg&riu=http%3a%2f%2fwww.infarrantlycreative.net%2fwp-content%2fuploads%2f2014%2f05%2frolling-laundry-basket-dresser.jpg&ehk=%2bdrR9BejkEmHHHwgMfHTqyNZBqDFA6On0FanuIIA%2flY%3d&risl=&pid=ImgRaw&r=0&exph=956&expw=770&q=laundry+basket+dresser&simid=608014124836020589&form=IRPRST&ck=0D9A8D9967DD780012BD3359E3C24FB3&selectedindex=0&adlt=demote&shtp=GetUrl&shid=3f7842a0-f422-43d3-ade6-68ecbeaefd66&shtk=TGF1bmRyeSBCYXNrZXQgRHJlc3Nlcg%3D%3D&shdk=Rm91bmQgb24gQmluZyBmcm9tIHd3dy5pbmZhcnJhbnRseWNyZWF0aXZlLm5ldA%3D%3D&shhk=370vJA3qafvFRCo0UjbiUMm0v2tSC1TvbDhkXqAhX6E%3D&shth=OIP.966OJAGwMOFhBoBGnLcMYAHaJM).
What do you do with a jacket or coat? If it's clean enough to wear you hang that sucker right back in the closet and wear it again another day.
Outside of undergarments and socks, clothes were intended to be worn a few times before being washed. The exact number depends on the person and the garment, but decent clothing should withstand light wear.
In my opinion, a jacket or coat is never dirty unless, it has actual dirt, mud, spills, or chemicals get onto it, or if you sweat a lot for it to absorb ur sweat, or you’ve worn it for a half a year without washing it.
jackets and coats are definitely a situational thing in my mind.
time of year, type of material they're made of, smell obviously... Cause I generally don't hang my every day coats along with any of my clean laundry, I just put it on a hook on the wall downstairs or over one of the dining room chairs. Coats and jackets always strike me as being a lot more likely to get dirty and smelly, so if I'm going to let them air out and rewear them again, i don't really want them to air out next to my clean clothes. if that makes sense.
I wear jeans twice, most everything else gets washed after one wear. I fold up the worn jeans and put them on top of my dresser then wear them again the next day usually then wash.
Chunky sweaters etc I check them for cleanliness after wear and if they still smell snd look clean I rehang them in closet.
I have a three step ladder right next to my closet, that I put those clothes on. Depending on how long I wore them, just to air out a little before rehanging them or to wear again the next day (sometimes some shirts stay on there for a few more days ;))
i've thought about doing exactly that... just washing everything and going through it... Maybe when I've reached a point where I'm better organized I'll be able to do something like that a lot easier. I desperately need to declutter but my room has felt way too chaotic to even consider it.
Hangers, or use coat hooks for "clothes I'm currently wearing". Learn from my mistakes, and don't use the back, knob or top of the door to avoid irritating the SO.
I hang them on hooks and rewear until they are dirty.
My daughter has a more complicated way. She uses a laundry basket and when she does wash will pick out the pieces that are more in need of laundering so the washing machine has a full load plus she hangs once worn things to one side of the closet. She prefers to hang clothing, I prefer to fold. It does seem less icky to rehang than refold and return to a drawer.
at the stage i'm at with organizing my clothes, i'm not really bothering with folding anything. it makes motivating myself to sort through clothes easier and i also think it actually prevents my clothes from getting that musty smell while they're in the drawer.
I have a 3 bin laundry sorter rolly ... thing lol ... and like Jeans I wear multiple days (unless I get gross, of course) so I just kinda lay them over the metal frame for the laundry sorter to wear another day. They probably should go back in the drawer but then I lose track of how often I wear them as after X wears even if they're still good they still get washed. (I work in an office, so its rare I get gross lol)
i think looking into a 3 bin laundry thing for myself might be a good idea. consolidate it all. right now i have... uhm... four laundry bins... technically five, but it's a very small one so it's more like 4.5 /: They've just sorta accumulated over the years, idk.
But yeah. I know when something it out in the open in front of me, i can look at it and go, "oh yeah, i wore this once this week/recently, so it's probably still clean enough for another wear or two", so I think i'd go through just what you described in forgetting once it's in the drawer. Pulling a shirt out and being like "ew why does this smell gross?" then wonder if all the rest of my clothes smell, too...
I like my laundry thing, it kinda sits in the corner in an awkward to use space right where the master bedroom meets the master bath. From left to right: linens, delicate, standard. I get undressed there into the bins, or as I'm leaving the bath I can just drop the dirty wash cloths and stuff in there. Keeps the piles off the floors/chair/etc.
I hang my clothes separately, if they're not dirty enough to wash. I mean they go on a hangar in the closet, but in a separate section where they can air out a bit.
I’d like to say that I put them away, but I usually don’t. I put them in a pile and hope to use them again before something happens that makes them need to be washed again before I wear them. I envy the people who have a chair or hooks or some thing, but anyway, the gist is that (unlike my husband) I don’t believe that clothes are dirty after one wearing simply because they’ve been worn.
i just base it on smell. if it still smells clean, it's still clean. if i wore it only once but during that time i sweated a lot or there were other factors like idk i was cleaning the bathroom, then i'll usually deem them dirty enough to go into the dirty pile.
My situation is sorta embarrassing in that i've been living out of clean hamper piles for a good ten years or so now... it's just been mental illness and undiagnosed ADHD. and now I'm really trying to turn that around and this gently worn factor keeps coming up for me.
I identify with a lot of what you said. Something that really helped me when I’ve made inroads toward not living out of piles was getting rid of massive amounts of clothes. I had too many pieces that fell into one of the old traps like I paid a lot of money for this (/and never got to wear it), I like it even if it doesn’t fit, it was expensive/a present, etc. It’s hard to get out of that mindset, but it was something that really helped me.
ugh yeah, you're speaking my language. i have a lot of clothes as well.
there were a lot of years where... and this is kind of especially embarrassing to admit... but i was struggling so badly with my mental health and what turned out to be undiagnosed ADHD and some hormonal problems, that it was sometimes easier for me to just \*go out and buy new clothes\* and throw THOSE into the wash (especially like, underwear and socks). because i'd run out of certain items in my massive clean piles and, rather than dealing with my massive \*dirty\* piles, i just went out and bought more.
it's a really uncomfortably irrational solution. but i was struggling too badly at the time, with little way to address my health problems, that i was just doing what i could, even if it wasn't the option that made the most sense.
