Tips for Storing Your Out of Season Clothes
Most people pack away their clothes once the season changes. This ensures that you have space in your closet for the current season’s fare. It also ensures that your off-season clothes remain fresh and vibrant. If you’re about ready to pack up this season’s clothes, here are five pointers that will make this job easier.
1. Toss the Old Stuff
Most people wear only a few items in their closet. In fact, a FashionUnited survey indicated that the average person in America hasn’t worn over 80% of their clothing in the past year. This begs the question: Do these items even need to be stored? If you find yourself in this predicament, save yourself storage space and time by going through all of your clothes. Get rid of what you don’t wear most of the time. Donate your unworn items to charity or give them away to friends. If you’re really savvy, you can even sell them on a site like eBay or Facebook Marketplace.
2. Give Them a Wash
Washing or dry cleaning your clothing before you store it for the season ensures that residual body oils, perfumes and perspiration are removed, which prevents pests from eating up your clothing. Moths especially like clothes that haven’t been washed. Additionally, over time the stains on clothing get darker if they’re not washed right away, so make sure stains don’t have an opportunity to set in by giving your stuff a good washing.
3. Organize Your Clothing by Types
Once your clothing has been treated and washed, then it’s time to pair like with like. For example, all of your heavy winter coats, woolen hats and cozy mittens can be grouped together. Your summer dresses, sun hats and summer blazers might go in another bundle. Organizing your clothes in such a way keeps your items organized and easy to find once they do go into storage.
4. Know What to Hang and What to Pack Away
Some clothing, like heavy cardigan sweaters, don’t do as well being hung up. Items like these should be folded up when you’re getting ready to store them for a season. Basically, anything that could lose its shape by being hung up should be packed away.
5. Clear Plastic Bins Help
It’s tempting to stash your clothing in a cardboard box in the off-season, but this really isn’t the best treatment for it. Such treatment opens up the possibility that your clothing will turn yellow, attract bugs or start to mildew. It’s best to find clear plastic bins because you can see what’s inside without having to open them. Make sure to label the bins by using a large label and a large black heavy sharpie.
Additionally, put lavender satchels or cedar blocks in your clothing bins to keep moths away. Finally, make sure that you store your clothing in a dark, warm and dry spot in your house.
Properly storing your seasonal clothes helps you to prevent pests like moths from chewing holes in them. It also guarantees that you’ll have space in your closet for the clothing you’ll be wearing during the current season.
Finally, going through your clothes before you store them forces you to look at each item and ask the question “Do I need it?” Organization and letting go of items can be tough, but Organization Direct is here to help! We have personalized organizing solutions that work with your lifestyle to de-clutter, organize, and transform not only your home but your closet too.
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