Refreshing our winter wardrobe with ACE for Colours

It’s that time of year again.

The temperature is dropping, the nights are drawing in and it’s time to get out those onesies and Christmas jim jams and snuggle down for the winter.

If you’re a regular follower of the blog it won’t surprise you to know that I’m not one of those people who packs away their summer clothes ready for winter and vice versa – oh how I wish I had that much time and was that organised!

Instead, last season’s outfits tend to make their own way organically to the bottom of bedroom drawers, which is actually a perfect (if accidental) system because then you know exactly where they are when you need them. But what I do consciously do is refresh last season’s wardrobe ready for the next season.

This year we’ve teamed up with BritMums to take part in their #ACEWinterRefresh Challenge, sponsored by stain removal experts ACE, which is all about sharing photos, stories and tips on reinvigorating winter wardrobes and getting ready for the cooler seasons.

Refreshing our winter wardrobe with ACE for Colours

As a mum of three with baby number four on the way I keep everything, and when I say everything I mean unless it has fallen apart or walks out of the house of its own accord (you’d be surprised!) it gets handed down until there’s no one left to hand it down to.

I store outgrown clothes in vacuum sealed bags – just the job if you’re short on space like us, and you don’t need any special equipment either. I buy the supermarket ones which you fill, seal, and then use the nozzle of the vacuum cleaner to remove all the air. It’s really important to pack them away clean though, because over time even the tiniest speck of food or liquid can mysteriously multiply and ruin the garment completely – as I’ve discovered to my cost!

Squeaky clean

Even though I pack clothes away clean, I always wash them again before getting them out and putting them back into general circulation, just to spruce them up and so they smell nice and clean. Separating lights and darks when it comes washing helps to preserve their colours, and I also try and use detergent especially designed to protect colours for the really bright stuff too (and anyone who knows me knows I prefer bold colours over darks and , especially in winter!)

This year we’ve been using brand new ACE for Colours Powder (£3), which is designed to reinvigorate clothes using stain-removing powers, bringing coloured garments back to life. (We’re already fans of their stain remover spray, which features in my top 5 school stain removal hacks and works wonders on the carpet and sofa too).

Here’s the clever bit

The active oxygen technology behind the new powder means clothes last for longer, which is good news if you keep hold of clothes to hand down to younger ones like me, and unlike other stain removers, it comes in a fully recyclable carton so gets the thumbs up on the eco front too.

Another winter wardrobe trick is buying a size too big when it comes to coats, jumpers and tops. They tend to be the more expensive items compared to summer clothes, so the longer I can string them out for the better, and the kids don’t notice if I roll the sleeves up for the first year. So far, we’ve managed to get at least two winters out of every kids’ coat we’ve ever bought, and ditto for jumpers and tops too.

Do you have any tips or tricks for reinvigorating your winter wardrobe? I’d love to know what they are!

This post is an entry for the BritMums #ACEWinterRefresh Challenge, sponsored by ACE for Colours Powder. You can get help for all kinds of stains with the ACE Stain Helper and pick up the range at your nearest Morrisons store or buy online on Amazon.