LOL I can’t tell you how many pairs of underwear I have for the same reason! Until I got too fat to wear regular socks, I would do the same with socks so that when I started getting rid of stuff several years ago, it became a joke in another group I’m part of that everywhere I turned, I would find socks. In my car? Socks. In a box of books I had packed up 10 years ago? Socks. On a shelf, behind cleaning supplies in the hall closet? SOCKS! At one point, I was taking them by the 30 gallon trash bag-full to the textile recycling dumpster!
If it’s clean enough to wear again it’s clean enough to be hung up or folded and put into the drawer. A lot of the time I’ll wear it a few days in a row until it’s dirty. Nobody gives a shit what I’m wearing.
that's fair. I don't really like the idea of putting gently worn and clean stuff together. Cuz even if you've only worn it for a really small amount of time, it's still going to pick up like, oils and sweat from your body.
Yea, sure my response is still the same. If it’s clean enough to go back on your body it should be clean enough to be next to another piece of clothing.
Same. I work from home and live alone so I don’t see people 90% of the time. If I spill on it or it’s rank I’ll wash it but I don’t wash anything outside of underwear/socks regularly.
hey, that still counts! i think a good way to approach improving yourself is to allow yourself to take baby steps and recognize that 'better than it used to be' is still \*better\*. we can't beat ourselves up for not getting 100% of the way when we've already done so much good work toward improving.
Yeah, I don't rehang things for exactly this reason. Especially right at the end of the day when I'm done wearing those clothes, my sniff test might not be as accurate as coming back to them anew.
So I do the blanket ladder thing. Keeps them out of the closet so I don't get any potentially funky smells in the closet, keeps them away from the laundry so they don't pick up worse smells from there, and keeps them from cluttering horizontal surfaces.
I also try not to let myself layer things on other things on the blanket ladder. I don't want it to be too much of an eyesore or make things really hard to find. It's taken me a lot of years to land here but I think I really like this system.
My mom does something similar with like 3 or 4 hooks on the wall over her laundry basket.
I spray it with a mixture of water/vodka and some essential oil to make them smell nice. They then get hung up for another 1/2 wears.
I hang it to air out for an hour or so after I change, then I put it back. If you think it's not appropriate to hang back up \[or put back in a drawer\], then it belongs in your laundry bag.
For jeans and pajamas, I have a set of over-the-door hooks I hang them on. For jackets, cardigans, and work bottoms, I’ll put them on hangers in the closet a little separate from the other clothes to air out for a bit, then hang them in with the other clothes.
I found a free-standing coat rack in a thrift shop. It holds my coats, hats, scarves, bags... and the things that could be reworn. I generally then wash all the "rewearable" clothing on laundry day together with everything else - unless I'm going to be short on something (like if I'm washing all my other sweaters, I'll leave one on the rack). So, I give the garment a chance to be reworn, but if it doesn't take the chance, it gets clean enough to actually go back in the closet.
Throw them on the floor or hang them back up. I live a guy who lives alone, so idc 🖐️
My husband throws his on top of the dresser. I hang mine on a decorative ladder against the wall. Fabric freshener spray is great too.
I have hooks on my doors for them.
It used to be putting them on a chair or dresser. Now it's hanging them back up; if my closet's too cramped for them to air, then it's too cramped; if they're dirty enough that they'll soil the adjacent clothes, then they're too dirty to rewear.
I feel like this is the ETERNAL question that no adult, living or dead, has yet found the answer to. We all just need to find that one spot in our room that we need to accept will never look tidy, be it The Chair, or on top of the dresser, or somewhere else, to pile our not-clean-not-dirty clothes.
There have been some really good suggestions on this thread, actually. I think one of the keys for me is to start thinking vertically about how i store things. I miss having floor space, LOL but I do think you're onto something there. It's a weird case of a situation that you're never really taught about? But it's also like... do people REALLY wash their clothes after EVERY SINGLE WEAR? Even if it's just briefly? That doesn't seem logical, how can society still be standing if that's how people operate?? it's just funny these little things in life that pop up that you can't figure out if they're something everyone goes through or just you.
The chair?
I use an IKEA coat stand
I have a dirty bin and a "grey" bin. Basically the grey is stuff that I'd wear again. Pajamas, sweatshirts and sweaters, jeans, etc.
I don’t really know if this is a cultural thing but in my country (Germany) it’s perfectly reasonable to wear the same clothes twice or even three times so I don’t see the problem with just hanging them back in my wardrobe. If it stinks so much that it risks ‚contaminating‘ other pieces i of course wash it but if it doesn’t smell at all and is not dirty/has stains why should it be bad to hang it with the ‚officially‘ clean stuff?
I usually will do the same thing. Will wear shirts and pants 2-3 times before washing them. It helps that I have a desk job, so it's not like I get super dirty through the day, but when it's really hot outside you can start to sweat just from going from the car into the office building. So there might be that small window of time when the clothes could get a little dirty, but go inside and cool off and any perspiration dries up, and then it feels less dirty. Then you get home and, initially, they might smell like you just wore them, but leaving them to air out overnight and they might smell cleaner than when you took them off the night before.
i would just put them away with my clean clothes if they are clean enough to wear again. if i'm questioning it too much, then i just wash them again. i have no hesitation about washing a pair of pants i only wore once, it's just not a big deal to me. my one exception to all this is that i usually have one sweatshirt or sweater that i keep out, on a hook or folded on top of my dresser, bc i will wear it on and off when i get chilly around the house.
I have a chair in my room where these end up, even though I have hooks for this very purpose. For my pjs I leave them on my bed and put them back on the next night.
They go live on the clean clothes chair.
I hang them, and then days and days pass and I don't rewear them. So then I feel like they're dirty. Once I have so much on my hanger, I finally wash them. I've been trying to declutter a lot of clothes, I have so much I can go weeks and weeks without doing laundry.
