How to Store Your Off-Season Clothes
It’s that time of year… when I start dreading where to store all my sweaters. Somehow I manage to accumulate more throughout the winter–although this year, I’m proud to say, I did not! In any case, storage of in-season and off-season is a constant struggle. I wanted to share a few things I do to allow me to properly store all my clothes when they’re not in use.
Clean your clothes before storing them: Carpet beetles and moths, among other insects that damage clothes, are drawn to clothes that aren’t cleaned properly. Be sure to thoroughly wash your clothes before storing!
Tuck in a sachet to keep your clothes fresh: Tuck a sachet or two (I love these from Porthault) into your clothes when you store them. It’s important to help discourage any “friendly” critters from investigating. These also help keep your clothes fresh and sweet smelling when you unpack them again!
Fold your clothes properly: Folding your (freshly cleaned!) clothes properly is key (and saves time when it’s time to bring your clothes out for the season!) Use acid-free tissue paper to help keep your clothing neat.
Use the right type of storage: Make sure to store your clothes in something waterproof and tight if you’re putting clothes in a basement or somewhere else that may be damp! Cardboard boxes or something more breathable is not the best option here. If storing clothes under the bed, I like these storage boxes from IKEA.
Keep an inventory and keep similar clothes together: This is something I’m trying this year–I’m creating an inventory of all the clothes I have in storage. I’ve been aggressively spring-cleaning, and something I’m very frustrated with my past self about is how haphazardly I’ve added things to the same box. I really don’t need sundresses with sweaters, for instance. Keeping similar things together adds ease when you unpack them again, and having an inventory means you know exactly what you have without having to dig through a box to find them!
What are your tips for storing your off-season clothes?
I’m gearing up to do the seasonal clothing switch out, as well. One product I’ve stumbled upon is Cedarcide. The company makes all kinds of moth and insect-repelling products out of natural cedar, and the cedar oil spray solution so far seems to be keeping moths and the like out of my closet. (I had a couple of cherished sport coats damaged by moths in recent years.) It’s probably not something you want to douse your clothing in, though it doesn’t leave any indication it’s there other than a strong cedar smell. I’m trusting it so far, having used it for about a year by now, just spraying around the corners of the closet and a light mist over my clothing storage bins.
Thank you! I will check Cedarcide out. We had some cherished pieces damaged too, and while we’ve hopefully *knock on wood* fixed the problem, prevention is always good!