Helpful Tips for Storing Winter Clothes in the Summer
Summer is right around the corner, which means it’s time to ditch the heavy winter coats, sweaters, and hats for shorts, t-shirts, and swimming suits. However, unless you have a spacious walk-in closet, rotating your wardrobe and storing out-of-season clothing can be a struggle. Properly storing winter clothing is essential for an organized and well-functioning space.
At Doorage, our door-to-door storage services are always available when you need to free up some space. Winter clothes take up a lot of space and our storage solutions are an affordable and convenient way to make room for your summer wardrobe. Simply estimate your storage needs and we’ll deliver the number of eco-friendly reusable storage crates you need to put your belongings into. Once packed up, we’ll pick up the storage containers, store them in our secure, climate-controlled storage facility, and deliver them back whenever you’re ready.
If you’re interested in our pick-up and drop-off storage solutions, get started by calculating your storage needs. Until then, our storage experts put together some ideas to make the most of your space as you learn the best way to store your winter clothes when you’re not wearing them.
Preparing Winter Clothes for Storage
Before you begin folding and storing your winter clothes, it is important to take the time to ensure they are first properly prepared so they look — and smell — pristine and are ready to go as the winter season approaches. Here are some great ways to prepare your winter clothes for storage.
1. Create a laundry pile
Even if your winter clothes don’t look dirty, you should make sure to clean them before storing them — it can make all the difference when it comes to keeping your clothes in pristine condition while they are in storage. Many types of winter clothing, such as cashmere sweaters, should be dry cleaned while others will need to be hand-washed. Storing dirty clothes, whether in a storage facility or attic, risks attracting moths and embedding a nearly-impossible-to-remove odor from the clothing after months have passed.
2. Block the stench, use deodorizers
The truth is, no matter where you store your clothes, there’s a chance that they will start to develop an unpleasant musty odor during the warm summer months when temperatures are sky-high. Adding deodorizers into the boxes and containers you will be storing your clothes in is worth the effort and will give you fresh-smelling clothes when you have a need for them again. Add a few drops of lavender essential oil into each box or container. If you don’t have essential oils, a few dryer sheets should do the trick.
Best Method for Storage: Folding or Hanging?
Many people wonder whether or not they should fold or hang certain types of clothing fabrics. As a rule of thumb, you’re safe to fold any pieces of clothing that are of natural fiber fabrics. Synthetic fabrics are a bit more delicate and should be carefully folded with acid-free tissue in between the folded areas. For others, consider the following:
- Sweaters. Fold sweaters and place in plastic bins or fabric storage bags. Avoid cramming too many sweaters into one bin or container as mold and mildew could form.
- Winter Coats. Winter jackets can take up a lot of space and be difficult to store. Zip up zippers, button up any buttons, and gently fold coats made of materials like leather, wool, or faux fur so they keep their shape.
- Delicates. Before placed into boxes or containers, delicate winter clothes should be wrapped-up in acid-free tissue and stored in cotton garment bags to ensure they are fully protected while in storage.
- Casual Clothing. Casual clothing is pretty easy to store, simply fold them or roll them up and place them in your storage box, bin, or container.
- Shoes and Boots. Before putting boots and shoes of any kind into storage, you want to make sure they will be able to maintain their shape. Shoes can be packed with tissue paper, while boots should have boot forms. Boots should be stored on their sides with an old shirt or pillowcase in between each pair.
What to Store Winter Clothes In and Where
When it comes to storing your winter clothes, there are a lot of options available. Of course, you can use a pick-up storage service like Doorage, but if you have the available space you may be wondering what other options are available. While it’s tempting to use cardboard boxes to store winter clothes, they aren’t the best solution. Cardboard is both acidic and susceptible to water damage — it certainly isn’t the best solution for storing your winter clothes in. Instead, opt for clear plastic totes. Storing winter clothes inside sealed plastic totes that will prevent water damage and other mishaps. The containers can often slide underneath your bed, making it easy to get your winter clothes hidden and out of the way.
If you don’t have space in your closet or under your bed, you’ll need to get creative. Empty wall space can be used to slide and stack containers against or, for clothes that need to be hung, you can use an open or enclosed rolling clothing rack. Keep in mind, this will likely take up some valuable space in whichever room you are placing these items.
Is It Safe to Store Clothes in the Attic or Garage?
Many wonder if storing winter clothing in their attic or garage is a good idea. Ideally, winter clothes need to be stored in a location that is cool, clean, dry, and preferably dark — these are the conditions you’ll find at Doorage’s state-of-the-art storage facility. These are important factors to consider when choosing where to store your clothes for the summer season. The attic and garage, while both seem like great places to store these items, are susceptible to extreme temperature fluctuations which can cause more harm than good to your clothing.
Confidently Store Your Winter Clothes
Use these tips to increase your confidence and peace of mind that your winter clothes will be protected during the offseason and ready to go when the temperatures start to fall once again. Remember, if you don’t want to deal with the hassle of finding storage for winter clothes, Doorage’s door-to-door storage services are the perfect solution. To learn more, click here.