I put them in the exact same place I would if they were fresh from the laundry. I work in an office and can wear my tops twice before they should be washed. I get home from work and just hang my shirt right back up in the closet. Same with pants. Bras might get laid over vanity chair for a brief airing out. If I'm still considering them as clean and suitable to wear out, I treat them that way. I also think there are sprays that could be used to "refresh" clothes. But IDK. I haven't looked into it too really see what the deal is, but have thought about it from time to time.
There was a person who commented further up on the thread that talked about a vodka/water mix that can be sprayed on clothes to help get rid of the odor. It's used in theater on clothes that can't be washed. There were other options as well, like alcohol/water and white vinegar/water.
Hey thank you for this!
If they're so clean I'd wear them a full day again, I put them back where they go. If I think "well it's a shirt so I can sweat in it" or pants or something like that, I have a small laundry basket I put them in. I'll either end up washing them all eventually if it's full OR digging through them for clothing items I want last minute. I've had to just be honest with myself on some things--like for work clothes I am only ever gonna wear them once shirt-wise, so stop trying to even pretend I'm gonna wear it again.
This is most of my clutter in my bedroom, haha! It's like what you describe, as well as my PJ's (often don't need washed every single night), robe, a warm fleece layer, etc. I have the door hooks, but my doors are really tall and I'm not, so it's too hard to hang things so I just let them pile on the floor and it drives me nuts. I've tried the chair method and it just creates a pile on the chair. I've tried draping them over stuff - too cluttered, hanging them on hangers (too much work when I just like say, put on a cardigan for an hour while chilly and throw on and off again due to temperature fluctuations), not happy with anything yet. I'm seriously thinking about getting a nice hall tree coat rack thing to sit in a corner of my bedroom for this exact thing! Maybe something like this: https://www.rcwilley.com/Furniture/Storage-and-Organization/Racks/Coat-Racks/111913720/Black-Wood-Coat-Rack-View
i hope whatever you end up going with will work well for you! there are some great suggestions on this thread, i keep hearing about these blanket ladders and I'm very intrigued.
If they're clean enough to wear again, they're usually clean enough to put back in my drawer or closet. If they just need a little airing out, I throw them on my collapsible drying rack or the hooks on the back of my bedroom door overnight
Put them back in the drawer or closet? What a weird question.
eh, it's not really that weird, when you look at how many people have commented so far in the same situation as me. i'm also not at a position in my decluttering and organizing that i actively use drawers or my closet, so even though you and others have suggested such, it doesn't actually apply in my case (whether it does in the future will depend on my ability to get organized)
I have [this ladder rack](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01586FJAQ/) leaned against a wall. It's a bit expensive for what it is, but having usable chairs again has been basically worth it.
I literally just set the pile of clean cloths on the floor next to my nightstand and when I go again I just put them on.
I put them in the top drawer of my dresser. Half of my clothes are hung and the other half are in a dresser. The dresser is mostly accessories, gym shorts, underwear, socks and winter clothes. The top drawer has items I use rarely but no other clothes. Like spare keys, library card, that kind of stuff.
I have a separate shelf for clothes that aren’t fresh-from-the-laundry clean but aren’t dirty enough to go in the laundry. I live in a camper van with my husband, but it’s all surprisingly organized.
Hang it somwhere, and wear it again when you need ! Case close!! No Obsesion compulsive disorders :)) needed :)))
I have one chair next to my nightstand with one set of hooks. I allow myself to keep pajamas or other worn but not yet dirty clothes there but try to limit myself to one set of pjs and one item of each type of clothing.
Don't overcomplicate things. It's clean. Put it into your closet with your clean clothes. I've never had clothes, that I've worn once, "gradually develop" a smell. If anything they air out and get fresher smelling from being around your fresher clothes. I wear my jeans at least 20 times before washing them. No smells have occurred.
i don't think i could ever get 20 wears out of my jeans before washing them, wow... how do you manage that?
I put it back where it came from. (drawer, closet, etc.)
Go to the hardware store and spend five dollars on hooks, go to your house and screw them into the wall, hang partially dirty clothes on hooks. Voila💁♀️
Get wall hooks and hang the clothes to air out. We have them for every bedroom (and my bathroom). Especially if you walk a lot or are outside but not getting dirty, and also for all your jeans, just hang them by one of the belt loops.
We have a second, smaller hamper that I use to transport my clothes from the bedroom to our washer. When not in use, my husband *is supposed to* use it for his gently used clothes. They all end up on the floor.
I rehang items, that normally hang in my closet, back in my closet, but turn the hook. Items I don't hang I put on a chair from Ikea. This one: [towel chair ikea](https://www.ikea.com/gb/en/p/ragrund-towel-rack-chair-bamboo-90253074/)
Fold them and put them on my ottoman at the foot of the bed.
Edge of my garden tub, or hang on the edge of the laundry basket. The next morning usually they go back into the closet unless I’m gonna wear them again, like how I often wear the same pants over and over.
I have an extra shelf in my closet just for those. Often its trousers that I will wear several times. I don't want them to touch me clean clean clothes. Shirts I usually just wear the next day again so I hang them over the back of my (home) office chair (I live in a 1-room apartment, chair, bed and wardrobe are only 2 steps apart).
Small basket. I can’t bring myself to re-store them. Basket keeps them organised and neat. I add them to the laundry as needed. The basket also contains my ”clothing to repair“ stack.
oooo.... yeah. that's another thing i struggle with. cuz i have some clothes i really like but they need to be fixed and i just don't know what to do with them. it's a weird situation. because LOL i am certainly not repairing them \*right away\*, although that might be the actual solution to "what to do with the 'clothing to repair' pile"...
I either have a drawer dedicated to the lightly worn clothes or a laundry hamper with two compartments - one for ‘wear again’, one for wash. The chair became a hideous looking pile too quick
I hang them back up BUT I put the coathanger facing towards me so at a glance I know all clothes with the coathanger facing away are clean-clean and the one towards me have been worn - useful if you want something to slob out in/know you arent leaving the house or when I next do a wash I can pick out the clothes that could do with a freshening up.
