What's Your Method with Clothes You've Worn, That Don't Need Washing Yet?

I don't generally have this problem too much, but the occasionally when I do, I fold them and put them on the empty space on the shelf in the closet. That's normally where we put clothes when we're putting them away, but having a piece or two of clothing there isn't a big deal.

I never put clothes I've worn back in the drawer, I guess it's because they have been worn outside. I hang them on hooks inside the closet door and have a shelf for items I can fold in the closet too. I might wear them several times still, but want to keep the clothes in the drawers fresh.

in my house, each kid has a dresser, and worn-but-wearable clothes go on top ... with the exception of hang-up type clothes (dresses, button-down shirts) ...

hang-up clothes get hung on a hanger and hung back up on their rack, on the far left (their clean clothes get hung on the right, and there is a separator-hanger (one of those ridiculous kind that come with Christmas Dress Outfits, so the hanger is nearly the size of the dress) between the clean and the worn clothes. This has the added advantages of telling me whether a piece of clothing never gets worn (by default it ends up in the center), and also making sure the most-recently-worn item can air a bit before it is squashed up with other clothes (just shove everything to the right when hanging the item on the left).

each kid has a dresser with a stand-alone clothesrack on the top of the dresser (so, from the top down, there is a clothesrack with hanging worn clothes on the left and hanging clean clothes on the right, then a stack of worn playclothes on top of the dresser, then a dresser full of clothes (oh, and I sort the clothes into type but we just toss them in the drawers unless the kid wants to fold them).

this system works the more traditional way, too ;) ... my "worns" go on the floor or in a separate section of my closet (and I try to keep my closet editted enough that there is room for them to air if I leave the door open--lately I've bought too many things at Goodwill ;) and I've been airing items on my robe-hook before I hang them in the closet). When my Ex still was here, he used the same method, and I think he still does.

The other piece I will offer is that I *don't* want my kids to put their stuff in the hamper ... even the oldest has yet to show that she is awake enough at the end of a long day of school (or anything else, but especially after school) to competently decide what is dirty and what is not and most importantly to NEVER put anything that is at all wet into the hamper ... so we have a 'dirty clothes pile' by the hampers, and I still myself go through every item and sort them into dirty/worn ... and make sure every item that is wet gets hung to dry (I mostly use one of those columnar shoe racks, with the many levels, to hang things to dry). (We go to a school that believes in outside every day playtime unless there is lightning ;) ... so wet mud and wet sand and general WET are a big concern ... plus now we don't have a car, so between the bikes and waiting for busses ... well.)

Kid clothes in our house I have yet to see NOT be filthy by lunch, much less dinner (ahem, says more about my son than children in general)...he has his own laundry hamper...so those just get tossed in and washed every few days (helps with sorting too, because we don't have to!). All of his go in the same load...you've probably guessed we don't buy him white clothes except for socks, and those stand up to being washed with the rest. The hamper is one of those colored canvas with attached aluminum frame and handle...so he or I literally just carry the whole thing and upend it into the wash.

For ME...we have the over the door hooks on our bathroom and bedroom door. I just hang them on one of the hooks...and wear again over the next few days. Theoretically my husband is supposed to...but in reality he just tosses his on his side of the bed on the floor. Every few days he or I pick them up and throw them in the wash (whether they need it or not...I'm not doing the sniff test...I just assume a certain level of 'contamination' and think I can be praised not to use tongs ;).

So there you have it. Not perfect, but it's what we do.

All 3 of you sound so lucky and the great thing is ????? YOU KNOW YOU ARE!!! --- my ''hat'' off to one smart lady.

Regarding your question-- I am 64 and I promise you-- your question is very sensible -- my parents and grandparents' generation never once considered that clothes could only be worn once before being cleaned--- sometimes clothes would be worn for --- never mind- you don't want to know how long they were worn before being washed. -- My suggestion is a good big plastic hanging '''bag''' ( the kind you might put a gown in? -- you know? ) -- for clothes that have been worn but are not soiled. And folding clothes?? -- how about a clear plastic stacking bin or a designated drawer for those-- you are so right- some clothes that have been on our bodies for a day--- just don't need to be washed again-- it wears 'em out and it's wasteful.

I'll be smiling all day thinking about how nice it is to hear from a happy person ( I didn't accuse you of having no problems - but you clearly know how fortunate -- SMART is an understatement)

I agree with Jennifer S. They won't taint your other clean clothes.

