Tips for Packing and Storing Off-Season Clothes

Not many people have the space in their closets to store both their winter and summer fashions. As the weather gets warmer or cooler people are scrambling to clean out their closets and store the clothes they will not be wearing for the next couple of months. Spring is nearly upon us and it is time to think about packing away the coats, boots, and other heavy attire.

The first step is to choose what will be packed away to the next cold weather season. The snow boots, heavy winter coats and parkas, heavy sweaters and sweatshirts, or even the flannel pajamas. Next, you are going to want to make sure everything is freshly laundered. Even invisible stains can pop out over a couple of months being sealed away. Winter coats and jackets should be cleaned before being packed as well. Leather coats and boots should be properly treated before being stored for the summer.

Now that everything is cleaned and ready to pack, where do you put it all? Plastic totes and bins are a great choice, they keep things out of harms way. However, plastic totes can be bulky and take up a lot of room. If you need to save space, the Space Saver vacuum bags are fabulous for bulk sweater and sweatshirts. They also are great for storing the extra blankets and flannel sheets. They can shrink things down to a third of their normal size and save a tremendous amount of space. Even with the space bags, I recommend packing them in plastic totes and bins. The plastic used for the Space Bags is not very durable and is easily punctured or torn. Space Bags has a hanging bags that works well for coats and jackets or anything else that should be stored hanging.

Out of season clothes can be easily store in luggage that is not being used to save space. Under the bed totes are another great space saving idea. Space saver bags should not be used for anything that wrinkles easily. After being smooshed up for a couple of months, those wrinkles could become permanent. Leather boots or shoes should be stuffed with an acid free paper and stored in an upright position to prevent creases and folds. Creases cause weak spots in leather that can lead to non-repairable tears and holes.