Want to Wear Your Wardrobe for Longer?

(CBS)  Taking the time to take care of your clothes can be a pain -- but it can also pay off.

Lisa Lee Freeman, editor in chief of ShopSmart magazine, shared some pointers on "The Early Show" Tuesday on keeping your favorite clothes looking great for years, and even cutting down on your dry cleaning bill.

Freeman's Five Tips:

1) Shoulder bump:
If the shoulders on your dresses, coats, and jackets are bumpy, it's probably because you're using the wrong hanger. Americans have gotten a little bigger over the years, and yet hangers are the same size -- generally 16 inches across. Buy 18- to 21-inch hangers. (If you're petite, you might need a smaller hanger, not a larger one.) You can find plus-size hangers in 19- and 20-inch widths at ClothesHangers.com. Hang your clothes so the hanger doesn't jut out on one side and keep shirts and jackets buttoned. Also fold, don't hang, delicate items like fragile or loose knits to prevent stretching. And dry clothes flat to prevent bumps.

2) Armpit stain:
This is caused by the combo of perspiration and alcohol-based deodorant. The acids and chloride salts in both can discolor and chemically weaken fabrics, especially silk and wool. Undershirts and old-fashioned dress shields can act as barriers between your sweat and your sweater. KleinertsShields.com sells disposable pads that stick inside garments of any fabric for $6.95 a dozen.

If you really sweat a lot, the 140-year-old company also makes undergarments with absorbent shields sewn in. It might sound weird, but you can also trim a thin mini-pad and stick it on the inside of your shirt. Switching deodorants might also help. You can find alcohol- and aluminum-salt-free versions online, though we can't vouch for how well they stop sweat.

If you have armpit stains, pre-treat the stain with Fels Naptha Soap.

3) Store your shoes properly:
Instead of piling them at the bottom of your closet, store them in boxes to protect against scuffs and scratches, or use shoe shapers or trees. Shoe shapers or trees give shoes and boots some structure, smooth out creases, and help prolong their life. Although they run $18 to $22 a pair, go for cedar ones. They'll last longer and the naturally absorbent cedar protects shoes against stinky or sweaty feet. Stuffing shoes with tissue paper or wadded-up newspaper also works well (on handbags too-but don't overstuff because it can stress the seams). Just be careful with newspaper; it can smudge off on the leather or fabric. And keep in mind that leather can wrinkle, shrink, and even crack. So if you've tromped through a puddle or have been sweating on your feet all day, use a shaper or tissue paper to keep shoes in good shape and never put wet leather shoes near a radiator. Heat on wet leather will lessen its life by 50 percent.

4) Fabric garment bags:
Look for cotton ones, $20 and up. You should use garment bags to store wool dresses, wool suits, fancy garments, and brightly colored items. Garment bags let your clothes breathe, and keep out most light. Leave closet doors and dresser drawers open for a few minutes once a week. And rotate clothes in your closet periodically to prevent fading.

5) Laundry detergent:
Is the more expensive option worth it? ShopSmart put Tide 2X Ultra with Color Clean Bleach Alternative, Tide 2X Ultra for Cold Water, Tide 2X Ultra with Dawn Stain Scrubbers and Tide 2X Ultra with a Touch of Downy to the test. Tide 2X Ultra with Color Clean Bleach Alternative out cleaned the rest of the concentrates recommended for top-loading washers and was easy on fabrics. The brandmates were almost as impressive, and cost a bit less. But, for cold water washes (delicates), Tide Total Care did not test as well as Tide Cold Care, the cheaper option.

The top rated: Tide 2X Ultra with Color Clean Bleach Alternative costs 32 cents per load, but Tide for Cold Water is only 19 cents per load. Tide for Cold Water -- the runner-up -- is the product we recommend.

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Items seen in the segment were provided by The Container Store.