Hey K. - In my house clothes are considered still clean if there are no visible dirty spots and they do not smell bad, so those go back into the dresser drawer or closet where they belong. They don't "taint" the other clean clothes, because they don't smell bad, otherwise they would have gone into the washer.

I'm constantly getting after my girls to immediately put their clothes where they belong (either away or in the hamper) because when they've been left on the bed or floor they inevitably get stepped on or start to smell bad and then they have to go in the hamper and it's a waste of energy.

Good luck with your routine.

we have a chair in our bedroom, and clothes that we can wear again usually get folded and put there. as for my oldest daughter's clothes, we fold them and put them on top of her dresser.

Hi K.,..
I used to the same thing too,. wonder where to put the
worn clothes separate from the washed clothes. I always had a hard time finding a spot. So I was going to use one of those accordian style hooks for the wall... when I found a coat rack at a thrift store. it works perfect. I now also keep my purse and hats handy too.
I have since also freed up space in my closet for a folded stack and a bit of hanger space for vests & hangered shirts.

For my kids clothes.. the ones that happen to make it all day without getting dirty or were only put on after what they were wearing did become too dirty.. I save for a few days to 'use' when they do get too dirty in something else. mostly I just put them on the back of their bedpost or even folded at the end of their beds. come to think of it a large shoebox or foldable crate might be a good way to keep them all in one place at the end of the bed...

But with both the kids and my 'worn' clothes.. if I'm doing the wash and want it all done.. I wash them anyway. esp if it's an all-red/black load or delicates or something. always nice to even put our favorites nice and clean.

have a good weekend!

That depends. For blouses, if they don't smell bad and didn't get something spilled on them, that usually means I didn't wear them all day and I probably will just put them back in the drawer or on the hanger. Skirts I'll just hang back up again (my husband usually does the same with his slacks, too). Pants, bras, and night clothes I will fold sort of (not as carefully as I would after washing them, but at least so they don't wrinkle bad) and put on a shelf in the closet. I have pretty much trained myself that if I want to wear something that might be on the closet shelf, I check there first; if what I want isn't there, I get something new.

We can't do it in this house, but when I was younger, we had a rack that hung over the door (our doors touch the top of the frame, so if there's a rack on the door it won't close in this house) and that's where we hung worn clothes that didn't need to be washed yet. We also hung night clothes up there too. If your doors have at least an 1/8th inch gap on the top, you might want to consider investing in some racks. They are hidden from outside the room, and from the inside when the door is open, but visible when you close the door to get dressed. Clothes don't get wrinkled when hanging that way (though knit stuff might stretch a bit on the hook).

We have a wall hanger with about 6 pegs on it behind our bedroom door that we hang up our clothes on. Out of site for the most part and easy to access.

WHAT A GREAT QUESTION! And I am like the rest with a chair or dresser that they get layed upon, but I try to hang them in the bathroom closet so they don't get too wrinkled and can actually be worn again. I have been thinking that I need to make a special area in the closet to put them in, and I like the ideas of the lady that uses the big hanger to mark it.

I know this sometimes isn't easy, as most of us are cramped for dresser space, but I reserve the bottom drawer of my main dresser for just that purpose. I also have a hook that is used for that reason-now if I could just get my husband to use the hook-I put it there for him b/c he just puts his on the desk chair. Then when he needs to use the chair to do paperwork, etc. he puts his clothes on my side of the bed, which is closest to the chair! Does he put them back on the chair? NOOOOOOOO! I might have to start throwing his clothes outside or something to get the point across as I feel like I've already done enough by putting the hook up for him.

I air them out, occasionally I will put them in the dryer with laundry just out of the washer and hang them on a hook we have on our door, occasionally I will fold them and put them on top of our dresser.

My mom keeps a clothes drying rack in her bathroom... she hangs her pants, etc. there to wear again. She likes the fact that they kind of get a quick steam when anyone takes a shower also! I have an extra shower curtian rod from one way to the other behind my bathroom door that I hang stuff on if I want to wear it again (I realize most people wouldn't always have a place to put this that would be convenient!).

I hang them on a hook outside the closet. The hooks hang three to a common rack over the door. I am with you about clean and worn waiting to be worn again. If they look a bit creased from wear I freshen them with steam rather than an iron which will make any overlooked dirt permanent.

For folded clothes, I put them back in the dresser turned 90 degrees to the side from the regular pile, like turning a card sideways in a deck so it sticks out. That way, it's where it belongs but sticks out. Also, in the closet you can turn the hanger around backwards.