I don’t iron my clothes anymore. My iron is collecting dust.
No, I don’t go to work with wrinkled clothes. Instead, I’ve found a few new products that have been a tremendous help with extending the life of my clothes and accessories. Here they are:
Steamer
In my recent article, 5 Tips for Buying Clothes on a Budget, I mentioned that my iron used to destroy my clothes. I always used it on the wrong heat setting, which tended to damage my clothes and shorten the lifespan of some of my favorite pieces. Also, I often chose my outfits based on which items I wouldn’t have to iron rather than choosing based on which items I actually wanted to wear. I hated having to plug my iron in, set up the ironing board, and spend 10-15 minutes each morning ironing my clothes.
So, I stopped.
Nowadays, I use a steamer instead. It’s really quick because the steamer warms up in less than 30 seconds (usually I just plug my steamer in and go make my bed; it’s piping hot long before I’m finished). Also, the steamer I bought on Amazon, here, comes with a standing rack, so I never have to worry about setting up an ironing board. All I do is plug in my steamer, throw my clothes on the rack, steam them, and I’m done.
The actual steaming process usually takes me one or two minutes per garment (yes, really). Blazers with thick fabric take a little longer, maybe four or five minutes tops, but this still far outpaces the time and aggravation of ironing my clothes. I’ve had this steamer for a few months now and I’m obsessed. I talk to everyone about it: my mom, my boss, my boyfriend, my dentist, everyone. I highly recommend it.
Elite Garment Steamer
Pill Remover
Don’t you hate the fuzzy knots that appear on your sweaters? I’ve thrown away so many garments that I loved because they pilled so badly. Cashmere sweaters, especially, are prone to pilling. I recently bought this pill remover, on Amazon here for only $12, and it helped me a TON with this problem.
It’s hard to describe how the product works. Basically, it’s a handheld device and inside the top of it is a small fan with blades on it. The blade fan is covered by a metal sheet with holes in it (see the photo below). You brush your sweater with the device and the blade fan trims off the fuzzy parts of the sweater. I’ve been really pleased by the results I’ve had with this remover. I was so close to throwing away one of my favorite midi-length sweaters until this device brought it back to life.
One word of caution, though: be careful not to press down too hard on your garment with this tool. You really should use a brushing motion on your clothes. If you don’t, you may end up creating a hole in your clothes if you press down too hard and a piece gets stuck in the blades. As long as you’re careful, you won’t have any problems.
Remington Fuzz-Away Fabric Shaver
Jewelry Organizers
I’m sure many of you have jewelry organizers, but this one is my favorite. You have to screw it into a wall, but it’s helpful because it has two rows of hooks for long necklaces and a box for smaller items that sits on top of the hooks. The box is magnetic on the bottom, so you can pull it down and search for things inside as needed.
If you don’t have jewelry organizers, please buy some soon. Nothing is worse than trying to untangle pesky necklaces in the morning when you’re rushing. You’ll end up damaging jewelry you love in the process.
Jack Cube Hanging Jewelry Organizer
Send me a message here if you try any of these products and let me know what you think. Also, don’t forget to check out our “Fits” page for this week’s new looks!
