Above: Ikea Vardö Underbed Storage (similar here), Spiewak Aviation Eskimo Parka, Ugg Cecile Waterproof Boots (similar by Sorel), Loeffler Randall Nanette Booties, Loeffler Randall Lynx Rain Booties (similar)
The weather has been warming up here quite a bit, and not only does that mean that I get to wear warm-weather goodies, it means that I can pack away some of my cold-weather gear. I live in California so I might not have as much cold-weather wear as someone who lives in much cooler climate, but I do still have seasonal clothing to switch out. Today I’m taking some time to share some of my best tips for storing out of season clothing no matter what size your closet or home is.
1. Wait for the right time.
Putting away clothing at the right time is crucial to making a rotating wardrobe work for you. If you put items into storage too soon, you’ll wish you hadn’t and if you do it too late, what’s the point? I choose to rotate my items just before the Summer or Winter season, so I have less transitional items and know we are well into a more extreme type of climate and storage is necessary.
2. Sort by climate or use.
Do you have clothing that is only used for one season or part of a season? Ski gear or extremely warm jackets would be a good example. Swimsuits, too. This stuff is easily stored away for another season. I pack up my parka and waterproof boots while my lighter jackets stay out.
3. Clean out non-wearables.
Take this time to go through your clothing and find items that are damaged and need repair, or beyond repair and need to be donated for recycling. If you’re storing them, be sure to repair before adding them to your storage.
4. Keep transitional items.
Do you live somewhere where the nights are sometimes chilly in the Summer? Keep some items of clothing out that will still fill that need for you. I like to keep some light sweaters out for times we go to the beach or if we travel somewhere cooler. The same goes for Winter, as layering items are always necessary.
5. Choose a storage place.
Depending on the size of your space, you may want to choose a storage area that is already in or near your closet. We don’t have much space so I keep less-often worn items in harder-to-reach places like the top of my closet or in my under-bed drawers. I try to avoid storing clothing in places that might have a lot of moisture like a bathroom or garage.
6. Prepare & store clothing.
Be sure that the items you are putting away are freshly cleaned. Your clothing should be freshly washed or dry-cleaned as the last thing you’d want to do is put away clothing with grime or stains on it. I also try not to use strong scented wash or fabric softener as the smell might linger while in storage. For shoes, I make sure they are fresh and clean and polish leather or rain boots before storing away. Natural fibers should be in breathable storage like paper boxes. Sometimes it helps to put the items in their respective bags, shoes in shoe bags, jackets in soft storage bags as well. I don’t always do this because my under-bed storage has tops that close, but I should. It helps keep dust off and keeps items looking fresher when you pull them out later. I avoid space-pack style bags because I don’t want my clothing to be without oxygen and come out extremely wrinkled.
Now hopefully you get to have a little extra space in your closet for half a year while you wear rest of your clothing, enjoy!
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Do you store off-season clothing? Do you have any tips to share?
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