Unless you have a massive walk-in closet the size of a whole room, you need to store your clothes by season to ensure an organized space to allow you to go through your everyday outfits with ease.
States with four seasons mean residents need to adapt their wardrobes to the season. Here’s how you can efficiently store your off-season clothes and keep them in excellent condition the following year.
Do Some ‘Maintenance’ First
Before storing your clothes away, just like how you have your flooring maintained by a reliable company every year, your clothes also may need a little maintenance. Check your clothes for any discrepancies and take the opportunity to replace missing buttons, iron out deep-set wrinkles, and get rid of fabric spills from your wool sweaters.
Clean, Dry, and Organize Clothes Before Storing
Now that you’ve made the necessary repairs to your clothes, you can now be more confident in storing your clothes for the year. However, before stowing away your clothes, it’s a good idea to ensure they’re all clean to avoid foul odors from spreading between the items. Wash and dry clothes ready for storage, including ones that you may not regularly wash. Make sure to get rid of food and dirt to prevent pests from invading your outfits, and that’s it completely dry to avoid mold buildup before storing them away.
After cleaning and drying your clothes, organize them by season. For instance, pair all your winter recreational clothes together, such as wool jackets, gloves, and hats. While for summer, pair your favorite sun hats, shorts, and bikinis together.
Choosing the Right Containers
Determining the ideal container for your clothes depends on what you’re storing and where. However, plastic bins are generally an excellent choice for storing clothes since they’re easy to handle, stack easily, and great at keeping moisture and pests out. Clear plastic containers are the best as they allow you to see inside, but it may fade your clothes’ colors if they get exposed to sunlight. If that’s the case, dark-colored bins can be a great option.
Besides plastic bins, fabric, or canvas containers are great alternatives thanks to its breathable material. They’re typically more expensive, but they can protect delicate fabrics like silk or cashmere better.
Keeping Pests and Moisture Out
Moisture and pests are the top things you need to watch out for when storing clothes. They’re notorious for destroying clothes, whatever material they’re made from. Avoid mold or mildew buildup by ensuring all items are thoroughly dry before storing them for the year or toss in some moisture absorbers to be safe. When dealing with bugs, ensure you thoroughly check the clothes for any pest-attracting things like food, especially for wool or cashmere items.
Choose the Right Storage Spot
The best environmental conditions for clothing storage are cool, dark, and dry, no matter their material. The best spots for off-season clothing include an empty closet in a less-used area in your home, high up on a shelf of a bedroom closet, and a rack in front of a storage area. However, if you’re scant on space, you can also hide these clothes under the bed. However, whatever storage space you use, don’t place the clothes behind piles of other things as you’ll need access when different seasons roll around.
Storing your off-season outfits can help make your everyday closet easier to navigate — and the tips mentioned are just some of the best ways to store and protect your clothing, allowing you to pull out whatever you need for each season with ease.
