Washing baby clothes.

Hey guys how did you wash your babies clothes & keep them still soft? I washed a few of my daughters things for the hospital, and now they feel stiff and not as soft as they were. I used Tide Free & Gentle, on a delicate cycle in the wash and then normal in the dryer. Any tips please!!!! Alsoooooo, should I wash her blankets? (Regular & fluffy ones, not swaddles, I want to keep her blankets soft too :( ) and what about hats? I've heard they shrink in the wash. Anything else I should wash please let me know, I'm a first time mom and feel pretty lost right now as we get closer to her arrival. 😕