Laundry. It can feel like such a hassle sometimes, but I love making my laundry day more of a ritual than a chore. It’s just a shift in mindset. If you take a step back and add a little intention, laundry becomes such a simple way to slow down. You can totally transform a basic household task into a mindfulness activity that boosts your style, inspires creativity, and even increases gratitude.

The biggest shift I made is how I think about laundry. Previously, laundry was this annoying task that I had to do. Now, I think about how lucky I am to have all these amazing clothes and how taking care of them will extend their life, keep them in beautiful shape, and more importantly, be ready to wear at any moment. My ritual takes anywhere from 2-3 hours but I’m doing other stuff in between. I also prefer to do this on Sunday because it feels like the perfect day. I usually don’t do anything but enjoy my family, drink coffee, and catch up on magazines and shows. Doing laundry makes me feel really accomplished and ready for the week. It’s a win-win.

3 Steps For A Successful Laundry Day

1. Washing

Before you separate into whites, colors, and delicates, check for stains and spot treat right away if you haven't already (I include denim in my colors). My color pile can withstand a harsher wash and dry so if there are any delicate pieces, include them in the delicate batch. I use a lovely lavender-scented detergent that makes my delicates smell so good and makes the process enjoyable.

2. Drying

You don’t need to dry any of the loads on high heat. I stopped doing this a year ago and my clothes are in much better condition. Even my denim gets dry in one cycle on the “less dry” cycle. Heat ruins clothes. This will make a huge difference. Air dry your delicates and any other pieces you can like sweaters. You could even do a 15-minute dry cycle and then air dry the rest of the way if you’re short on time.

3. Finishing

Take the time to finish your clothes. Steam or iron. I typically steam everything except mens’ shirts and some trousers (I iron them). Things with collars need a crisp edge only an iron can provide. Use a lint shaver on everything that is pilling, not just sweaters. I use one on my sweatpants. It makes everything look newer and last longer. Then go over for any missing buttons, stray threads, or alterations needed. Then hang up, fold and put away with pride and gratitude for these pieces you bought with your hard earned money. Think about how good they make you feel.

3 Tips To Make Your Clothes Last

I might be like duh, but it’s about simplifying the process. You really don’t need much to take care of your clothes. You just need to do the right things. These 3 things really helped me streamline the process and protect my clothes so they last longer:

Know what your clothes are made of.

This is simple. Look at the tag and look up how to wash that fabric. This can also happen with experience. You really can’t ruin clothes these days unless it’s dry clean only (which you should know) or leather/suede (do not get wet). Pay attention to how clothes are once dried and keep that in mind for next time.

Air Dry!

I know this might seem time-consuming and space-restrictive, but buy an expensive drying rack. The heat of the dryer will ruin clothes quicker over time more than anything else. I do a load of delicate items that include underwear, bras, workout clothes, masks, delicate blouses, etc. on a delicate cycle with a lavender-scented detergent. This whole load gets air-dried. It helps when you don't have to fish certain items out of a wet load to dry in different ways.

Don’t skimp on the finishes.

This includes ironing or my favorite, steaming. And lint shaving! It’s worth it to take the next 15 minutes to steam all your shirts or skirts and go over with a lint shaver real quick. Then, put away properly. That means folding, hanging, etc, not just leaving in a pile by the bed (or laundry basket). I know, I do it too, haha.

I would love to know if you found any of this helpful or any tips you have. Here’s to living with intention and loving what we already have!

jodi xx