When you are preparing for next season, clothes need special attention. To keep clothes fresh in storage, you must wash and dry them before head. Prepare the containers, cardboard boxes or wardrobe with essentials.
Make sure you lock out all the dust, mist, dampness, moisture, insects, bugs, dirt and pests. Airtight containers are best solution for this problem. Lavender sachets, cedar blocks and camphor packets can solve the problem of odor and dullness. Let’s have a look in detail to these solutions.
Best Way To Store Clothes In Storage Unit
Clean & Dry
Before you start storing your clothes, it is necessary to clean them, wash them and dry them completely. Clean and dry items for storage are best solution to keep clothes save from moisture and from side effects of moisture.
Deodorize Clothes
Long term storage items often have a different odor, it is complementary to deodorize the clothes every time you clean and manage your storage. Use deodorizing sachets in the storage boxes and if possible, sun dry your clothes every once in a while. Use vinegar, dryer sheets, baking soda and some activated charcoal to prevent these clothes from odor.
Sort Your Clothes
Separate seasonal clothes, formal clothes, fancy and casual wear from each other and store them separately. this separation will keep clothes save from tangling. Also, separation will keep clothes save from pest attack and mold infestation. Sorting will make it easy for you to store, manage and access the clothes again when you need.
Use Packing Essentials
Pack your clothes with dryer sheets and with some perfumed tissue papers to prevent the odor and tangle. Use packing essentials that keep your clothes fresh for longer period of time. For example a splash of vinegar in the corners of plastic storage box and a pinch of baking soda will keep your clothes safe from insects and odor.
Storage Solutions To Keep Clothes Fresh
Plastic Containers
Plastic containers with lids are best solution for clothes storage. You can store clothes in them for longer periods of time without any fear of damage. Heavy duty plastic boxes with lids and buckles can keep so many clothes that you would not need any storage separately.
Large Bins
To store clothes long term in garage, use large plastic bins. These bins can store prom dresses, formal wears, fancy clothings so well that you can not abandon these bins. They save space and keep the clothes in vertical storage so that you can still access much of the flooring to manage and clean.
Use Baskets
Foldable, stackable and bamboo baskets are storage besties. For seasonal storage, and for delicate storage you should use bamboo baskets. These can let the air flow very good so clothes remain fresh and soft till next use. Foldable and stackable baskets are good to use in your own garage for the ease of access and safer storage.
Drawers Or Wardrobe
If you have a small quantity of storage, you can organize them in your wardrobe too! just use the hanging racks, lavender sachets and dryer sheets to keep clothes fresh in storage. Drawers can hold casual wear till next season. You can fold and store clothes as they are, or you can use plastic containers. It is up to your choice.
Cardboard Boxes
When you are thinking for a long term storage solution, I would not suggest such fragile and vulnerable storage solution to you like cardboard boxes. They are not a good choice to keep clothes while they can not resist moisture, insects and Mold. Although for a temporary solution, you can use cardboard boxes for clothes sorting and managing.
Vacuum Sealed Bags
I suggest you to not vacuum seal the box that has clothes in it. Reason behind it is very simple, a good air flow will keep your clothes fresh and odor free while an air tight space can be vulnerable for such problems.
Storage Facility
Investing in a good storage facility is always the best solution. If you are going to choose for one, I recommend you to invest in a storage facility that is climate controlled. This facility will benefit you for every storage problem. You can store your holdings in every weather and in every type of atmosphere.
In climate controlled storages, you would not need to worry about moisture problems, insects and pests infestation or Mold growth. Just make sure to check for the proper Mold control spray, Insect repellent sprays and anti pest solutions carefully.
How To Store Hanging Clothes In Storage Unit?
To keep clothes fresh in storage, it is necessary to look for what storage solution are you using? In wardrobe, mostly hanging racks are used for temporary storage. But there are some precautions that must be followed to avoid accidents and damages.
For fancy and formal dresses, you should use lavender sachets and activated charcoal to avoid odor and to keep them fresh. For seasonal clothes, use foldable baskets or bamboo baskets in your wardrobe and use dryer sheets in between the layers of clothes. You must wash, dry and iron these clothes before you store them.
Keep The Bugs Out Of Clothes In Storage
Bugs, insects or small pests are a common problem for fabric storages. There are some insects that only eat fabric no matter how safely you stored it, they manage to reach there. To keep the bugs out of your storage you must keep the storage clean and manage an anti bug spray regularly.
Keep lavender sachets in your clothes to shoo away the bugs, they hate the smell. Always check for moisture and solve the problem if find any. Keep your storage insect free by treating the cracks and holes in there. And last but not the least, use storage containers that can keep clothes safe from insects.
Conclusion
To keep the clothes fresh in storage boxes, clean them and air dry them completely. Use airtight plastic containers to keep the moisture and insects out from the box. Large storage bins are good choice for long term storage solution.
Use dryer sheets in between the layers, or you can simply store them in vacuum sealed bags. For long term storage use storage facilities that are climate controlled and properly vented. Activated charcoal will help you to control odor in clothes. You can steam clean them in between to keep them fresh.
Frequently Asked Questions
Storage containers with lids, airtight containers are the best solutions to preserve clothes in storage for next season. You can also modify your wardrobe as storage unit and keep clothes fresh and save.
Use silica gel packets to keep the moisture and odor out of clothes. Other than this lavender sachets and cedar block are also good choices. Activated charcoal can absorb the odor and moisture, also it is a natural solution.
Large storage bins are a better choice for storage as they are more affordable and durable. You can use dryer sheets at the bottom of each storage bon to keep the clothes fresh in storage.
Pack the clothes in properly vented boxes, or use the packaging that is enough breathable to let out the damp and moist which eventually make ways for mold. Always make sure the clothes, packaging and storage box are completely dry before storing.
When there is not enough ventilation for clothes to let the air flow properly they develop and odor. To avoid this odor, use clean, dry and ventilated drawers to store clothes. Put they dry sheet in between every few layer or stack of cloth to avoid such incident.
For long term storage, like till next season, airtight and plastic storage containers are best solution. As they keep the moisture and pests out. But for temporary storage, you can use cardboard storage boxes as they are easily available and affordable.
Keep them in sun and air after every few weeks, use baking soda and refreshing agents fro odor killing, use dry sheet for moisture control. Steam cleaning can help with this specific situation.
