As a personal stylist, it's clear to me that a great steamer is everything. I know, it can seem so fancy to have a steamer. Trust me. Once you have one, you'll never look back. Here's everything you need to know about owning your very own steamer.

Guess what? Poplin may receive a commission when you purchase items through the links on the blog. There's no additional cost to you and this helps keep the lights on. Recommendations are made based on what is awesome, whether or not a commission is available. Thanks very much! 

Steamer 101: Why you need one and which one(s) to buy

1. Why you NEED a steamer.

At Poplin, a big part of our focus is making your life easier. I always tell clients they don't need to clean the house for me before I arrive. My job is to make lives easier. A steamer is simply a tool to do that. With a steamer, you can skip ironing the vast majority of the time. Most items can be steamed within 1-3 minutes. Seriously. And, you can wear your pieces multiple times between washes. Simply steam them to freshen them up.

Rowenta IS6300 Master Valet Full Size Garment and Fabric Steamer with Roll and Press Support, 1550-Watt, Brown. Amazon. Was: $199. Now: $149 + Free Shipping. 

2. The upright steamer for you.

I've been loving this one for 4 years or so. They have newer models and those have also been successful with my clients. I recommend keeping it in the corner of the room, your closet or even another room that's easily accessible. We keep ours in my office. My husband steams his clothes every morning. I've heard this from several clients, too. Apparently, their partners really enjoy the steaming process. 

Hot tip: Hang a hook from your ceiling so that you can hand clothes high enough to steam the entire piece. Make sure the hook is low enough to reach. 

3. The portable steamer for you.

If you travel, a portable steamer is essential. One might assume that these wouldn't be powerful enough to bother. In many cases, that's true. But this one is going to blow your mind. And  yes, you can simply have a portable steamer and skip the upright. It's really about what's best for you. I like to have both . 

Hot tip: Keep your portable steamer in a logical place at home so you can find it when you are ready to take a trip. I like to keep ours in the laundry room next to the dryer sheets and Dryel (another essential for keeping pieces fresh). 

Let me know how it goes! And make sure you are entering to win a free pair of shoes from the re-souL collection. We're announcing our winner on Friday. Enter on Instagram. 

Are you on the Poplin email list? You'll get 6 weeks of style tips in your inbox plus lots of other goodies. Sign up!