{"id":6084,"date":"2018-11-01T19:16:42","date_gmt":"2018-11-01T23:16:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.organizedinteriors.com\/blog\/?p=6084"},"modified":"2020-05-21T14:06:11","modified_gmt":"2020-05-21T18:06:11","slug":"seasonal-clothes-storage-tips","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.organizedinteriors.com\/blog\/seasonal-clothes-storage-tips\/","title":{"rendered":"9 Clever Seasonal Clothes Storage Tips Everyone Should Know"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Woman

Photo by Dan Gold on Unsplash<\/p><\/div>\n

Living in a cold climate means having a larger wardrobe than someone living where the temperature barely changes.<\/p>\n

Unlike a Floridian, wearing shorts outside in the middle of January simply isn\u2019t an option for Canadians.<\/p>\n

Or should I say most<\/em> Canadians. There are those strange people, after all, who you occasionally see at the local Tim Hortons on a frigid winter day bundled up with a thick coat, toque, and…wearing their shorts. We don\u2019t get it.<\/p>\n

The bi-annual ritual of seasonal clothes storage<\/h3>\n

For the rest of us who stick to weather-appropriate attire, the perpetual seasonal clothes storage cycle is a fact of life.<\/p>\n

At least twice a year in the spring and fall, it\u2019s time to carry out the ritual of swapping your seasonal clothing for whichever apparel is best suited to the coming season.<\/p>\n

Whether it\u2019s packing away your swimwear or shorts in the autumn or your mitts and sweaters when springtime arrives, there\u2019s a right way and a wrong way to store your seasonal clothes.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s well worth it to take the time to do things properly when it comes to seasonal clothes storage.<\/p>\n

You\u2019ll extend the life of your clothing. And\u00a0when your organized seasonal apparel emerges from its hibernation\u00a0months from now, you\u2019ll have fewer headaches to deal with.<\/p>\n

Use these nine seasonal clothes storage tips whenever you\u2019re changing over your wardrobe.<\/p>\n

\u00a01. Pare down your wardrobe<\/h3>\n

Switching out your wardrobe when seasons change presents the perfect opportunity to take stock of what you own and \u201cthin the herd\u201d a little.<\/p>\n

An MSN.com<\/a> poll found that\u00a063% of those surveyed planned to get rid of outdated clothing in the next year<\/strong>. However, life tends to get in the way sometimes. We don\u2019t always follow through on those well-intentioned plans, unfortunately.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s one reason so many of us have so much unworn or barely worn clothing in our closets. One study by PR agency 10 Yetis estimated that the closets of U.S. women contain an average of $550 worth of unworn clothing<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Undoubtedly, seasonal clothing that doesn\u2019t fit, is out of fashion, is damaged beyond repair, or was bought on sale but never worn will comprise some of that closet clutter.<\/p>\n

While you\u2019re going through your clothing collection, spend a little extra time to pare down your wardrobe.<\/p>\n

Getting rid of clothing you never wear will create much-needed closet and drawer space. You\u2019ll save a good amount of time every year by having fewer non-essential things to go through when you\u2019re looking for something to wear.<\/p>\n

2. Wash and repair your clothes before storage<\/h3>\n

\"button,Any seasonal clothing should be properly washed and folded before being packed away for several months. For your more delicate items, round everything up for a visit to your dry cleaner.<\/p>\n

Leaving an untreated stain on an item of clothing that\u2019s being stored for awhile will usually create more problems for you later on. The stain will only set in further and cause a worse discolouration of the fabric.<\/p>\n

The smells of body odours, perfumes, and colognes left on unwashed seasonal clothes will be more difficult to get rid of the longer you don\u2019t deal with them. Clean clothes will also be much less likely to attract pests like closet moths.<\/p>\n

Always be sure that your washed seasonal clothes are\u00a0completely dry before they\u2019re put into storage containers. Damp clothes being stored in a sealed space with no airflow is a recipe for mould and mildew problems.<\/p>\n

Take care of any sweater de-pilling or necessary mending tasks, such as\u00a0fixing broken zippers or\u00a0replacing missing buttons on your seasonal clothes.<\/p>\n

Invest a little extra time to make all of the seasonal clothes you\u2019re storing fresh and ready-to-go as soon as you need them the following year. Your future self will thank you.<\/p>\n

3. Use plastic storage containers<\/h3>\n

Always use clean plastic storage containers\/bins with secure lids instead of cardboard boxes for your seasonal clothes storage. Be sure to label them in order to make finding things easier.<\/p>\n

Even a thicker cardboard box will eventually fall apart and they\u2019re harder to move around. Cardboard boxes are also susceptible to infiltration from rodents and insects.<\/p>\n

Clothing stored in cardboard boxes for lengthy periods of time may also develop white or yellow stains.<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t overstuff your plastic storage containers, as you\u2019ll cause tough-to-remove creases and wrinkling.<\/p>\n

Loosely storing things in your containers and leaving a bit of space in them will also allow air to circulate.<\/p>\n

4. Use mothballs properly for seasonal clothes storage<\/h3>\n

Wait, there\u2019s a wrong way to use mothballs?<\/p>\n

Well, as much as mothballs are indeed an effective solution to prevent insects from feasting on your clothes, remember that they are, in fact, a pesticide.<\/p>\n

That means there\u2019s a certain level of toxicity in the product, which makes them a hazard to pets, children, and you if you\u2019re using them improperly. Toxicologists recommend that anyone handling mothballs wear gloves.<\/p>\n

To eliminate any safety worries, you could spend a little extra and get chemical-free mothballs. Cedar blocks and cedar-lined chests are another safer option.<\/p>\n

Also keep this in mind:\u00a0mothballs need to be used in an airtight container or bag to be most effective<\/strong>. You also need to use the right amount of them. And remember that after awhile, mothballs lose their potency and will need to be replaced.<\/p>\n

5. Where to store your seasonal clothes<\/h3>\n

Not all of your stored seasonal clothing will be folded up and put in storage bins. You\u2019ll want to hang some things, so try creating more storage space in your closet by adding a closet organizer<\/a> and some helpful accessories, like extra hanging rods.<\/p>\n

Adding an extra shelf to your closet\u2019s upper reaches can also provide the perfect space to keep items you won\u2019t need for some time.<\/p>\n

Just don\u2019t overcrowd your closets with so much of your stored seasonal clothing that it ends up restricting your everyday use of the space.<\/p>\n

To free up closet space, here are a few more places you can use for seasonal clothes storage in your home:<\/p>\n