Finding ways to effectively store your winter clothes during warmer months can help open up space in your home while still preserving your belongings for continued use year after year. Use these five tips to help store your winter clothes the right way.
Clean Everything Being Stored
Any item you plan to store for the winter should be thoroughly washed and dried or dry-cleaned before being stored. Leaving any dirt or oils on clothes being stored for the winter can lead to damage to fabrics and discoloration. If washing your winter clothes on your own, make sure that they are thoroughly dried before starting to pack them away. Any lingering moisture can easily lead to mold or damage.
Organize
Sort through your winter clothes and determine the best way to store them with the available space that you have. Common ways to organize winter clothes can be separating tops, bottoms, and jackets, or storing more sensitive materials like wool or cashmere separately.
Pack And Store
When packing up your winter clothes, plastic bins are the best choice. Plastic is the best material for storage containers because they are effective at repelling moisture, as well as keeping out bugs and insects that may damage your clothes. Other storage containers like cardboard boxes leave your clothes more vulnerable to damage. Pack your items from heaviest to lightest, with the lighter garments being on top, and make sure to leave enough room for the fabrics to breathe to help reduce moisture buildup that can ruin fabrics.
Take Measures To Repel Pests and Preserve Fabric
While plastic bins are effective at keeping pests out of your winter clothes, additional measures can include adding a handful of cedar chips to your storage bins or wrap a coffee filter around dried lavender. You can decide on what preservative works for you based on your smell preferences. The preservative will give your clothes a pleasant odor when you unpack them the following year.Shoes can be sprinkled with baking soda to eliminate moisture and mask any potential odors. Wrapping tissue paper around stored shoes can help to enhance the effects of the baking soda. Tissue paper is also a good extra step to take when storing any of your delicate items.
Find The Right Place To Store Your Items
Climate controlled storage like closet space is ideal, or any area of your home that is not subject to heavy humidity or extra moisture like a basement can be. If your closet space is limited, you can turn to creative storage forms like bins designed to fit under beds in your home. If you have a garage or attic space that is temperature-controlled, these can also be great places to store your winter belongings. Buying winter clothes every year can be exhausting and expensive. Follow these quick steps to store your winter clothes to keep them looking brand-new year after year.
