Win! A bright new wardrobe worth £1000 with Dylon Colour Catcher

Winter might be cold and rainy, but that means a load of shivery excuses for a new wardrobe. Hooray! Right now, we’re all about snuggly jumpers, cosy scarves and those snood things (even though a snood is really just a scarf with the ends tied). Domestic Sluttery have teamed up with clothing care brand, Dylon Colour Catcher and our friends at Osoyou to offer £1000 to spend on a brand new wardrobe. Everyone who enters the competition will receive a Colour Catcher sample to help you look after your lovely new season purchases and keep your old favourites looking fabulous for longer. The witchcrafty nifty colour catching sheets mean that you can do mixed washes without worrying about the colour running onto your whites. No, we don’t know how it works. It’s secret, amazing science.

Want the chance to win a £1000 shopping spree? Head straight over to the Osoyou competition page to enter this ace competition (by the way, we like dresses, thanks in advance). While we’re all about keeping our favourite pieces looking brilliant, here are our tips for keeping your clothes looking amazing.

Sian: Follow the care labels! They’re there for a reason. Don’t ever throw your favourite sweater into a hot wash thinking ‘oh, it’ll be OK’. It really, really won’t. There will be tears. (RIP, mint green cashmere sweater). Be honest with yourself. Do you ever handwash anything? Do you ignore dry clean only labels and then get sad when you ruin your silky things? If you know you’re only going to leave your most lovely stuff in the bottom of your laundry basket, don’t buy it.

Oh, and don’t try and iron the cuff of a shirt while you’re wearing it. No, seriously, DON’T.

Sara: Prevent those clothes-eating moth bastards with these moth killer hanging units (no, we don’t mess around with evil wool eaters of the night). They're less than £3 a pair, last six months, come recommended by India Knight on Twitter, and actually work. Also, donate anything you haven't worn in a year to a charity shop. More space for your other clothes = fewer wrinkles = less ironing.

Laura V: I get given a lot of pretty-smelling soap for Christmas. The thing is, I don't use soap because I'm not my Nan, and the invention of nice, actually-moisturising shower creme/handwash is not lost on me. Rather than give it away, (because I am SELFISH), I unwrap it and put it in my clothes drawers so items I haven't worn for a while smell of flowers rather than old drawer dust.

Elizabeth: Clothes with sequins on are often destined for the handwash pile which generally languishes at the bottom of my laundry bin for weeks at a time. But I have found that popping my lovely sequined collar blouse into a plain white pillow case, knotted at the end and popped into my standard wash helps prevent the sequins from shedding.

Laura B: My number one laundry tip? Vodka. Yup, a great gulp before attempting to sort and wash your clothes makes everything easier. I AM KIDDING (I’m not really). However, analgesic benefits aside, vodka is a Domestic Slut’s best friend on laundry day.

Eke out the time between visits to the dry cleaners by filling a spray bottle with cheapo vodka and using it to mist away any lingering smells, like stale smoke or cooking whiffs. It’s also great for getting rid of that weird vintage clothing pong on hard-to-wash fabrics. And fewer dry cleaning bills = more money to spend on clothes.

Vodka can also be used to treat stubborn stains – simply dab on with a pale-coloured cloth until the stain starts to loosen, then wash as normal. Or use it to gently clean beading or embellishments – use a vodka-soaked cotton bud for really delicate beadwork. But always do a spot-test first. I don’t want to be responsible for Great-Granny’s silk flapper dress being ruined forever.

Kat: Treasure your favourites equally. Some of my favourite clothes items are cheapo £7 jobs from H&M, but I treat them with the same care as I would if they cost £700 from Chanel (only then I'd probably keep it in my cupboard in sheer terror of getting food on it.) Make friends with your local dry cleaner, and don't skimp on your laundry detergent.

Caleigh: Put items with beading or lots of detail in a pillowcase before putting it in the washing machine to protect it from catching and unravelling. A paste of water and bicarbonate of soda, rubbed into most stains before soaking in cold water with lift the stain out with ease. Even if you shower yourself in smoothie while wearing a white top - yes, I'm that graceful.

Got any more tips (or indeed tragic stories to share about ruining your favourite things?) Share them in the comments!

This post was in conjunction with Osoyou and sponsored by Dylon Colour Catcher. They’re pretty cool. Your whites stay white LIKE MAGIC.