Always Wash Before Storage
Whether recently worn or still clean in the closet, it's best to launder summer clothing before storage to protect quality and prevent issues down the road. Wash removes:
- Body oils, sweat, & skincare residues that attract pests and dirt
- Lingering chemical vestiges from manufacturing and dyeing
- Allergens like pollen, grass, mold spores
- Food spills & debris that can stain
- Wrinkling from tight storage while dirty
Use a gentle, fragrance-free detergent so fabrics emerge fresh, residue-free, and better protected in storage.
Delicate Care Items
For delicates unable to withstand washing, specialized dry cleaning removes soils and residues pre-storage without damage. Request non-perfumed solvents to avoid lingering odors.
If budget excludes dry cleaning everything, consider refreshing select special event items like cocktail dresses vulnerable to yellowing or sequin tarnish over time.
Get Rid of Dry Cleaning Plastic Bags
While convenient return packaging from the dry cleaners, the plastic used in garment bags actually damages clothing over extended storage.
Plasticizers in the vinyl leach into fabrics, causing yellow stains and brittleness. The non-breathable barrier also traps humidity and gases emitted from stored textiles themselves. This weakens fibers and invites mold growth.
Instead, wrap dry cleaned items in breathable muslin or white cotton sheeting before storage. These allow airflow to prevent damage while keeping fabrics clean.
Use Vacuum Sealed Storage Bags
Vacuum packing compresses fabric volume dramatically so clothing stacks flatten for easy storage. The process also saves space by conforming pliable clothing to the storage container outline precisely.
Prevent over-compression of delicate fabrics by lining rigid tubs with lightweight packing materials to cushion vacuum force. Otherwise, sealing the bag just short of completely evacuating all air lets fabrics relax slightly after sealing without compromising preservation.
Add Repellent Sachets
Adding cedar chips or dried aromatic flower sachets while vacuum sealing clothes infuses a fresh scent that continues protecting fabrics. The vacuum process permeates bags fully with the natural repellent. Just avoid direct contact between sachets and clothing to prevent staining risks.
Use Natural Moth Repellents
Clothing moths seek animal-based fibers like wool, cashmere, silk, felt, shearling, and leather to lay eggs along seams. When larvae hatch, they eat protein-rich fabric sources.
Repel moths' keen senses by storing clean fabrics with layers of cedar wood blocks. The strong cedar scent disguises irresistible clothing fiber smells to confuse pests. Its lasting aroma also actively curbs moths and carpet beetles without any added chemicals.
You can also sew small cedar chips into tiny sachet packets to hide inside clothing stacks. Cedar's durable aroma persists for years when stored with clothing.
Make Sure Storage Containers Are Dry
Moisture invites mold, promotes chemical reactions weakening textile fibers, and encourages corrosion on decor details like buttons, snaps, zippers and embellishments over time.
Inspect clothing storage areas for leaks, flooding risks, or condensation dripping overhead during winter months. Check container exteriors for signs of wet storage issues like swollen cardboard or stained bins.
Raise plastic bins off cement floors on wood pallets to prevent moisture transfer through plastic. And consider transferring contents to new airtight plastic totes until replacing damaged cardboard boxes.
Keep It Organized
Packing summer clothes away by category and family member saves frustration searching for specific items through jumbled tubs come springtime.
Use clear vacuum bags, lidded totes, or transparent storage bins with built-in dividers to easily identify contents. Labelling lids with sharpie contents lists speeds spring unpacking too.
Nesting smaller boxes holding intimates, accessories and shoes inside larger ones containing clothing categories aids quick retrieval without unpacking everything first. Just remember to leave room for airflow all around stacked storage to prevent odor issues.
Follow these summer clothing storage tips to keep favorite fashions protected through winter for unlimited seasons of wear to come. Proper storage saves time, money and heartache down the road!
.png){kind=small}