With the arrival of the new season, we’ve got spring cleaning — and clothing — on the brain. First order of business? Stashing away the dark and heavy winter gear we’ve been wearing on rotation to make room for light, fresh and colorful finds, including our forthcoming spring collection (stay tuned!)
In a few easy steps and with some earth-friendly cleaning tips, you’ll keep your clothes in pristine condition for next year while you switch your closet over to spring. Let’s get started!
Step 1: Decide what to keep, donate and discard
The arrival of spring is the ideal time to take a good look at your wardrobe to find out what works and what doesn’t. Get out your winter clothes and sort them into three piles: Donate, discard and keep.
In your donation pile, put all the clothes that are still in good shape but no longer fit you or suit your taste. Pack these up to give to your favorite charity. You can also sell your items at a number of resale sites online to fund your new spring threads.
At Leena & Lu, we’re all about reusing and recycling and promoting a sustainable fashion lifecycle. So don’t put the clothes that are stained, ripped or torn in the trash (and then the landfill). See what can be repaired, either by yourself with a few sewing basics or by your tailor. Donate clothing beyond repair to a textile recycling center. Or, you could use your rags to spring clean the rest of your home, ditching the paper towels and making one more planet-friendly choice. At Leena & Lu, the offsets from our Pima cotton sleepwear are used to make undergarments for women in need, while any remaining scraps that are too small for garments become stuffing for dog beds that benefit local animal shelters.
You should have one pile left that you’ll store for next year. This is also a great time to see what’s in common with the clothes you want to keep: Perhaps you prize comfort or pockets, or notice you gravitate toward the same colors. What are the items you keep turning to year after year? Use this insight for your spring shopping!
Step 2: Time to clean
Do a load of laundry and scrub any winter gear that might have gotten soiled by snow, salt or mud. Wipe down those boots (and maybe get a pedicure while you’re at it in preparation for open-toed footwear)
When it comes to your cotton sleepwear like Leena & Lu cotton pajamas, we recommend air drying: it saves energy and extends the life of your organic cotton clothing. Cold water is always better too. Use earth-friendly detergents, like the laundry kit created by Branch Basics, another female-founded company we love. Made from natural plant and mineral-based ingredients for a nontoxic home, their cleaning products come in reusable bottles that help us ditch plastic and save money.
Make sure everything is perfectly dried before you put it away to avoid funky smells or worse, mold next year.
Step 3: Get creative with storage
Depending on the size of your home, there are all kinds of ways to store your winter clothing so it’s out of sight and mind until next year. The empty luggage under your bed is the perfect place for stashing clothes in the offseason. You can repurpose wine boxes into shoe storage stowed in your closet. And there are a variety of home organizers, over-the-door racks and vacuum-sealed bags if you’re short on space. Whatever you do, choose a cool, dry and dark location in a temperature-controlled environment rather than one that is affected by the elements, like a garage or attic. Lavender sachets or cedar balls will keep away pests and keep your clothes smelling fresh.
Taking the time to store your winter clothes the right way prolongs the life of your purchases and means you won’t need to buy new items next year.
At Home with Leena & Lu features environmentally friendly household hacks and healthy recipes which, just like our Pima cotton loungewear and sleepwear, are good for your family and the Earth too.
What’s your favorite green spring cleaning tip? What are you most looking forward to wearing this season? Let us know at hello@leenandlu.co.