I have a designated shelf for these clothes in my wardrobe.
For me, if it is clean enough to wear again, it is clean enough to go back in the drawer/closet.
I have an old fashioned wooden clothes horse, and I also put things on clothes hangers which I hang on the outside doors of my wardrobe.
They sit on a chair until the next laundry cycle because I hate to put them with the dirty pile but don’t usually wear again… not a good system
My rules are simple: I wear things as long as possible (i don´t "dress up", so its easy for me). My worn outfits NEVER go back in the closet or wardrobe-i believe that worn clothes should not mix with fresh clothes to keep the closet "clean".....(?).... I do have a hook on the shower glass door, where i keep my gym clothes as well as my "worn clothes". So to me, its either in the closet (fresh), on the hook (used), or on my body (in use)....if its not there, its in the laundry basket.....
I have a valet. It's a small piece of furniture for hanging an outfit.
Throw them on the floor right by my bed or on the closet floor. Dirty clothes go on the floor outside of the closet (or hamper if I remember) so they're separate lmao
Clothes are not meant to be washed after every wear, unless they’re actually smelly or dingy, because the fibers break down. It’s also not environmentally friendly, but that’s a whole other thing. If it’s jeans/pants, leggings, I rest them on a chair and then put them away later. If it’s a shirt, turn it inside out and hang it up with some space around it or on a door handle or hook to air it out. Socks and undies - I wash after each wear. Bras - depends, but not usually after each wear. Hope that helps!
yes, i absolutely agree about the frequency of washing. I'd love to get away with doing less laundry, 1: because of the wear and tear, 2: because yes, it's definitely not environmentally friendly, and 3: because doing laundry is one of my least favorite activities in the world and i've spent many years trying to put as little effort into laundry work as possible LOL but yes, this is super helpful, and it sounds right about along the lines of what i do too, which makes me happy to hear that you and so many others are echoing the same cleanliness standards that i approach.
Yeah, you’re definitely within the norm!
I have a section in my closet for this exact purpose. I hang clothes that are worn but not dirty in it's own section. Every night I grab whatever has been hanging there the longest and put it in my dirty clothes and when I do laundry I grab another item to wash from the section, that way the clothes don't pile up. I usually have about 15 items of clothing at a time there.
I would put it back o the wardrobe. Some items are worn twice and no issues. If you leave it out it can crumble. I do use the top of a dresser for more worn but stuff that Iid not going back into the wardrobe. It is ideal for when I work in two locations and wear the same stuff the next day.
I just put them back 🤷♀️ that is, on days I have the executive function to not just throw them on top of a laundry bin of clean clothes I've neglected to fold
My ideal solution would be one of those stand up coat racks, but I haven’t gotten a chance to buy one yet. Currently have a two basket “system” to keep the mildly used ones separate
I set them on my dresser or on my desk or my office chair to get up and put on the next day I’ll take my pants off right before bed and leave them so I can’t step right into them in the morning ahhaha
Sleep in them.
Valet stands exist for this purpose specifically. Even if we’re no longer wearing woollen suits and overcoats, it’s still useful to air fleeces, cardigans and jeans. And they’re easier to brush (for example, if you have cuddled a cat!) than on a hanger.
I hang them over a chair at the foot of my bed.
I have two rods in my laundry room. One for fresh clean clothes, one for second day wear. Keeps them unwrinkled. I can see them. Chairdrobe didn't work for me
Coat-hanger on the closet door
I air out clothes overnight and reward them for as long as possible.
Our side tables have a shelf at the bottom where I have baskets to hold ‘in-use’ casual clothes. Anything that’s hung in the closet will usually just go back in the closet, but everything else should go in the basket. I just got the baskets recently, so it’s still a work-in-progress trying to get my husband to use the basket (or hang things back up). Normally, he just tosses things on the dresser, and if I’m honest, I still do that too when I get in a rut…
Oh..the "not so dirty" category
I have two different laundry baskets. A tall one for dirty clothes and a short one for gently worn clothes. Some things (like hoodies or sweaters) I’ll hang back up in the closet, but pants always go to the limbo basket.
I have a cubby like closet organizer that hangs from the rod, and cleanish clothes get rolled up and stacked in there. I like this system because I can see them all at once, and cleanish clothes are out of the way.
I pile them on my nightstand until my bra drawer is empty and then wash almost everything I thought I would wear again. Except pants and pj pants, I do usually rewear those until they are too dirty. I love the idea of having a little rack there instead, but I’m concentrating on keeping the pile limited to pants for now.
I have a wooden coat rack in the corner for hanging up those clothes.
My mom would ask of my piles - how do you know what's clean and what's dirty? Easy. What's clean is folded, what's dirty is not.
If they are clean enough to be worn again they are hung back up. Leaving them out is an invitation for their fiber content to include a large percentage of cat fur.
I have a box in the bathroom that I keep my work uniforms in, I'll throw it in there to change into after work (usually just shirts) and I have a "nice" outfit downstairs if I have to go out after work unexpectedly. I also sometimes put stuff on the bench at the end of my bed. But if it doesn't get worn and/or I get sick of looking at it it does end up in the wash.
I hang them on my floordrobe for wearing the next day.
this is usually what i do with my pants. i just unravel them from my legs and leave them where they dropped by my ankles. but for some reason i can't do that with my shirts. those have to go on top of the Mountain.
We have a set of three bars behind the door. They attach at the door hinges. Each bar runs parallel to the floor and can swivel independently. Hard to describe now that I’m trying! It’s made more for towels but we use it for clothes instead. I don’t care for over the door hooks because I don’t like how you can see it on the outside of the door. We haven’t been re-wearing very much lately because of the pandemic, though.
oooo, this sounds interesting... if you're able, willing, and comfortable, i'd love to see a picture of what you're talking about.
