Wash Everything First
Laundering before storage protects fabric integrity and quality so winter clothes last for years to come. Wash away:
- Salt and chemical residues from streets and melted snow
- Embedded dirt and oils that degrade fibers over time
- Allergens like pollen, grass, tree buds
- Mold spores that could propagate in dark storage
Use a gentle, fragrance-free detergent to prevent skin irritation when wearing items again.
Handwash Delicates
Protect wool, cashmere, silks and other delicates from shrinkage or snags with a mild hand wash. Submerge them in cool water mixed with a capful of gentle cleanser approved for delicates. Let soak to loosen soils then drain without agitating before laying flat on a towel to dry.
Assess Quality Before Storing
Inspect all winter wear for needed mending, reinforcement, or replacement while unpacked. Make notes so necessary repairs happen before next winter rolls around again.
Check for:
- Missing buttons, damaged fasteners
- Torn interior linings
- Broken zippers or stuck sliders
- Pilling, thinning fabric
- Loose threads and seam splits
- Twisting hemlines or sagging knees
Prioritizing repairs prevents losing vital outerwear to easily fixable issues between seasons.
Avoid Storing In Drycleaner Bags
It might seem convenient to keep custom tailored wool suits stored between professional pressings in original dry cleaning covers. However, the plastic traps gasses emitted from resting wool fibers as they degrade. This causes permanent texture and color damage over months.
Instead, wrap winter tailored clothing pieces in white cotton sheeting or unbleached muslin before loading inside storage containers. These "breathe" to allow airflow while keeping fabrics clean.
Use Space Bags For Bulky Items
Compressing puffy down coats, thick sweater knits, and bulky cold weather gear down to flat packages streamlines storage to reclaim closet space for the trans seasonal shuffle.
Use jumbo space bags with dual vacuuming and rolling action to compress air out of fabrics safely. This prevents jamming too-large pieces inside containers where they expand and crush each other out of shape.
Insert Repellent Sachets
Stash sachets filled with cedar chips or aromatic dried flowers to infuse garments and space bags with light fresh fragrances. The intense vacuum process forces scents deep inside layers for lasting effect.
Guard Against Moths
Hungry moth larvae target natural protein-rich fibers in wool, cashmere, fur and shearling to digest as food once eggs laid along hidden seams hatch. Stop them by using cedar-based storage aids summer through winter.
Use Cedar Storage Accessories
- Line shelves with aromatic cedar planks
- Store sweaters folded in cedar hangers
- Divide sweater stacks with mini cedar blocks
- Hide cedar chips in tiny perforated pouches among clothes
Its enduring woodsy aroma disguises irresistible clothing scents from pests while enzymes deter moths naturally.
Control Moisture & Humidity
Dampness breeds mold, rusts snaps/hooks, and degrades fabric integrity over time through chemical reactions. But excessively arid storage overly dries materials into brittleness.
The ideal humidity range falls between 45% to 55%. Monitor conditions with a hygrometer and use silica gel packs in dry areas or evaporative humidifiers set to proper clothing storage specs for imbalanced spaces.
Allow Airflow
Leave space between storage boxes and wardrobe items so air can circulate freely. Stagnant pockets trap humid gases emitting from wool and other materials to damage adjacent textiles in closed spaces.
Organize Clothing By Owner
Sort winter clothes by member before packing into labeled storage containers to simplify next season's retrieval. Use clear stackable bins with built-in shelving to easily identify contents.
Grouping categories, like accessories together and heavier sweaters separate from lighter knits, prevents crushing. Just don't overpack cubes or weight can deform clothes on bottom layers.
Follow proper winter clothing storage methods to save time unpacking next year and prevent permanent damage. A little seasonal care protects your coveted cold weather wardrobe so it lasts for years to come!
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