Funki and oh-so-helpful organizing & life-hacking tips by yours truly. Like McGyver, who could dismantle a bomb with a roll of duct tape, a toothpick and a nail file, I am Ma-Gyver, organizer of everything and life-hacker extraordinaire. From time to time I will be bringing you my tips and tricks for keeping an orderly house and mind.

The 80′s called and they want those washed out, tired looking jeans back!  That’s what I want to say to people.  And I do…in my head.  Except to my father, I said that to his face.  Then I bought him a new pair of Levi’s for his birthday.  My mother was so very grateful.

After you’ve thrown away the 80′s jeans (or forced by loved ones, as in my father’s case) and bought a new pair, how do you keep those jeans looking new?   (Here in the New Millennium, we like our jeans to stay within the blue spectrum).

I know many people who keep the color in their jeans by not washing them.  Ever.   I just can’t do that!  While jeans may not show dirt, they do come into contact with germs and bacteria and, um, you wear them on your BUTT.  So….if you never wash them, guess what your jeans smell like?  That’s right–BUTT.

Jeans are a staple in my wardrobe.  Unless I’m wearing a dress, I’m wearing a pair of jeans.  I have my everyday-on-sale-for-$40 Gap Always Skinny jeans and I have premium Joe’s and Hudson jeans.   If the jeans cost $40 or over $100, I want to keep them looking like new as long as possible.  So I have a system for wearing my jeans, keeping them smelling fresh, and making the color last.

1. I use Woolite Extra Dark Care to wash my jeans and I don’t put any other clothes in the same load.

2.  I use the delicate cycle on my washing machine.

3.  I hang dry.  Well, I’m lying about that one because I’m too impatient, but I really should hang dry.  I do set the dryer on the lowest setting possible.

4. I wear my jeans 3-4 times before washing them.  I have a method to keep track: each time I wear a pair of  jeans, I put a binder clip on that hanger.  When the hanger has 3 or 4 clips, it’s time to wash them.  Also, I alternate pairs, never wearing the same pair 2 days in a row.   I wear the Gap jeans daily just kicking it around the house and save the premium jeans for Levels 2 or 3 dressing.  It’s already been established that I’m kind of crazy, so that may be a bit too much for you, but the point is that I know how many times I’ve worn my jeans.

5. HOWEVER – and this is important to keep them smelling fresh in between wears – I use Febreeze after each and every wear, spraying them inside and out.  Then I let them dry before putting them back on the hanger.

me in my jeans

church lobby on Christmas Eve

shirt – Splendid, Bloomingdale’s

jeans – Hudson, Bloomingdale’s

I’m linking up with What I Wore Wednesday , Real Momma, Real Style and Monday Mingle.

*This is not an endorsement for Woolite or Febreeze; I have no affiliation with those companies (I would gladly disclose information such as that).  I am merely sharing what works for me.  

© 2012, Funkidivagirl.com. All rights reserved. Republished only with permission.

Related posts:

1. Miraclebody Jeans: No “Mom Jeans” Here!
2. What I Wore: Pantyhose {Gasp!}