If you live in an area of the United States where the seasons have distinct changes, you already know your wardrobe changes with them. One of the biggest is when winter turns to spring, which means you can finally put away your bulky sweaters, heavy coats, knit hats, winter boots, and more.
Many folks, and maybe you as well, wonder how to store winter clothing correctly so that it stays in pristine condition until next season. To help you do that, the storage expert at SecurCare Self Storage put together this list of the top 15 tips for storing winter clothing. If storing winter garments correctly so they’re ready to go next year is your goal, read on.
Top 15 Tips for Storing Winter Clothing
1. Clean Your Clothes Well Before Storing
You must clean your winter clothing well before storage to remove body oils, stains, food debris, and anything else that can harm the fabric. Not only will this ensure that your clothing isn’t permanently stained or damaged while stored, but it will also reduce the risk of destruction due to insects that might be attracted to food stains.
2. Choose the Correct Containers for Storage
Many people choose cardboard containers to store their clothing, but we recommend against doing this. Insects and rodents can easily chew their way into cardboard boxes and damage your clothing. Also, you can’t see inside a cardboard box, so you won’t know what’s inside. Lastly, the cardboard will fall apart if your house floods, damaging anything inside. That’s why we recommend using clear, plastic containers with lids that seal well.
3. Use a Vacuum Sealer for Bulky Items
Many winter clothing items, like ski pants, are bulky and can take up a lot of storage space. If you don’t have storage space to spare, a vacuum sealer can be a great solution. These suck out the air inside specialized bags and compress the bulky items so that they take up less room. However, one caveat is that you don’t want to do this with anything that can be permanently creased when compressed.
4. Don’t Squish Your Clothes too Tightly Together
Be sure to leave a little “breathing room” in any containers you use to store your winter clothes. This will allow air circulation, keeping the fabrics in good condition.
5. Use Silica Gel Packs for Mold and Mildew Prevention
If you’ve recently purchased new sneakers or shoes, you’ve no doubt seen a small silica gel pack inside the shoebox. These small packages are great moisture absorbers and keep your shoes or sneakers in pristine condition until purchased. You can do the same with your winter clothing by purchasing larger silica gel packs online. (Amazon is a great place to start.) They will absorb moisture during storage and help prevent mold and mildew from destroying your precious winter clothes.
6. Use Padded Hangers for Heavy and Bulky Items like Coats
If you have many heavy or bulky items like jackets and coats and want to hang them during spring and summer, we recommend using padded hangers. These will help your jackets and coats maintain their shape and are much better than wire hangers, which can, over a few months, distort and stretch the fabrics.
7. Condition Winter Boots Before Storage
Boot experts recommend cleaning and conditioning your winter boots before storage. This will keep them in good condition and prevent leather and other fabrics from drying out. You can also insert boot trees or crumpled-up newspaper inside to help your boots retain their shape while stored.
8. Fold and Store Wool Sweaters in Breathable Cotton Bags
Wool sweaters are prized possessions of many folks, for good reason: they’re super warm and feel amazing! However, they can also be quite expensive, which means you need to store them with care so they stay in pristine condition long-term. The best way to do that is to fold them gently and place them in breathable cotton bags. This will allow moisture to escape while also protecting your wool sweaters from insects and other pests.
9. Mend and Repair Before Storing
The last thing you want is to take your winter clothing out of storage when fall returns, only to discover that you still need to repair something like a fabric tear or a lost button. Instead, make sure to mend and fix anything before storing it so that, next season, it’s ready to go right away.
10. Make Sure Everything is Bone Dry Before Storage
You should never store clothing that is still wet or slightly damp. This can allow mold and mildew to propagate and destroy the item. In short, make sure everything is bone dry before storing it.
11. Choose a Climate-Controlled Storage Unit
Depending on how much winter clothing you have and whether you decide to rent a storage unit, we recommend a climate controlled storage unit. These specialized units keep the temperature and humidity stable throughout the spring and summer so that your clothing isn’t ruined by extreme temperature changes or high humidity.
12. Maximize Your Storage Space
Correctly using your home or apartment space is essential when storing winter clothes. For example, you can purchase long, flat plastic containers with wheels that will roll under your beds. You should also look into shelves that help you utilize vertical space in your closets, garage, and basement.
14. Cedar Blocks are Excellent Insect Repellants
We highly recommend using cedar blocks to repel insects that might find your clothing a tasty treat. They’re safer and smell much better than your grandma’s old-fashioned mothballs!
15. Label Containers Well
Label any containers you decide to use to store your winter clothing as well as possible. This will make it much easier to find specific items when winter rolls around again next year.
Let SecurCare Store Your Winter Clothes in Pristine, Safe Condition
If you don’t have enough storage space in your home and need to rent a storage unit, SecurCare Self Storage should be the first choice on your list! SecurCare offers safe, clean, and secure storage units in 12 different States, in a wide variety of sizes, and at quite affordable prices.
SecurCare also offers climate controlled storage units, which, as we mentioned earlier, keep the temperature and humidity stable throughout the year. These are, no doubt, the best storage units for winter clothing. When you’re ready, you can reserve a storage unit online from SecurCare. When you arrive, it will be ready with all of your winter clothing and other winter gear. Until then, we hope our 15 tips on how to store winter clothing have given you the information you were looking for!