It is that time of year when we say goodbye to winter and hello to summer. If you live in North Carolina you may not be totally convinced. Temps dropped down in the 50s just last week! For the majority, part of this transition is to store away our winter clothes until the cold weather arrives once again in about 6 or 7 months. Believe it or not, there is a proper way to store your winter clothes.
Clean clothes first
Before you even store your winter clothes away for the season, you need to clean your clothing first. Even if your clothes look clean, you want to wash them anyway since stains may be hidden and will set in. Also, moths are attracted to body oils and moths are the last thing you want in your clothing. If you are unsure of how to wash them in the most effective way before storing them, you can find more info through online guides that have step-by-step instructions on how to clean your clothes and the correct products to use.
Choose location
You don’t want to store winter clothes in the attic or the basement. The heat will set in any hidden stains that may be on your clothing and can also cause damage to the clothing fibers. You want to choose somewhere that is cool, dark, clean, well-ventilated, and dry.
Choose hangers
When storing items such as jackets, coats, pants, and blouses, you want to ensure you choose the right type of hanger. You don’t want to use thin hangers with any clothing. Jackets and coats should be hung on wooden suit hangers or padded hangers. Pants should be hung straight and from the cuffs, to prevent creases. Blouses should be hung using plastic or wooden hangers. Hung clothing should be stored in garment bags. Steer clear of plastic bags, since these do not allow clothing to breathe properly. Also, you don’t want to store your clothing in dry-cleaning bags, since these tend to harbor moisture and cause yellowing.
Choose storage containers
When choosing storage containers for your clothing, you don’t want to use anything made from cardboard, since cardboard attracts pests and bugs. Instead, choose plastic storage bins with lids.
Keep pests away
Many people reach for the mothballs when it comes to keeping pests away from stored clothing. The problem is that mothballs are harmful to children and pets. You can find more info here on natural ways to keep bugs away. For example, cedar is great at repelling insects from clothing. You can use cedar balls, blocks, or sachets. Another useful alternative is lavender sachets since insects hate the smell of lavender.
Like these tips, will be doing this this week.
These are some things you don’t think about when you’re storing things ,great tips
Thanks, we are going through this process right now. Trying to make sure we have everything cleaned well is the first thing for sure. I need to double check my hangers, I never thought about that one before. I will be putting these to good use and will pass on to my family and friends.