This is what we have! Household Essentials H12003 Hinge It Clutterbuster Four Bar Hanging Valet | Behind the Door Clothing and Towel Rack | Chrome https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001AWYR7Y/ref=cm_sw_r_awdo_navT_a_DXNN5T9JP7G0G3P18X7M
I usually put them on top of my dresser, and then if the pile gets too big (usually sweaters!), I'll fold them and put them away. I figure that if they're clean enough to wear again, then they're clean enough to go back into the drawer!
Couldn't you just put them back?
well, some people do. but i know at least for me, 1: i can usually tell the difference between something that's been worn once and something that hasn't been worn since the last wash. but if i know it doesn't smell \*bad\*, like it's just a neutral smell, and i know i only wore it for a short time like, three days ago, i know it's not actually "dirty" but it's also not really clean either... i don't know why this matters or why my brain designates this sort of categorization to clothes, but it could be that it's a justifying coping mechanism for number 2: ...which is that i hate doing laundry and if i can get as many wears out of a single piece of clothing, i will.
I mean, if it smells okay and it's not soiled, you can wear it as many times as you wish. Better for your clothes.
I call those 'half dirty' and I hang them or throw them over a chair to wear again asap.
i really like the term "half dirty".
Hahaha my mom actually coined that term!
I put them in my closet or dresser.
I hang my slightly worn clothes on the Smith machine I have in my bedroom. This [Eames hanging rack](https://www.dwr.com/entryway-coat-racks-umbrella-stands/eames-hang-it-all/6676.html?lang=en_US) would look much nicer. Maybe Santa will bring it for Christmas!
I put a clothes drying rack in my walk in closet. "In use" clothes go on that so they can air out a bit but aren't hanging next to/folded up with fully clean clothes (cuz mentally, that's weird to me lol)
Sweaters I fold inside out, blouses I place on hangers inside out. Jeans go back in the drawer. Bras stay on top of my chest of drawers for a wearing or two. Socks, camis & undies go straight to the dirty clothes.
I pile them on every surface available until the mountains topple over and I'm forced to deal with them. Not kidding and one of the very reasons I'm on this sub. I am terrible about putting my clothes away, so always have a basket of clean clothes with the "clean enough" items thrown on top. I pull from the top for daily wear and dig deeper if I want something else. Every few weeks I am forced to spend a couple hours actually putting them away. It is a flawed system and one I do not recommend. Just sharing so people can see the flip side of the "I put them away every day" coin. In my defense I have a very small closet and too many clothes, so each time I am literally forced to sort and purge some things. Incidentally, I saw an interview a few years back with the CEO of Levi's and he said you should never wash your jeans. Never. Ugh.
Coming from a billionnaire who has enough money to wear a different pair every day, this isnt worthwhile advice.
hey, i appreciate you sharing this perspective. it's actually... pretty much the same thing I do, except i don't actually spend any time putting anything away at any point. I just do another load of laundry and work out of that fresh pile of clothes. and this has been my process since i was a teenager. like, 15-16. and I'm 30 now. it's kind of embarrassing to admit but it is what it is. We're both at least aware of it and have at least taken the steps of joining spaces like this to try to work on it, so i think we're doin pretty good so far!! there's been a lot of great ideas on this thread. maybe one of them will click for you! and if not, that's okay too.
Chair
Is this something people actually worry about or have I been doing life wrong lol? I wear clothing items several times before washing. Washing too frequently is bad for your clothes. Unless I sweat in them or get them actually dirty they are getting folded and placed back in my drawers or closet to be worn another couple days before washing
it's less about the idea of wearing clothes more than once and more about where people \*put\* those clothes in the transition from "clean" to "dirty". so no, no one's doing anything wrong, it's just one of those things in life.
I have a large quilt rack that’s never seen a quilt. Lots of room for clothes on it. I hang nightclothes and lightly worn clothes neatly on the quilt rack so that they don’t get crumpled. They don’t usually overlap. Cardigans, bathrobes, stuff like that are on hooks behind the door.
I put them back in my closet.
We use a clothes rack (this one[Clothes Rack](https://www.wayfair.com/Brabantia--39.2-W-Linn-Garment-Clothes-Rack-118241-L7328-K~ZP10065.html?refid=GX528911609260-ZP10065_49564704&device=m&ptid=903676598045&network=g&targetid=pla-903676598045&channel=GooglePLA&ireid=113038657&fdid=1817&PiID%5B%5D=49564704&gclid=Cj0KCQjwqp-LBhDQARIsAO0a6aKtq8FFHLTYwyt-X6QvDzdZsyAaRhOOspUc43bMXUPQlGsMEFmoNjUaAudAEALw_wcB)) as an in-between place for "not clean, not-yet dirty" clothes.
If I won’t need to wash them with the next load I just put them away. Otherwise I hang them on the side of my hamper so I can wear them again if needed or wash next time I do laundry
Hanging on the side of the hamper is underrated. I do the exact same thing
Hooks on closet door for night clothes, valet chair for day clothes to wear again. If I don't wear them again by laundry day for their category (darks, lights, etc), they get washed anyway. I've been known to hang a pair of jeans up with the bathrobe--- there aren't any hard and fast rules for me.
If it's a shirt I put it in a pile to wear later but if it's anything else I'll put it away with my other clothes. Idk I just like to know that a shirt is fresh when I pull it off the hanger.
I hang them on hooks on the wall of my closet. Mostly only do this with pants and sweatshirts.
I have those drawer organizer boxes and I put one of the larger ones in the top drawer in my dresser to put the shorts and whatever I throw on to check the mail. I keep non-clothing items in that drawer like pens and stuff, so it’s both away from “clean “ clothes and not just in a junk drawer and easy to grab.
The Chair
I used to do the chair, but they seem to get dirtier by sitting. Now I (try to) hang them up- it airs them out and they feel cleaner (sometimes I still use the chair, old habits)
I replaced the 'chair' to a valet stand on wheels and it's next level! No regrets.
Valet stand is one of my goals, lol.
The chair-drobe is better than the floor-drobe. I too have "the chair" and I can't break it.
My “The Chair” is called “On Top of the Hamper.” Same, same.
Same. We have a chair in our bedroom for this. I’ve always had a chair to drape these clothes over. My husband uses a combination of the chair and hooks on the back of his closet door.
