How To Store Winter Clothes Long Term (The Best Way)

The birds are chirping, the flowers are blooming, and the dread of packing up your winter wardrobe is steadily setting in. As exciting as it is to shed the parkas and pull out the shorts, dealing with bulky sweaters, coats, and cold-weather accessories can be a hassle. Properly storing these seasonal staples can seem quite dull, but it doesn’t have to be; how to store winter clothes is a dreaded chore no more!

Taking the time to organise and store your winter wear keeps the fabrics fresh, maintains their shape, and saves you some space. No more rummaging through a messy pile of last year’s leftovers or discovering stretched-out sweaters that used to be your favourite garment. In this guide, we’ll discuss tips and tricks to make storing winter clothes easy enough so that when those temperatures drop again, your go-to pieces will be ready right where you left them.

Sort Your Winter Wardrobe

The first step when storing winter clothes long term is to thoroughly sort through your winter wardrobe. Decide which items should be kept and stored away, which should be donated or sold, and which should be discarded. As you go over each piece, make the process easy on yourself. Group your sweaters, heavy coats and jackets, gloves, hats, pants, scarves, and other cold-weather accessories.

This sorting and categorising serves several benefits. You can whittle down your wardrobe and avoid storing items unnecessarily, especially if you are ruthless when donating and discarding excess items or those in poor condition. Grouping similar items also lets you store them more systematically. Plus, the sorting process helps jog your memory of what you own, making retrieving them easier later on.

Clean & Repair

Before packing up garments for long-term storage:

• Take the time to launder or dry-clean them
• Give special attention to any items that are heavily worn or exposed to sweat, spills, smoke, pet hair, etc.
• Refer to fabric care labels and launder more delicate fabrics like wool, silk, rayon, and spandex on gentle cycles or hand wash if needed

Inspect each garment, looking out for pesky moulds, moths, and other pests. You should check if any clothes need repairs too; look out for missing buttons, split seams, small holes, and tears. Make these minor repairs before storage so the issues don’t worsen. Proper cleaning and inspection protects your fabrics and makes sure your clothes will be fresh, pest-free, and ready to wear when the next season arrives.

Store in Breathable Containers

Proper storage containers are key to keeping stored clothes organised, clean, and damage-free. Look for stackable plastic bins, garment bags, or shelving units to optimise your closet and bedroom space. The goal is to get the most storage space while still allowing fabrics to breathe. Avoid airtight plastic tubs or containers which can trap moisture and potentially invite mould or mildew.

Get some specific, breathable containers just for storing winter clothes rather than mixing them with other off-season items. This grouped storage system will let you quickly identify and pull out cold weather wear when the time comes. Labelling bins clearly with their contents also eliminates any guesswork you may have to deal with later on.

Use Proper Folding Methods

You can fold certain heavy winter wear, bulky sweaters, coats, and even accessories compactly rather than hanging them up. For a longer jacket, fold lengthwise, bringing sleeves inward to cut down on width. It would help if you folded sweaters in thirds or rolled them tightly. Intricate folds aren’t necessary — the goal is condensing size and preventing stretching out.

For hats, gloves, and scarves, lay them flat and stack or roll them together versus bunching them loosely. Properly folding winter items allows you to make the most out of your storage bin space so things fit neatly and uniformly. It also helps retain the shape of the garments when they’re packed away in bins and prevents any unsightly creases or misshaping from happening.

Add Protective Elements

To guard your stored winter clothes from dust, dirt, moisture, and pests, add some protective elements when storing them in packing bins and storage containers. Make sure to invest in high-quality packing materials. Acid-free tissue paper is ideal for folding in between sweaters, wrapping accessories, and lining bins and shelves. The tissue absorbs excess moisture and prevents the yellowing or transferring of paper odours.

Cedar balls or cedar blocks also naturally repel moths, silverfish, and other insects, which can damage wool, cashmere silk, cotton, and other fabrics. These pleasant-smelling balls can be scattered throughout your storage space. Their lingering aroma also keeps clothes fresh. For added protection, store your garments in breathable garment bags too.

Store in a Cool, Dry Place

Protecting fabrics means maintaining those ideal storage conditions — cool, dry, and dark. Avoid uninsulated attics, damp basements, and garages that experience any temperature extremes and humidity. These kinds of spaces invite mould, mildew, and yellowing, and encourage pests. Instead, spaces like bedrooms, guest rooms, and storage closets maintain more suitable moderate year-round temperatures.

Cooler and consistently dry is your best bet. It’s a bonus if the area is darker to prevent fading. Selecting the most favourable storage spot in your home removes those pesky variables that degrade fabrics.

Label & Inventory

The final step to make retrieving your winter gear from storage a breeze is labelling clearly and keeping an inventory list. Use permanent markers or customisable labels to show the contents of each storage bin or container. Number your boxes and create an inventory list detailing the items packed away.

You can also make this log system even more detailed with photos of the contents when possible. This method gives you an easy visual identification system for later when you need to locate a particular coat or accessory. Enforcing this simple labelling and photographing technique means no more guessing what’s stored away come next winter!

Store Your Winter Clothes Stress-Free This Year 

While following these tips on how to store winter clothes at home, don’t overlook self storage as an option if space is limited. Proper self storage units can maintain ideal conditions year round to preserve your out-of-season garments in the best way possible. 

The Self Storage Centre has various units of all sizes to accommodate wardrobes of all scales. You’ll know that your winter clothes are safe from pests, mould, and other kinds of deterioration!

So, don’t let organising piles of bulky sweaters put a damper on spring’s arrival — use these pro winter clothing storage strategies and get some self storage for the best protection. Your go-to cold weather looks will stay fresh and ready for when falling leaves and snowy days circle back around again.

Contact us today to chat with one of our self storage experts.