Seasonal and Winter Gear Storage Tips
With summer just around the corner, it’s time to get out the swim trunks, patio furniture, and barbecue so you can take full advantage of the warm weather. It’s also time to start packing and storing your heavy sweaters, jackets, scarves and gloves, as well as other winter clothing. But how best to place your clothes and other winter gear in seasonal storage so that they are not damaged when the cold weather hits? To help you safeguard your winter clothing during the summer months, Mini-Entrepôts Sauvegarde has put together some organizing tips for winter gear storage.
Organizing Tips for Winter Gear Storage
When it comes to seasonal storage and clothing, most people believe tossing sweaters, jackets, and hats into a cardboard box or garbage bag is enough to keep them safe for a few months. This couldn’t be further from the truth, and is a surefire way to ruin your clothing. So unless you can afford to buy a whole new winter wardrobe each season, it’s best to follow these organizing tips for winter gear storage.
Organizing Tips # 1 - Make Sure Your Clothes Are Clean!
Even if your clothes look clean, it’s best to have them laundered (each according to their item specifications) before you store them for months on end. Dirt, body oils, and bacteria can destroy your clothing if left over long periods of time. They can also leave undesirable odors in your fabric that may be extremely difficult if not impossible to remove. To safeguard against these outcomes, it’s best to wash your clothes before you store them or have them dry-cleaned.
Organizing Tips # 2 - Use Deodorizers
When you place winter clothing in seasonal storage, the duration can run from mid-spring to mid-autumn: a period of 4 to 6 months. Regardless of how well you clean your clothes, winter gear storage for this amount of time can lead your clothes to absorb some stale and musty odors.
One way to combat this is to place deodorizers in your clothing containers or in the storage unit itself. A few drops of lavender oil or some dryer sheets will do the trick. However, it’s important to remember not to go overboard- not only will the smell be unbearable but the chemicals could damage your clothes as well. A few drops and one dryer sheet per container will do!
Organizing Tips # 3 - Winter Gear Storage: To Fold, Or To Hang?
Ah, the age-old question…do I fold my clothes or hang them when I place them in seasonal storage?
Really, that depends on what the material is made of, as well as its shape and function.
As a rule of thumb, natural fiber fabrics, like cotton, silk, wool, and linen, can be folded. Synthetic fabrics, like polyester, nylon, and acrylic, can be folded as well, provided you place acid-free tissues between folded areas to avoid discoloration, sticking, or undue creases.
Take note of the following for specific items:- Jackets and Coats…can be folded, but should be hung. Invest in a good hanger so the jacket or coat can keep its shape around the shoulders. Before you place them in winter gear storage, make sure to zip up all zippers and button all pockets up. Use plastic dust covers for protection.
- Boots and Shoes…should have tissue or boot/shoe forms placed within them so they can keep their shape. This will also help absorb any excess moisture. If stored in the same container, place an old towel or another such fabric between them to avoid scuffing.
- Delicates…like scarves, hats, and gloves can be individually wrapped with acid-free tissue and placed in cotton garment bags. This will keep them protected from dust and mildew.
- Sweaters…can be folded neatly and placed in containers. However, be careful not to pack sweaters too densely to avoid collecting humidity and growing mold.
- Casual wear…like T-shirts, jeans, and sweatpants can be folded, rolled up, and placed into a bin.
Organizing Tips # 4 - Use Plastic Storage Bins
Storing your clothing in an old cardboard box may be tempting, but that wouldn’t be a good idea. In the case of a leak, or water damage within your seasonal storage unit, the cardboard will be easily leached through, and your clothing ruined. As well, glues and small, safe compartments and holes within the box can attract insects, which can eat through and lay eggs in your clothing.
An important organizing tip for winter gear storage is to place your clothes in transparent plastic bins. This way, you can avoid water and pest damage, and see what’s in the bin to boot!
Organizing Tips #5 - Climate-Controlled Units For Seasonal Storage
The main reason so many precautions are taken to safeguard your winter clothes is due to mold and mildew that can develop when your storage unit is replete with humidity. This normally happens when contrasting temperatures are present in the storage unit, which occurs during a change of seasons, when day turns to night, and vice-versa. The excess humidity in the air and subsequent condensation in the storage unit is a prime place for bacteria to thrive, causing mildew, mold, and other fungi to grow. This can undoubtedly ruin your clothing, as soft fibers provide excellent bases for these bacteria to latch onto and grow. Moreover, these unwanted growths can attract insects, rodents, and other pests to your storage unit, further ruining your clothing and perhaps other belongings.
As organizing tips go, renting a climate-controlled unit is sound advice, and perhaps the most important tip this guide has to offer. After all, climate-controlled units maintain a steady temperature and humidity level all year round, so the chances of mold and mildew developing are eliminated. This means you can store your clothing and other sensitive belongings (such as wood, paper documents, and electronics) with peace of mind, knowing they are safe from damage and degradation!
For more organizing tips on winter gear storage and seasonal storage, or to inquire about rates, sizes, and availability of units, contact Mini-Entrepôts Sauvegarde today.