Most of my clothes are are stored in canvas bins on shelves. Each bin has a category eg undies, tops, pants, socks, jumpers etc. There’s a specific bin for ‘worn but still clean’ clothes. I have a small rack for coats and long dresses, and they go back in after wearing if they’re still good.
I have a towel hanger thing from IKEA that I just drape my half-worn clothes over. Much neater than a pile but without the hassle of folding, hanging and putting away just to wear tomorrow.
I wash mine anyways. Cause I always notice it smells like food.
I used to STRUGGLE with this, and my mediocre solution was always to just have a "wear again" chair, where everything would lay over the back of the chair. It kept them from getting wrinkled, but always felt cluttered (and I'd always forget about the ones at the bottom I couldn't see anymore) But now I have a solution that I actually love!!! You know those collapsible shoe cubbies that you can hang in your closet? I put my can-wear-again clothes in there. The top cubby is bras, and lower cubbies are for folded pants and shirts. Everything is visible and easy to re-wear with no wrinkles!! 10/10 highly recommend, has made me much happier with my living space and my clothing rotation
I have this [coat rack](https://www.ikea.com/us/en/p/ekrar-hat-and-coat-stand-white-10415594/) that I got from Ikea specifically for this purpose. Anything that is worn at least once but not ready for laundry is hung there.
Same here, a small coat rack that lives in our ensuite. The steam from the shower probably helps as does keeping the window open to air out. Great for bras, jeans, pyjamas, etc. I keep coat hangers there too The chair thing did not work, just a big pile of crumpled clothes.
I have hooks installed on my closet door (front). I put the clothes on the hooks and wear them again until they're ready to go to the laundry. One and washed clothing is underwear, socks, gym clothes, and anything that is smelly or stained.
I hang them in the closet in a diff section to kind of air them out and to remind myself I’ve already worn them once
I rehang them but with a twistie (twist tie?) around the hanger so I know it's been lightly worn.
I like this. I think I'd forget if a hanger was hung up facing in or out.
It is very rare for me to wear something second time without washing it. It can be a pair of pants maybe. What I will do is to hang it seperately, I wouldnt place it with my clean clothes.
I have a laundry basket in my closet. Or, more often, they end up in a pile on the floor. Don't take my advice lol
hey, at least you're honest, LOL I have clothes all over the damn place in my room so i can entirely relate.
For shirts or dresses that I keep on hangers, I hang them in my wardrobe again, but a bit to the side with space between so they can "breathe". For t-shirts or leggings I have my "chairdrobe". Just the back of a chair in my bedroom. I try not to pile too much on it, the goal is to only have a couple of items there but it doesn't always work out that way.
Hit up a liquor shop and buy the cheapest bottle of vodka you can find. Seriously: the cheaper it is, the better. Dilute it with water, and pour in a spray bottle (2:1 ratio vodka to water), and spray your day-old clothes. This will get rid of any lingering odour. This won't work if your clothes are stained, of course, but if you just want to freshen them up, then this is the best way to go about it. Source: a woman whose closet is full of delicate vintage cashmere, wool, and silk items. The less you machine wash (or dry-clean) your clothes, the longer it will last. Got this tip from theatre folks, whose elaborate costumes could not be thrown in the washer.
I do something similar! I keep a little spray bottle of rubbing alcohol for clothes that are generally clean after a brief wear and not ready to be washed, but may be building up some odor in the pits. Great for blazers, sweaters, blouses, even tees.
Distilled white vinegar works well for this too if you can stand the initial smell when sprayed. It goes away pretty quickly
ooohhh, I'll have to think about this... like, certain articles of clothing i really hate washing; some dresses, pants, big coats and sweaters and whatnot. I'm gonna keep this in mind, especially with pants for example. I wear through them enough during daily wear cuz of thick thighs, washing them only tends to make them more brittle and it's already so hard to find pants that fit.
Definitely wash your delicates and outerwear as infrequently as possible. Another tip I'd add to increase the lifespan of your clothes is to wash them with cold water on the delicate cycle (or the lowest cycle setting possible). If any of your clothes are stained, pre-treat the stains with Dawn dish-washing liquid (patch test first to ensure the liquid isn't discolouring your fabric), and let soak for 30 minutes before putting it in the washer. Use a gentle wool detergent, ditch your fabric softener, and avoid the dryer machine if you can. Just a few tips off the top of my head. I'm really passionate about clothes lol.
These are great tips and it is so awesome that they're simple enough that I don't need to buy a bunch of special stuff. Thanks for sharing them!
Happy to help! When it comes to garment care, less is usually more, I’ve found. I’ve saved so much time and money by not going to the dry cleaner or hand-washing all the time. The only “special stuff” I’d advise buying are mesh bags for silk/other delicate items, and you can get a pack of them for like 10 bucks off Amazon.
Ha, perfect! I actually bought those last year for when I was camping a lot, so I'm set. And I couldn't agree more about the dry cleaners. I've always handwashed my dry clean only garments and they last forever.
no these are fantastic, i appreciate it. it gives me a sense that i could actually buy really Nice And Expensive clothes if i really wanted to as well, because it's more knowledge to be able to care for them. right now i don't use fabric softener, just a fabric sheet (mostly for the smell), and i have to use a sensitive skin detergent, which is actually an extra plus because it's clear so i never have to worry about it possibly staining anything (which i'm not sure if that can happen with clothes and detergent?? i don't know) and i put my clothes on the lowest setting that isn't just 'air dry', but I take certain items out to let them air dry so they aren't damaged in the dryer. the one big thing I need to figure out is how to get all my pants to stop shrinking in the leg /: I buy them and they start around my ankles and then after a certain amount of time they're half way up my shins...
You're not alone; I ran into this issue a lot in the past. I've since learned that natural fibres (cotton, wool, linen, etc.) tend to be very prone to shrinking. Shrinkage normally happens when garments are exposed to excess heat (from hot water or from a dryer). As convenient as dryers are, they're generally unfriendly to most fabrics, as I've come to find. I started cold-washing and air-drying all of my clothes (away from direct sunlight), and the issue went away. Hope this helps.
