The decision to store your clothes for the season (or longer) is a wise one. Storage is an excellent, pocket-friendly option that helps declutter your house. But now that you’ve finally taken this step, you need to address a new problem: how do you pack clothes so that they’re safe and tidy in storage? This guide provides the answer.
Wash Your Clothes
This first step sounds obvious, yet many people overlook it. Just like you would wash a shirt before hanging it back up in the closet, you’ll want to give your clothes a good wash before putting them in storage.
Even if the clothing item doesn’t have a pungent smell, it can still benefit from having a quick wash. That’s because sweat, deodorants, perfumes, and lotions all settle into the fabric and can cause it to stain if left like that for a long time.
Make sure you allow your clothes to dry properly, though, before packing them up. Why? Wet fabric can encourage mold.
Choose Your Preferred Storing Option
What are you going to keep your clothes in while they are in storage? A plastic container can be useful as it keeps dust and dirt off garments. It is generally considered more protective than the average cardboard box.
Avoid putting clothes into plastic bags too. The plastic material can trap moisture and even grow mold.
Alternatively, you can opt for a specially designed cotton bag. It will usually have a snug fit to the clothing item and protect it from dust, bugs, and moths. A cotton bag is also great for keeping moisture at bay, as well as any mold.
Decide on the Right Type of Storage
You might be thinking it doesn’t matter which type of storage you choose, but that’s not true. A wise choice for garments is climate controlled storage.
These storage units are temperature regulated, so as not to be too hot or too cold. This point is important as either of those two extremes can damage clothing. Climate controlled units are also humidity-resistant, which prevents mold and mildew from growing on your clothes.
Hang or Fold?
Some types of clothing, like dresses, benefit from being put on a coat hanger, as it keeps them free of wrinkles. Other clothing items, like t-shirts, don’t have that problem and can easily be stored folded. But you’ll want to divide your clothing into wrinkle-prone and non-wrinkle-prone and store them accordingly.
Avoid Vacuum-Sealing Clothes
Vacuum sealing your clothes seems like a great idea as it keeps them safe and gives you more storing space. But it turns out that vacuum-sealing is only a good idea for short-term storage.
Over time, vacuum-sealed bags can encourage moisture and mold. The lack of air inside the bag can also destroy the fibers of your clothes and ruin their shape, which is why you should never store valuable or rare clothing in vacuum-sealed bags.
Final Tip: Visit the Self Storage Unit Occasionally
Checking on your clothes might not be the first thing on your mind, but as you’ve noticed, most damage occurs over time. By regularly visiting your storage space, you have a better chance of catching and stopping the damage early on.
Now you know how to store your clothes well and can enjoy more space at home. Understanding the points above will save you a lot of time packing and preserve the garments well.
