In case you didn’t get the memo, the winter season is fast approaching. When the temperatures begin to drop, you can usually put away some of your warm-weather clothes and accessories until next year. Doing so will free up space in your closet/wardrobe, while making it just a little easier to find the “right” clothes. But how exactly should you store clothes for the winter?
Clean Before Storing
First and foremost, make sure your clothes have been washed and cleaned before storing them for the season. It’s not uncommon for people to wear a shirt or pair of pants, and then put it back in their wardrobe without washing it. As long as it’s not visibly dirty, there’s really no need to wash it — except when storing the garment for long periods at a time. So go through your wardrobe and pull out and wash any garments that you intend to store for the winter.
Fold Them
You aren’t out of the woods just yet. Before you can safely store your clothes for the winter, it’s recommended that you neatly fold them. Taking the extra time to properly fold your clothes before placing them in storage will reduce wrinkles while helping to retain the clothes’ original shape and structure.
Choose a Storage Container
You will now need to choose a storage container for your clothes. Most people choose cardboard boxes, simply because they are cheapest and most readily available. However, that doesn’t necessarily mean that they are the best choice. Cardboard boxes are susceptible to mold, mildew, and insects — three things that you want to keep away from your clothes. A better option is to store your garments in sealed plastic containers, as this will protect them against damage caused by moisture and insects. You can even go one step further by vac-sealing your clothes before placing them inside a plastic container.
Choose a Location
Where should you store your clothes? Ideally, the best place is in your bedroom or some other ground-level area inside your home. Storing your clothes in the attic may seem like a good idea, but attics often suffer from high humidity levels, which can damage your garments. Storing your clothes somewhere on the ground level of your home, however, such as your bedroom for instance, will keep them protected against this type of damage.