Clothing storage is not easy as we think and some common storage mistakes which will cost your time, money are likely to be made.
And most people don’t really know how to store clothes in a storage unit.
Therefore, taking steps of properly cleaning, packaging, and storing your clothing will definitely increase the lifespan of your closet dramatically so that you or someone else can wear the clothing again in case you left it.
We would like to give you some of the best ways to store clothes in a storage unit, and just try your best to follow as many as possible.
No matter where you want to store your clothes such as a garage, storage unit, or under the bed, you can follow these clothing storage tips so don’t hesitate to check it out.
Related:
5 Steps to Store Clothes In Storage Unit
1. Save Money on Inventory
One of the best ways to store clothes in a storage unit is by taking an inventory.
For example, you can preserve your clothes for your younger brother.
Why is it necessary? Because you will be incredibly easy to forget what clothing you have in storage without this list, and you will repurchase a lot of clothing you don’t really need.
One key point of storing clothes in this way can help you save money by reusing what you already have in the future.
Additionally, knowing what clothes are in the basement will allow you to speed up the storage process.
That is because in case you need to find an item, you’ll know where exactly to find it and how it has been stored.
Your clothing inventory should include:
- The name of the clothes.
- Brief description including size.
- The place you store.
2. Dispose of or devote clothing in poor condition.
It is important to know how to properly store clothes in a storage unit as there would be some clothing items that are not in good condition, and you’ll be unlikely to wear again.
In the case of the clothing stored for long periods of time, they are more likely to be set permanently by existing smells and stains unless you know the best way to store clothes in a storage unit.
Consequently, smells from undesirable clothing can seep into clothing as it’s stored, too.
Determining why you choose to store the clothes is also necessary.
The next is figuring out which clothes you think are best suited for the task at hand.
If you’re storing off-season clothing, just pick your best winter or summer clothes and remove the other.
For children’s clothing, a handful of items in each size and in each season should be chosen.
As a rule of thumb, just get rid of clothing if it is beyond saving by laundering.
Stand on this opportunity to declutter your closet and ask yourself which clothing deserves a place in your storage space.
3. Wash and prep your garments.
The garments will definitely stay in good shape if you know how to properly store clothes in a storage unit.
No matter how clean you think your clothes are, you shouldn’t put them into a storage place without making some preparations.
Some ways below will help prepare your clothing for storage:
- Dispose of any plastic garment bags because these bags can accumulate excess moisture and ruin clothing which is stored for a long period of time.
- Even if you think your garment is clean, just wash your garment according to the guidelines on the label.
- In case of a musty smell, a clothing steamer to freshen it up is a good choice.
- You can’t wash vacuum clothing and textiles to remove loose soil and dust by placing a screen between the clothing and vacuum on a low suction setting.
- It is also important for you to think of an organization and labeling strategy for how you will store your clothes.
4. Choose a cool, dry place for storing
Finding a suitable place to store your clothes is more essential than the way you store your clothes.
Although your clothing is clean, it would be more likely to be musty if you store your bins in a musty basement.
The best way to store clothes in a storage unit is by choosing a place that is dry, dark, and maintains a cool temperature for an extended period.
Also, it’s would be better for a storage space to have good airflow and no direct sunlight.
Remember these pointers when seeking a storage space:
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Keep away from light.
An area that is free from ultraviolet light would be an ideal choice to store the garment boxes off the ground.
If there is light coming into your storage space, you should use opaque storage containers instead of transparent ones.
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Don’t use airtight containers.
Air quality in the storage area is so important for clothing because textiles need circulating air for longevity or any smells or dampness will be absorbed.
Therefore, using airtight containers would work for clothing that will be only stored for a short time.
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Avoid attic spaces.
These spaces allow heat to fluctuate throughout the year and clothing fibers can be broken down by excess heat.
5. Pack clothing using acid-free boxes
Because of the importance of preserving clothing, acid-free archival boxes are recommended to be the best storage option, in case you can afford them.
If you cant get access to these boxes, you can have cardboard or wooden boxes lined using quilt batting and white sheets to add a protection layer between the clothing and nature.
You can also use garment racks to create hanging storage.
Here are some other clothing storage tips to remember:
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Avoid wire hangers.
It should be better to choose padded, plastic, or wooden hangers for hanging storage because your clothing can be damaged over time if you use wire hangers.
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Use breathable fabric to cover clothing racks.
Using cotton or linen covers will allow for keeping out dust and pests but also allow the air to circulate.
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Utilize cedar or cedar oil.
You can place cedar blocks or line a storage area with cedar to deter moths instead of using mothballs. Also, cedar would prevent your clothes from an undesirable smell.
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Use breathable fabric to line metal boxes and drawers with.
This will stop that sharp edge from accidentally ripping your garments.
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Avoid hard fold lines or creases.
Try to place your textiles in their storage box in a way that can limit many folds or sharp creases.
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Separate garments with acid-free tissue paper to protect the fabrics.
Clothing should not be kept in plastic bags or plastic storage containers.
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Refold all clothing differently once a year.
This will force the creases not to set and start to degrade the fabric.
15 Simple Ways To Keep Clothes Looking New
Eco-conscious fashion fans always try to make clothes last longer for several reasons.
Not only does it save us resources such as time and money but it also cuts our consumption, which helps to reduce our carbon footprint.
Therefore, knowing how to keep clothes looking new is very important, and there are a lot of ways you can take to keep our beloved clothes fresh and new.
Don’t hesitate to attach yourself to these good habits with our ultimate guide for making your clothes last longer.
1. Buying Quality Over Quantity
The first step relating to how to keep clothes looking new is choosing quality pieces.
For example, you may consider between 2 options: one $300 jacket lasting for multiple seasons or five new $100 ones for each season?
