If you have signed up to work out, you need the right gear. You can’t just exercise in your usual ensemble. This is where workout clothes come in! If you have them, you need to know how to organize your workout clothes ASAP!
What Are Workout Clothes?
The Activewear market is one of the fastest-growing industries out there. It’s no surprise given the number of people who are into working out. If you are engaging in any sport or workout activity, then you need these types of clothes in your closet.
If you have a lot of clothes, you need to make sure they are in order. And that includes your workout clothes. If you are committed to your fitness journey, you need these:
- Ankle Socks
- Cross-Training Shoes
- Fitness T-shirt
- Legging
- Shorts
- Leggings
- Running Shoes
- Sports Bra
- Tank Top
Get Ready To Organize Your Workout Clothes
If you have organized your closet before, you won’t have a hard time doing the same thing for your workout clothes. Since you already have first-hand experience, then this would be a breeze.
Audit And Edit
Before you start organizing, you need to take note of the workout clothes you own. Sometimes you might not realize that you actually own a lot of it. There might be some workout clothes that you no longer need or use.
Taking some of the clothes out of the equation does not mean you need to get rid of them permanently. Perhaps these items are just too small or too loose for you to wear at the moment.
Depending on where you are in your fitness journey, you still might need this stuff in the future. Just keep the ones you need right now and store the rest in storage.
If there are items that you think you would no longer ever use, then feel free to get rid of them. They might just take up precious storage or closet space if you don’t.
Categorize Your Clothes
If you are done picking out the ones you should keep, you should then group them according to their category.
Since workout clothes fall into different categories, it’s easier to put them in their respective storage areas. It would take a lot of time and energy if you have to keep going back and forth.
You can start with the smallest items first and make your way up. By categorizing your workout items, you would also know how much closet space these things need. If you need more space, you have time to figure out where else to put your other workout stuff.
Store In The Same Area
As much as possible, it’s recommended that you put your workout clothes together. If you are organizing your closet, you should leave room for your workout clothes. By the time you need to go over your activewear, you won’t have a hard time figuring out where they need to be.
You can store your workout accessories in drawers. If you have a lot of socks, headbands, sports bras, and other accessories, you might need more than one drawer.
If you need to put a couple of items in one drawer, you can get dividers. There are a lot of drawer dividers that you can get. They come in different shapes, sizes, and materials. Find something that fits your drawers well.
Fold Them
Most, if not all, workout clothes are made from stretchy fabrics. With that said, if you are organizing them, it’s better to fold than hang them.
The fabric might stretch, and they lose its shape if you keep hanging these types of clothes. If they lose their structure, they might not fit you as well as you would like.
If you aren’t too confident with your folding skills, it’s time you practice. You can always look for a tutorial video on the Internet!
If you own a lot of workout clothes, there might be a lot of folding involved. However, your effort would pay off once you see how neat and organized your workout clothes would look.
Make Room In Your Closet
For some people, their workout clothes are part of their daily lives. It only makes sense that these garments have a permanent place in the closet. If you can’t find a space for your workout outfits, perhaps it’s time to do some full-on closet organization.
The amount of closet space for your workout clothes depends on how many you have. If you don’t have a lot, you can just store the tops and bottoms together.
But if you have spaces to spare, it’s better to separate them. It’s easier to pull the pieces you need for the day if they have their own spots in the closet.
If you lack closet space, you can always store them in drawers. Again it’s easier if you store them by category. One drawer for the tops and one drawer for the bottoms.
Whether you are going to use your closet or drawer to store your workout clothes, make sure there’s room for everything. You can’t just stuff everything in one drawer and go.
Clean And Dry Before Storing
Your workout clothes are witnesses to how hard you are working at the gym. Before storing them in your closet, make sure they are clean.
Workout clothes tend to absorb a lot of sweat. And if they are not cleaned and dried properly, they might become new homes for mold, bacteria, and mildew. Workout clothes aren’t cheap, so you don’t want something like this to happen.
Most workout clothes are made from synthetic fabrics. It means you can throw these in the washing machine and wash them with cold water. Try to avoid using hot water.
The hot temperature might cause shrinkage. If you want to be sure, you can always read the clothing label and check the best way to wash a particular piece of workout clothing.
Just like washing your regular clothes, you also need to separate them. You can do so according to the materials they are made of. You can also separate them into light and dark colors.
If you have a piece of workout clothing that still smells like sweat even after washing it, you might need to do something about it before putting it back in the closet.
If you are dealing with a stubborn smell on your activewear, you can soak them in vinegar for about 30 minutes. After that, wash them as you normally would.
You can also use baking soda. As a deodorizer, baking soda can remove the smell of sweat from your workout clothes. You can add it to your laundry detergent. This combination would make the sweaty smell go away.
Store In Your Home Gym
If you are one of the fortunate ones who have a room solely for working out, check if there’s space for a closet or drawer. If there is, you can go ahead and set it up there.
You don’t have to install a large-sized closet or drawer. Just get one that’s enough to fit your workout essentials. By storing your stuff near your workout area, it’s much more accessible to you.
And you won’t have a hard time figuring out where to put your activewear if you don’t have room in your wardrobe. It’s like killing two birds with one stone.
Some advice on buying sportswear
Choose The Right Fabric
Compared to your normal everyday wear, workout clothes are designed and made differently. If you are working out, you need to choose the right fabric. One of the easiest materials you can find is polyester. It’s wrinkle resistant, durable, and moisture wicking.
Apart from Polyester, other fabrics are perfect for workout clothes such as the following:
- Cotton
- Microfiber
- Nylon
- Spandex
Some activewear brands have developed their own technologies and fabrics to make sure that the wearers get the most out of their workouts.
Get The Right Fit
If you are on the lookout for workout clothes, make sure they fit you well. If you are wearing something that’s not appropriate for the kind of activity you would be doing, you might not be able to perform as well as you would like.
You might not be able to execute the moves properly, thus affecting your workout routine. It can even lead to injuring yourself. Take this example – if you are into running, you need the right footwear for this.
A trendy pair of sneaks won’t cut it. Remember that what you wear at the gym can affect your performance. You need comfortable workout clothes that fit well.
Goal Achieved: Organizing Workout Clothes
If you know how to organize your workout clothes without running into any problems, consider that as an achievement. If you can reward yourself after sweating it hard in the gym, you can do the same here as well. You deserve it after dealing with all the workout clothes you own!
Jessica Oliver is a fashion enthusiast with more than ten years of experience in the industry. She previously managed her own clothing store in New York before becoming a mother of three. With a passion for sustainability and a desire to share clothing care and recycling tips.