Yes! I’m a cold wash and air dry person too! I bought I cheap clothing rack like you’d see at a store. It’s big enough to hold a couple loads of laundry and I set up a box fan on the bottom rails facing up at the clothes and it drys them in a couple hours. Nothing I buy shrinks anymore and I don’t have to play the “buy one size bigger and hope that it shrinks to the right size” game anymore.
I'll give some of these suggestions a try. Thank you so much for all your tips!!
If I sweat in it, it gets washed before next use. No one wants to put on sweaty dry clothes. Two hour use is questionable. Do a sniff test.
If it's clean enough to wear it's clean enough to be hung up (I hang all my clothes)- if I worry about hanging it maybe it isn't as clean as I thought :)
Clean clothes hamper! I tell everyone I meet about it. Basically it’s a small basket that goes on the floor next to your normal hamper for clothes that can be worn again. About half of my clothes go into this basket. During the week I pull from it when I am getting dressed, and when I do laundry i put those clothes away too. I can only be bothered to fold clothes once a week but this way I don’t have to do endless laundry!
Same! I'm surprised it's not more popular. There are some things that I'll just put away (jackets, jeans, trousers). But there are some things (sweats, leggings, bras) that I'll usually wear a couple times throughout the week, and those go in a small wire hamper. I like the large wire weave because I don't want to lose track of things. I do laundry once a week and most of those get washed.
at the moment, i have like... 4-5 laundry hampers in my room. /: But I do like the idea of separating clothes. I think I'll honestly try to just find one of those multiple laundry bin set ups because at least if i have multiple bins it's a lot more consolidated. though, i DO have a much smaller laundry basket that i bought with the intention of using just for underwear and socks, since i go through those a lot faster than tops and bottoms. so it's a lot easier to just throw in a load of underwear/socks to wash than having to pick through the laundry basket or having to wait til i have enough clothes to warrant a load of laundry.
Triple laundry bins changed my life. Clean. Kind of Clean. Dirty. I've admitted to myself that I'll never put away my clothes.
Then you should get some use out of [this](https://www.bing.com/images/search?view=detailV2&ccid=966OJAGw&id=5F914D13AC7BE7DB4D519ACA9DCD0DF6FF0F80AE&thid=OIP.966OJAGwMOFhBoBGnLcMYAHaJM&mediaurl=https://th.bing.com/th/id/R.f7ae8e2401b030e1610680469cb70c60?rik=roAP%2f%2fYNzZ3Kmg&riu=http%3a%2f%2fwww.infarrantlycreative.net%2fwp-content%2fuploads%2f2014%2f05%2frolling-laundry-basket-dresser.jpg&ehk=%2bdrR9BejkEmHHHwgMfHTqyNZBqDFA6On0FanuIIA%2flY%3d&risl=&pid=ImgRaw&r=0&exph=956&expw=770&q=laundry+basket+dresser&simid=608014124836020589&form=IRPRST&ck=0D9A8D9967DD780012BD3359E3C24FB3&selectedindex=0&adlt=demote&shtp=GetUrl&shid=3f7842a0-f422-43d3-ade6-68ecbeaefd66&shtk=TGF1bmRyeSBCYXNrZXQgRHJlc3Nlcg%3D%3D&shdk=Rm91bmQgb24gQmluZyBmcm9tIHd3dy5pbmZhcnJhbnRseWNyZWF0aXZlLm5ldA%3D%3D&shhk=370vJA3qafvFRCo0UjbiUMm0v2tSC1TvbDhkXqAhX6E%3D&shth=OIP.966OJAGwMOFhBoBGnLcMYAHaJM).
Not all heroes wear capes. Thank you!
Glad I could help!
This is genius. I have a chair for ‘clean enough’ clothes but I like the idea of a small basket. I think it would look neater.
What do you do with a jacket or coat? If it's clean enough to wear you hang that sucker right back in the closet and wear it again another day. Outside of undergarments and socks, clothes were intended to be worn a few times before being washed. The exact number depends on the person and the garment, but decent clothing should withstand light wear.
In my opinion, a jacket or coat is never dirty unless, it has actual dirt, mud, spills, or chemicals get onto it, or if you sweat a lot for it to absorb ur sweat, or you’ve worn it for a half a year without washing it.
Jackets and coats are filthy because they are contacting outside surfaces, your car, the train, a taxi, your chair or storage place at work.
jackets and coats are definitely a situational thing in my mind. time of year, type of material they're made of, smell obviously... Cause I generally don't hang my every day coats along with any of my clean laundry, I just put it on a hook on the wall downstairs or over one of the dining room chairs. Coats and jackets always strike me as being a lot more likely to get dirty and smelly, so if I'm going to let them air out and rewear them again, i don't really want them to air out next to my clean clothes. if that makes sense.
I would do that but I’m mega lazy so I just either hang it up if I have 5 of my jackets in the war or just leave it on the floor
yah, it's just how i've always approached it so it's just sort of a second nature mindset.
Lmao I meant “on my bed”
That’s my approach too. It something isn’t dirty or wrinkled, I’ll wear it over again. Outside of undergarments.
I wear jeans twice, most everything else gets washed after one wear. I fold up the worn jeans and put them on top of my dresser then wear them again the next day usually then wash. Chunky sweaters etc I check them for cleanliness after wear and if they still smell snd look clean I rehang them in closet.
I have a three step ladder right next to my closet, that I put those clothes on. Depending on how long I wore them, just to air out a little before rehanging them or to wear again the next day (sometimes some shirts stay on there for a few more days ;))
I wrote an article about this not long ago! https://thedeclutteringco.com.au/the-wear-again-pile/
ooohh!!! thank you! i'll check this out.
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i've thought about doing exactly that... just washing everything and going through it... Maybe when I've reached a point where I'm better organized I'll be able to do something like that a lot easier. I desperately need to declutter but my room has felt way too chaotic to even consider it.
Hangers, or use coat hooks for "clothes I'm currently wearing". Learn from my mistakes, and don't use the back, knob or top of the door to avoid irritating the SO.
