Hi! I’m Laurie with tipjunkie.com with another easy upgrade from Downy. Today’s upgrade is how to pack your seasonal clothing.
Whether you live in a place where you get to enjoy all 4 seasons or just a few like I do, these 4 storage tips will help you protect your seasonal wardrobe and give you the extra closet space that you need.
How To Pack Off-Season Clothing
Once the weather has changed and you’re looking for something more suitable to wear, take the time to properly put away your seasonal clothing. Here’s how!
Tip #1 ~ Only Store Clean Clothes
Wash, hand-wash, or dry-clean all of your clothes before you store them. Not only will this prevent dirt or moisture from creating stains, but it will also eliminate moth larvae or residue that could feed these insects.
When cleaning clothes, consider adding Ultra Downy with SilkTouch to your load or a little in your sink when hand washing. Downy will give your clothing a softer feel and protect the fabric while in storage.
With that said, it’s best not to use Downy on Under Armor or athletic clothing as well as garments made with fluffier fabrics such as fleece, velour, chenille, or terry cloth.
Photo Credit ~ Sweater Girl Tip #2 ~ Properly Pack Your Clothes
The goal is to maintain a fresh scent as well as protect your clothes while you pack your seasonal items. This step will make wearing them AFTER storage so much easier.
To properly pack your clothes, first divide them into groups so they can be easily found next year. For instance store pants with pants, shirts with shirts, and so on. You get the idea!
Next, stack your items by weight matching similar materials together. Put the heaviest articles on the bottom and moving up to your lightweight items on top. Don’t forget to check for wear and tear as you pack.
Be sure to avoid using cardboard boxes and paper shopping bags which offer bugs too many entry points and don’t prevent water seepage.
Consider wrapping your sweaters with white tissue paper before packing. If you can find it at an archival supply store, use acid-free tissue paper.
Hang winter coats and suits on cedar hangers, then store them in garment bags. If hanging is not possible, lie the garments flat in an area that is safe from water and away from carpet, which may attract carpet beetles.
Lastly, pop in a few Downy dyer sheets into each container to keep that just-washed smell and maintain a fresh scent. You can also add a few Downy Unsptopables scent booters into hanky or piece of fabric to create your own satchel. Instead of using yucky moth balls, include cedar chips into each storage container to prevent larvae growth.
Tip #3 ~ Create Storage
Don’t clutter your closet by keeping out-of-season clothing in it all year long. Create extra closet space by finding storage solutions that work for you.
To create storage, use hideaway storage like under the bed, crib, under the stairs, and in the attic or crawl space.
Check out this Handmade Cedar-Lined Under-Bed Storage Box from Gina. It’s a real box made out of wood on wheels and lined in cedar, which provides excellent protection against moths, mildew, and mustiness.
You can also add shelves to completely transform your closet like Jen did! I love that she used a mahogany wood and lined the walls with animal print wallpaper. So fun!
Do you have a two-story home? Check out this under the stairs storage from Deriba Furniture. It’s a traditional under-stairs storage unit with pull out linen airing shelves. {heavenly}
You can even be inventive and create your own storage space like this sliding storage on a garage ceiling from the Family Handyman.
Tip #4 ~ Freshen Up Stored Clothing
While switching out clothes for the current season, take a moment to identify any stained items that may require extra care or try them on to in case they no longer fit.
Once you’ve unpacked your stored seasonal clothing, re-wash it using a fabric softener to make your clothes and linens silky soft and smelling fabulous. My favorite is the Ultra Downy with SilkTouch in *** scent.
If your clothing is barely wrinkled without a musty smell, consider popping it into the dryer with a Downy dryer sheet to freshen it up in a jiffy!
My Way: How to get rid of lint balls (Part 1)
To Avoid Pill Lint
Pill Lint or Lint Balls are created when fibers break from the clothing, which usually happens during agitation in your washing machine or tumbling in the dryer. Several fibers are notoriously pill-prone like acrylics, knitted or woven fabric, merino wool, and cashmere.
How To Prevent Pill Lint:
- Turn items inside out before washing.
- Dont pack your washer too full. Instead, load it loosely to provide free circulation and minimize clothing abrasion.
- Wash permanent press, knits, and delicates in a separate load and use a shorter wash time.
- Use a fabric softener, like Ultra Downy with SilkTouch, in the final rinse to reduce static and prevent lint from clinging onto fabrics.
- When possible, line-dry items that are likely to pill.
Those are my 4 tips on how to upgrade your seasonal clothing storage. I’m Laurie owner of tipjunkie.com. Join me next time when I share another upgrade from Downy.
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