There’s nothing like a seasonal swap to prepare for whatever the upcoming cold months have to offer. As the warm weather fades away, you’ll be reaching for the wool throw blankets and cozy knitwear that you haven’t seen since early spring. It’s an exciting time to rediscover what you already own and put away what you won’t be needing this fall and winter. We’ve rounded up some of the best ways to store garments so they remain fresh until next year.
Declutter
A new season is a perfect reason to get to organizing and decluttering. Getting rid of whatever you haven’t made use of in this last season should be the first step to deciding what needs to be stored away. You’ll be saving yourself time and storage space by not storing away anything unnecessarily. Plus, it will feel great when it’s time to unpack what you’ve stored to see only the things you’ve missed and love.
Keep it clean
Needless to say, you should be sure to give everything a good wash, dry, and stain-check before storing it away. Even something lightly used and unwashed could give the rest of your stored items an undesired smell over time. Once your things are clean and ready to store, you can add your favorite dryer sheets or some cedar chips between items to keep things fresh until next season. Better yet, you can leave them sitting with your favorite scent by adding a DIY odor absorber. All you need is a little baking soda, your go-to essential oil, and some breathable sachets.
Decide to hang or fold
Some clothing may require hanging in order to maintain the shape. Meanwhile, linens and your light summer towels will survive winter while folded. A good way to decide whether to hang or fold is to consider the structure of the garment, the delicacy of the fabric, and where you’ll be storing it in your home (more on this later). Deciding how to store away garments should be a conscious effort. This way, you don’t return to your stored items distressed by their disheveled look.
Find a safe location
In order to keep your garments safe and like new while stored, you should always think about the space you have available for storage. The ideal location would be low in moisture and free of bugs. Having thoroughly cleaned clothes and sheets to store will minimize the attraction of any bugs. And, to avoid the mold and mildew that damp environments create, you should make sure that everything you’re storing is 100% dry. Once you know where and how you’ll be storing your garments away, you can decide what containers are best for those environments.
Choose good containers
First things first, you want to think about accessibility. Is this something you’ll be putting away for the entire season or is there a possibility you’ll be reaching for it in the coming weeks? If you’ll need some access to it, consider under bed storage. It keeps things out of the way while still allowing convenient access to it.
As for the rest of it, think about the size of the garments, quantity, and where you’ll be storing it. For hung storage, consider breathable garment bags and sturdy hangers. This way, your clothes will be safe and maintain their shape until next summer. For folded storage, there are a few different options based on your needs. Heavy-duty plastic storage bins are great for tougher environments like basements and attics while fabric storage containers are best used inside closets and under your bed.
If finding space to store your garments is your main issue, consider space-saving vacuum bags. They’re great for protecting clothes from bugs and for making the most of limited space.
Most of us enter a new season by storing away whatever we won’t be using and unpacking the things we’ve missed. It is a practical way to declutter, make space for new things, and to focus on what’s ahead. With a little extra effort, you can rest assured that your favorite items from last season will be waiting for you safely and like new.