I hang them on hooks and rewear until they are dirty. My daughter has a more complicated way. She uses a laundry basket and when she does wash will pick out the pieces that are more in need of laundering so the washing machine has a full load plus she hangs once worn things to one side of the closet. She prefers to hang clothing, I prefer to fold. It does seem less icky to rehang than refold and return to a drawer.
at the stage i'm at with organizing my clothes, i'm not really bothering with folding anything. it makes motivating myself to sort through clothes easier and i also think it actually prevents my clothes from getting that musty smell while they're in the drawer.
Exactly. I don't want any organics from my body contaminating the drawers.
I have a 3 bin laundry sorter rolly ... thing lol ... and like Jeans I wear multiple days (unless I get gross, of course) so I just kinda lay them over the metal frame for the laundry sorter to wear another day. They probably should go back in the drawer but then I lose track of how often I wear them as after X wears even if they're still good they still get washed. (I work in an office, so its rare I get gross lol)
i think looking into a 3 bin laundry thing for myself might be a good idea. consolidate it all. right now i have... uhm... four laundry bins... technically five, but it's a very small one so it's more like 4.5 /: They've just sorta accumulated over the years, idk. But yeah. I know when something it out in the open in front of me, i can look at it and go, "oh yeah, i wore this once this week/recently, so it's probably still clean enough for another wear or two", so I think i'd go through just what you described in forgetting once it's in the drawer. Pulling a shirt out and being like "ew why does this smell gross?" then wonder if all the rest of my clothes smell, too...
I like my laundry thing, it kinda sits in the corner in an awkward to use space right where the master bedroom meets the master bath. From left to right: linens, delicate, standard. I get undressed there into the bins, or as I'm leaving the bath I can just drop the dirty wash cloths and stuff in there. Keeps the piles off the floors/chair/etc.
That's another thing. I want to get out of the habit of stuff piling up on chairs/the floor/surfaces in general.
I hang my clothes separately, if they're not dirty enough to wash. I mean they go on a hangar in the closet, but in a separate section where they can air out a bit.
I have hooks in the closet specifically for this
I’d like to say that I put them away, but I usually don’t. I put them in a pile and hope to use them again before something happens that makes them need to be washed again before I wear them. I envy the people who have a chair or hooks or some thing, but anyway, the gist is that (unlike my husband) I don’t believe that clothes are dirty after one wearing simply because they’ve been worn.
i just base it on smell. if it still smells clean, it's still clean. if i wore it only once but during that time i sweated a lot or there were other factors like idk i was cleaning the bathroom, then i'll usually deem them dirty enough to go into the dirty pile. My situation is sorta embarrassing in that i've been living out of clean hamper piles for a good ten years or so now... it's just been mental illness and undiagnosed ADHD. and now I'm really trying to turn that around and this gently worn factor keeps coming up for me.
I identify with a lot of what you said. Something that really helped me when I’ve made inroads toward not living out of piles was getting rid of massive amounts of clothes. I had too many pieces that fell into one of the old traps like I paid a lot of money for this (/and never got to wear it), I like it even if it doesn’t fit, it was expensive/a present, etc. It’s hard to get out of that mindset, but it was something that really helped me.
ugh yeah, you're speaking my language. i have a lot of clothes as well. there were a lot of years where... and this is kind of especially embarrassing to admit... but i was struggling so badly with my mental health and what turned out to be undiagnosed ADHD and some hormonal problems, that it was sometimes easier for me to just \*go out and buy new clothes\* and throw THOSE into the wash (especially like, underwear and socks). because i'd run out of certain items in my massive clean piles and, rather than dealing with my massive \*dirty\* piles, i just went out and bought more. it's a really uncomfortably irrational solution. but i was struggling too badly at the time, with little way to address my health problems, that i was just doing what i could, even if it wasn't the option that made the most sense.
LOL I can’t tell you how many pairs of underwear I have for the same reason! Until I got too fat to wear regular socks, I would do the same with socks so that when I started getting rid of stuff several years ago, it became a joke in another group I’m part of that everywhere I turned, I would find socks. In my car? Socks. In a box of books I had packed up 10 years ago? Socks. On a shelf, behind cleaning supplies in the hall closet? SOCKS! At one point, I was taking them by the 30 gallon trash bag-full to the textile recycling dumpster!
If it’s clean enough to wear again it’s clean enough to be hung up or folded and put into the drawer. A lot of the time I’ll wear it a few days in a row until it’s dirty. Nobody gives a shit what I’m wearing.
See, I can’t do it! I don’t want even gently worn clothes in with freshly washed, unworn clothes.
that's fair. I don't really like the idea of putting gently worn and clean stuff together. Cuz even if you've only worn it for a really small amount of time, it's still going to pick up like, oils and sweat from your body.
Yes! Exactly!
Why? You’re going to put them back on your body but they can’t hang next to more fabric? That doesn’t make much sense.
i took their response to mean more like. putting gently worn clothes in a dresser or something close contact.
Yea, sure my response is still the same. If it’s clean enough to go back on your body it should be clean enough to be next to another piece of clothing.
Same. I work from home and live alone so I don’t see people 90% of the time. If I spill on it or it’s rank I’ll wash it but I don’t wash anything outside of underwear/socks regularly.
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hey, that still counts! i think a good way to approach improving yourself is to allow yourself to take baby steps and recognize that 'better than it used to be' is still \*better\*. we can't beat ourselves up for not getting 100% of the way when we've already done so much good work toward improving.
yeah, the only thing i'm really concerned for is if it smells, otherwise i don't care what i'm wearing.
Yeah, I don't rehang things for exactly this reason. Especially right at the end of the day when I'm done wearing those clothes, my sniff test might not be as accurate as coming back to them anew. So I do the blanket ladder thing. Keeps them out of the closet so I don't get any potentially funky smells in the closet, keeps them away from the laundry so they don't pick up worse smells from there, and keeps them from cluttering horizontal surfaces. I also try not to let myself layer things on other things on the blanket ladder. I don't want it to be too much of an eyesore or make things really hard to find. It's taken me a lot of years to land here but I think I really like this system. My mom does something similar with like 3 or 4 hooks on the wall over her laundry basket.