Because of superior materials and construction, higher-quality pieces will often last longer than items that are trend-focused, which is better for the planet, people, and animals.
Don’t be afraid to spend more time on your clothes, and you can make a note of wardrobe staples that will (hopefully) last you the distance.
2. Use a Delicates Bag
When having your delicate underwear or garments washed in the washing machine, the best way to keep these clothes looking new is using a few delicates bags that will help conserve the lifespan of your intimates instead of ripping your clothes in the washing machine.
3. Stain Remover Pen
Organized people always know how to keep clothes fresh while traveling by keeping a stain removal pen in your handbag, which will allow you to stains as they happen so that those red wine or grass stains are less likely to ruin your favorite garment.
4. Wash Less
Another way to keep your clothes fresh is by reducing washing them.
Just imagine about every time you wash your clothes and what your garment goes through or tumbling in a washing machine with loads of other pieces.
In fact, washing your clothes in the wrong way may result in your garments being drained of their color and having an elastic stretch.
Also, it may end up in a hot dryer only to shrink, fade, and sometimes fall apart altogether.
If there is not any visible dirty, take the challenge to wear your garments at least three times before the laundry.
5. Don’t Dry Clean Often
Men who may be tempered to dry-clean their suits and personal pieces more than necessary will find this tip particularly relevant.
Besides the huge expense of dry-cleaning, this process involves using some kind of harsh chemicals that are harmful to the fabric as well as the environment, which makes expensive pieces, such as suits to wear out and fade a lot faster than they should.
An alternative way to this is hanging the item in the bathroom whilst you shower, which allows the steam to refresh and clean your outfit without the help of any chemicals.
6. Get it right in the washing machine
Many people may have trouble with the question of how to wash clothes and how to keep them looking new.
In specific, you will find it as a waste of water to put a wash on when you don’t have a full load.
And you try to cram your whole wardrobe in to overfill the machine, which isn’t good for your clothes.
This is because not only are the clothes not washed properly, they will also rub against each other, which results in damage and fading.
Another tip you can try to stop fading is to wash on cold.
7. Laundry Detergent Reduction
One thing you can take note of when washing your clothes is that a large amount of detergent can actually make your clothes more dull and stiff.
Therefore, it is recommended that you combine ½ the prescribed amount of detergent and ½ cup of baking soda serving as a detergent booster, which will make your clothes just as clean as regular detergent and help you reduce your home footprint too!
8. Wash Dark Clothing Inside Out
How to keep clothes looking new is not difficult if you focus on simple but efficient tips when having your clothes washed.
That is washing your clothes inside out, which helps preserve their color as well as prevent all your favorite dark garments from fading.
You should do the same in the case of t-shirts – turning them inside out will stop the print from cracking and/or fading.
9. Use a Drying Rack or Clothesline
One of the best ways to keep clothes looking new is having your clothes dried under the sunlight if it not for the drizzle instead of using an energy-consuming dryer.
Additionally, you can try using a clothesline or drying rack, which would help avoid overheating and potential shrinking of garments in the dryer.
This is particularly suitable for intimate apparel and active-wear.
Otherwise, heat known for breaking down the elasticity in garments would cause undesirable stretching.
10. Store in a Cool and Dry Place
Clothes are often vulnerable to over-exposure of light and you shouldn’t keep them in confined spaces.
This means storing your clothes in places like a moldy place or your bathroom, where bacteria can grow and ruin them should be avoided.
Therefore, to keep clothes smelling fresh and looking new in storage, you should store your clothes in your wardrobe as a little breathing space should be added and you will also avoid wrinkling and color fading from clothes rubbing against each other.
Storing suits on a hanger in a breathable canvas bag would help ensure less creasing and avoid mold or other nasty stuff.
11. Fold Your Sweaters
What will happen if you hang heavy sweaters? the fabric will start to stretch, resulting in a sad, droopy jumper that you won’t want to wear.
A little extra tip should be useful: use lavender, bay leaves, or scraps of cedarwood to store your sweaters in Summer to prevent a few unwanted moth holes by the time Winter hits!
12. Use Better Hanger
A small thing that you don’t really pay attention to when storing your clothes is choosing good hangers.
This is because wooden hangers that we highly recommend can last longer and take better care of your garments while the shoulders of your garments are more likely to be stretched out by most plastic and wire hangers, which would leave you with saggy clothing.
13. Use your iron better
Many people don’t set their irons at the right temperature for specific garments, which can result in shrinkage and burning straight through your favorite lace dress.
It is common for you to get most light creases out by setting the iron a setting or two below what’s recommended.
Shaking your clothes well before you hang them out could help you ditch the iron completely. And then giving them plenty of space on the line allow you to avoid heavy creasing in the first place.
14. Dye Bath
Most garments are easy to fade over time and lose their color so you should give them a dye bath to rejuvenate their color as an efficient way to keep your clothes looking fresh and new.
In specific, you should add some colored dye to a bucket with the directed amount of water, and voila, which would make your clothes look as good as new!
However, you should only use this method on block-colored garments and always wash with like colors the first few times so the dye doesn’t run.
15. Basic Mending Stitches
Maybe you have thrown away many pieces of clothing after a strap comes loose or a button falls off.
You can learn a few basic mending tips to save your garment and your money instead of tossing it or taking it to your local dressmaker.
Conclusion
It is undeniable that knowing how to properly store clothes in a storage unit is very important.
Therefore, we hope that you can find this article useful as some of given best ways to store clothes in a storage unit can give you a more profound understanding of the importance of storing clothes properly as well as some effective methods of storing your clothes to keep them looking new and fresh.
Further Reading:
- Pipe Clothing Rack Diy
- Rolling Clothes Rack
- Clothes Rack For Small Laundry Room
- https://thelitsea.com/articles/
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