Seasons come and go. Once a new season arrives, you have to change the clothes in your closet, and you will probably ask yourself– how can I store all my seasonal clothes? You have to put away the clothes you do not have to wear for the upcoming season.
But, before you put anything away, know how to store seasonal clothes properly. You do not want your leather jackets, knitwear, or other favorite clothes coated in dust, misshaped, or wrinkled, right?
Here are some tips on the best way to store clothes when the season changes.
Source:reviewed.com
Reduce Wardrobe
The season change is the perfect opportunity to switch out your wardrobe and take out a little from your wardrobe. Some get rid of their outdated and unwanted clothes before the season changes. It’s the time of the year when you notice you have several unworn and barely worn clothes in your closet.
Take out the closet clutter. Those seasonal clothes that do not fit, out of fashion, damaged and cannot be repaired, or never worn should be taken out. As you go through your clothes to switch your season clothes, spend some time reducing your clothes.
Reducing your wardrobe will give you much-needed space. Let non-essential outfits go.
Wash and Repair Clothes Before Storage
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According to Liox Laundry, experts in taking care of clothes, even though some of your seasonal clothes were unworn. Each of them should be properly washed before they are packed away for several months. If you have delicate clothes inside your closet, head over to a dry cleaning expert around your neighborhood.
If you leave an untreated stain on your clothes and it is stored for quite some time, the stain will settle on the fabric. Settled stains are hard to remove and they will cause color discoloration of your clothes.
Moreover, if you do not wash clothes that still have the smells of colognes, body odors, or perfume, it becomes more difficult to deal with them.
Always ensure that your season clothes are washed and dried before they are put into storage containers. If you store your camp clothes with no airflow, it will result in mildew and molds.
What to Hang and What Not
It is tempting to store all your seasonal clothes in a storage container at once, but don’t do it! You have to know that there are things you have to hang. There’s a trick on how to determine which clothes you should hang and fold.
Fold the clothes that would misshape when hung. It can be a thin sweater or a heavy wool coat, if it sags or stretches, it’s best to fold them. Meanwhile, keep clothes hanging if they easily get wrinkled when folded. Even in the winter season, keep that flowy dress you wear in summer on a hanger.
If your closet is spacious enough, use a breathable hanging bag for delicate clothes. However, if you only have a small space, you need to be more cautious of which items to store together.
Where to Store Seasonal Clothes
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As mentioned, some clothes are not meant to be folded and placed in storage bins. You need to hang some of them or keep them in your closet. That’s why you need to organize and use some accessories for your closet.
Add an extra shelf to the upper portion of your closet to have enough space for the clothes you will keep and might not need for some time. If you do not want to overcrowd your closet, you can free up some space and use these types of storage:
- Underbed storage drawer
- Suitcase
Do not store your clothes in cardboard boxes for long period, your clothes will develop yellow stains or discoloration. Not to mention, cardboard boxes are susceptible to rodents and insects. It will damage your clothes.
Place the heaviest clothes at the bottom. Moreover, always button-up shirts with buttons and zip up those that have zippers. It is best to keep it this way to ensure they do not snag or prick other clothes.
If you wish to store your clothes in containers, fold them in a loose manner to minimize wrinkles. Do not cram them inside the container. Loosely store the clothes in the container, give them little spaces in between to allow air circulation. Overstuffing your clothes will result in tough to remove crease and wrinkles.
Store Clothes in Climate-Controlled Place
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Store your clothes in the area of your home where you can control the climate or room temperature. Clothes are best kept in storage spaces with stable conditions and consistent temperatures.
If you choose your basement, ensure that it does not have a damp place, or else your clothes are susceptible to mildew or molds. Do not place your clothes in the garage, unless your garage has proper ventilation.
Attics are also not a considerable place to store seasonal clothes. The place is too hot and dusty for clothing storage.
The ideal place to store clothes is where there is proper ventilation and away from direct sunlight. Darker space helps the clothes prevent from fading.
Use Mothballs Properly
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If you are unaware, there’s a proper way to use mothballs. They should not be placed anywhere inside the closet. Although they are an effective solution to prevent insects from your clothes, you need to keep in mind that they are pesticides.
Since mothballs are pesticides, they are toxic and dangerous to pets and children. If you will place mothballs in your closet, ensure you are wearing gloves. Mothballs have to be in a bag or airtight container to be effective.
If you are concerned about your child’s or pet’s safety, use chemical-free mothballs. Use cedar-lined chests or cedar blocks.
Final Thoughts
Following these tips on how to store seasonal clothes will keep their condition pristine. However, some of these seasonal clothes may be stored longer than you expect. Since they are not used for a long time, check on your clothes once a year to ensure that there aren’t any storage issues. Furthermore, do not forget to repair your clothes and bring them to a dry cleaner before storing them away.
