The other day on my IG account, someone kindly pointed out that the sweater I was wearing in my photo needed de-pilling. She was absolutely right, and I knew I should have de-pilled it before taking the photo, but I was tight on time and hoped that nobody would notice knowing full-well (of course!) that someone would.
I actually love taking the time to de-pill my sweaters and steam my clothes. I find it to be therapeutic, but I didn’t realize how much these easy havits would make me love my closet more. If you’re looking to add some sustainable habits to your 2021 closet routine, here are some easy sustainable habits you can do which will make you love your closet more and ultimately, shop less.
1 – De-pill sweaters regularly. You can depill your sweaters with a sweater comb or an electric de-piller. If you’re not into doing things by hand and are short on time, the electric de-piller is the way to go. A good de-pilling makes your old sweaters look and feel like new again, leading you to feel less inclined to make an impulse purchase.
2 – Buy a steamer and use it. You don’t have to get one of those tall steamers (although if you have the space and know you would use it regularly, I say go for it), the hand held ones are just fine depending on how often you think you’ll use it. Either way, steaming out your clothing and sweaters before putting them away keeps them looking fresh – there is nothing more appealing than pulling out a garment that feels like new, vs. something that feels neglected and run-down. Of course you will feel like you have nothing to wear if all of your clothes are wrinkled and sad-looking. Give a steamer a go – its way easier than pulling out a clunky ironing board too.
3 – Hang dry your clothes. Drying our clothes with a traditional dryer is tough on fibres and can wear out your clothes faster. If it’s available to you, hang dry your clothes on a line outside – there’s nothing like sun and fresh air to make them feel, smell, and look amazing. Failing that, pop them on a rack near an open window, or simply hang them up in your laundry room or mudroom. (I simply set up my rack in my bathroom when I lived in a condo and didn’t have a proper laundry room). This technique leaves clothes looking fresh and new for longer, making them more appealing for everyday wear.
4 – Plan your outfits in advance. This little activity forces you to spend more time in your closet, and the more time you spend with your clothes, the more they will become like old friends you know and love, and not a closet full of strangers who are always giving you the side-eye. When you take time to plan your outfits, you give yourself the creative freedom to test out new combinations and can step out with confidence in what you’re wearing. This leads to so much more satisfaction with what you already have, which is the first step to a conscious closet.
5 – Get pinning without shopping. Spending time on Pinterest is awesome. It is a wealth of inspiration, but can also be a huge catalyst to impulse buys, or just feeling like what we have is not good enough. If you combine pinspiration with planning your outfits though, you end up with really cool outfits that could totally surprise you! Magic! You’ve just shopped your closet instead of spending money on an item you probably didn’t need in the first place.
As always, thank you for reading!
xx
