You've probably gotten lots of advice over the years on how to save money on clothing: Go to garage sales and thrift stores; buy at certain seasons; watch for sales. (Remember, we have a virtual garage sale here that people really need to use more. If you've got something to sell or swap, post it.)
But the easiest way to save money on clothing is to not buy any. And the easiest way to not buy any is to make do with what you have. Take care of it and stretch it out. Here are some ways to do so that you may not have considered.
1. Use a clothesline. Are you sick of me and clotheslines yet? 
I confess. Clotheslines make me irrationally happy, like sugar cubes--I love sugar cubes, I don't even have to use them, just having them in a sparkly heap in a bowl makes me happy, it's weird. There's something about clothes flapping on the line, too, that cheers me.
If I were rational, it'd be the knowledge that using a clothesline instead of a dryer saves wear and tear on our clothes. The lint in the dryer trap? That's bits of your clothing that have been worn off by the tumbling and the heat. Same with the pilling you see, especially on synthetic and synthetic blend clothing. And dryer heat ruins elastic, so you'll have to replace your underwear more often. I'm not kidding when I say that dryers slowly erode your clothes. Even if you live in an apartment or a place where clotheslines are illegal (speaking of irrational), there are ways to air-dry your clothes without one.
2. Refashion what you have. You don't have to be an expert seamstress, or any kind of seamstress. A few nips and tucks, some fabric paint, dye, iron-on appliques, embroidery--there are lots of ways to take what you have and change it round, including ways to make children's clothes out of adult clothes.
My absolute favorite, though, is...
3. Wear an apron around the house. Aprons are suddenly chic, and I blame Japanese craft books, myself. I've always worn an apron around the house--I can't even do the dishes without wearing one, it's a psych thing--and I'm thrilled that pretty ones are available and in style again. Especially because my old aprons are increasingly ratty and I want some new ones (ha! they're still cheaper than new clothes!). They really save your clothing. The ones I favor are full bib aprons, not half-aprons, but that's because I'm built like the Queen Mary. Full-prowed, don't you know. Stuff ends up mostly on my chest, but if stuff ends up mostly in your lap, half-aprons will do.
If you have daughters, get into the habit of pinafores. When Josie and Lou wear theirs around the house, they don't get half as nasty as they do without them. Well, their pinnies get nasty, but their clothes stay in pretty good shape and I'd rather wash the pinny.
I'm sorry to say I don't have a similar recommendation for boys. If you do, please share!
 | The Apron Book: Making, Wearing, and Sharing a Bit of Cloth and Comfort Amazon price: $11.53 |
 | The Clothing Doctor's 99 Secrets to Cleaning & Clothing Care Amazon price: $4.95 |
 | T-Shirt Makeovers: 20 Transformations for Fabulous Fashions Amazon price: $16.50 |
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