Keep work clothes separate from the rest
Short answer: Keep work clothes in their own part of the wardrobe and in their own basket. Then you avoid searching, and you do not wash anything together that does not need it. It is a small habit that saves time and wear on the rest of your clothes.
Why keep them apart
Work clothes often get dirtier and need washing more often. If they sit together with the rest, you end up washing everything equally often, and that wears clothes down unnecessarily. A fixed separation means each kind of clothing can be washed according to its own needs.
How to do it
A shelf or a rail for work clothes and a separate basket for washing is enough. Then you always know where the clothes are and can put them on without searching. See bamboo shirt for men for a shirt that is easy to reach for in the morning.
If the work is dirty
Change at the door and put the clothes straight in the basket. That keeps dirt, dust and odour out of the rest of the house. If the work is very dirty, it helps to have clothes that can be washed often. See bamboo loungewear for men and bamboo tops for women for afterwards.
A basket of its own
A separate basket means work clothes can be washed when it is full, without sorting. That makes washing quicker, and you avoid dirty clothes ending up with those that have only been lightly used. Choose a basket that can stand near the door.
How many sets
Have enough for a week, so you only need to wash once. If you have fewer, washing becomes an urgent job in the middle of the week, and that is when people wash too hot or dry too fast. A calm pace is better for the fabric.
Washing and temperature
Wash work clothes according to the care label, and hotter only if necessary. Heat wears fabric and seams more. If the clothes are just dusty or lightly dirty, an ordinary wash is often enough. Do not use fabric softener, since it leaves a film on the fibres.
Changing after work
A change after work marks that the day is over, and it keeps the work clothes free from the smell of the evening. Put on home clothes, hang the work clothes up if they are clean enough, or put them in the basket if not. It takes a few minutes.
What can be shared
Trousers can often be used for both work and free time if the work does not dirty them. The same goes for tops and shirts worn for one day without sweat. Decide by how dirty the garment is, not by what it is usually used for.
Keeping it going
Choose a fixed place in the wardrobe and stick to it. Set a reminder in the calendar for the first week and treat it as a habit. After a month you no longer have to think about it, and you find the clothes faster and wash less than before.
Frequently asked questions
How many sets of work clothes should you have?
Enough for a week, so you only wash once. If your work is physically demanding, a couple of extra sets mean you always have something clean, even if a wash is postponed.
Should work clothes be washed hotter?
Only if necessary. Heat wears the fabric more, so choose the temperature the care label recommends and wash hotter only for clear dirt or stains that do not come out in an ordinary wash.
Can you use the same trousers for both?
Yes, if the work does not dirty them. Trousers worn for one day without sweat or stains can carry on into free time. If they get dirty, they go in the basket, whatever else they are used for.
You can find the full range at Bamboo-Clothing.com.
