As with any organization process, eliminating the unnecessary is fundamental. You invariably accumulate more and more with each passing year and if we are going to face facts, you can’t keep all of it.
Space is a finite commodity. Every winter jacket you’ve ever bought or received is a storage space unto itself. There are some basic storage rules that apply to everything, but especially something as important as your clothing. Below are five that might make storing your offseason clothing a bit more convenient.
Curate the wardrobe. Anything you don’t love to wear, doesn’t fit or is ripped and torn is not worth storing. If they are still in decent condition, donate them to a shelter or other international humanitarian agency. If you need the money, you can try and sell them to a second hand store.
Prep your clothes for storage. First and foremost, do not use starch on your clothing. Animals love starch. They search out starches in nature, and if your clothing is a good source of it, they will find it and they will infest it. It is also a good idea to wash your clothes before you store them so they are ready to wear (provided them pass the smell test) when they come out next season and toss in some humidity control packets or cedar balls to maintain freshness while your clothing is out of regular rotation.
Hybridize your house. If space is at a premium in your home, it may be worthwhile to consider buying things like beds, coffee tables or pull-out storage space under staircases or even beneath floorboards. Having multi-purpose spaces in your house is a great way to not only conserve space, but allows easy access to things without having to climb into an attic or down into a cellar and gives you more control over things like climate and security.
Baskets. There are plenty of tasteful, trendy, inoffensive looking basket storage solutions on that market that can both blend thematically with your living space, tuck neatly and inconspicuously under tables and desks, and help you utilize unused vertical space you didn’t even know you had.
Label your boxes and bins. It’s easy to get lost in the packing process while forgetting about the eventual unpacking process you are going to face come next season. Label what you are storing so you know exactly where items need to go once they are out of storage.
Storing off season clothing doesn’t have to be a chore. If you know where to look and how to store things, you will be amazed at how little time and effort actually needs to go into this annual event, and, with a little ingenuity, just how much extra space you have in your home.