Almost everyone has a chair in the bedroom that slowly disappears under a heap of clothes. They are not clean enough to go back in the wardrobe, and not dirty enough to go in the wash. Left there, the pile grows, everything gets creased and you can never find the top you want. A small change to your routine will give these in-between clothes a proper home.
The simplest solution is a dedicated spot for worn-once clothes. A row of hooks on the back of the door, a hanging rail or a small open basket works well. The key is that it is easy to use, because you will only use it if it takes less effort than dropping things on the chair. Keep it near the place where you get dressed, so that it becomes automatic.
Making the system work
Decide what belongs there. Jumpers, jeans and cardigans that have been worn for a few hours can hang up and be aired before you wear them again. Anything sweaty, stained or smelly goes straight into the laundry basket. Sniff test aside, a good rule is that anything that has touched your skin for a long time is dirty, while outer layers may be worn again.
Hang clothes rather than folding them, so that the air can reach them and creases do not form. Use a proper hanger for shirts and jackets, and shake each item gently before it goes up. Leave the window open for a little while in the morning, since fresh air is the best refresher. Keep the space for these clothes small, so that it cannot fill up with things that should really be washed.
Empty this spot regularly. Once a week, go through the hooks or basket and decide what is clean enough to go back in the wardrobe and what needs washing. This stops odours building up and stops clothes from being worn for too long. With a fixed place and a simple weekly habit, the chair becomes a chair again, and getting dressed in the morning becomes a calmer affair.
