Tips for Storing Seasonal Clothes

12/6/2017 (Permalink)

Make room for the new season in your closets!

Sweaters, coats, and parkas, oh my! Winter clothing takes up a lot of room, and your closets may be bulging. Since we live in Nashville and enjoy four real seasons, we have the luxury of packing away seasonal clothing for part of the year and making more room in our closets. Follow these tips for seasonal storage before tossing clothes into cardboard boxes.

Start with a purge. Donate or recycle any items you have not worn during the past year. Clothing needs room for air circulation to minimize the growth of mold, so having less in a closet is better for your clothes. You can also better see what articles of clothing you have when they hang neatly and separately instead of in a packed mass.

Some items should never be packed and stored. Delicate fabrics, handmade quilts, and treasured heirlooms need the consistency of a temperature controlled environment to preserve and prolong their lifespans.

Once you know what you want to store, wash and dry it. Cleaning and deodorization help remove traces of organic material that can attract pests. It also minimizes the risk of mold and its unpleasant odor.

If you are storing items in a garage or other area that is not humidity and temperature controlled, use plastic sealable bins. Rodents can chew through cardboard and nest, so protect your clothes in plastic.

To pack a bin, place heavier clothes, like jeans, in the bottom, and stack lighter clothing to the top. Rolling clothes, instead of folding can minimize wrinkles. Skip mothballs. They may have been used by your great-granny, but their disadvantages outweigh their benefits.

Label the container so you can swap clothing with the changing seasons. Safely stow bins in your garage or a storage unit.

Once a year, have all carpets, including that in closets, deep cleaned. Use a professional service like SERVPRO of Belle Meade / West Nashville. Set aside one day when your summer clothes are packed and ready to store, and you have not yet unpacked last year’s winter gear, to clean carpets and drapes throughout the home.