As Colorado's seasons shift, spring is the perfect time to get organized and declutter. This includes clearing out bulky winter jackets and other winter gear to make room in your home and closets for spring and summer clothing. On the surface, this seems simple. However, improper storage and poor organization can damage expensive coats and create headaches when it comes time to find what you need next winter. If you're wondering how to store winter clothing, a little forethought, and planning can protect your winter gear, make it easy to sort through your clothing when you need it again, and leave your home fresh and tidy.
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Benefits for Storing Bulky, Winter Seasonal Clothing
Storing winter clothing correctly not only prevents unsightly wrinkles but can also keep expensive winter fabrics and fabric treatments (e.g., waterproofing and windproofing coatings, down insulation, etc.) in top shape.
Proper storage also helps shield your winter gear from damage from moths and other pests, as well as protecting your clothes from water damage, mildew, and other issues that can negatively impact the wearability of these items. This ultimately saves you money on replacements or repairs.
There are also the perks of making space in your home for lighter seasonal wear while still keeping your clothes conveniently accessible should they be needed.
How to Store Seasonal Clothing: 5 Steps for Keeping Winter Gear Protected
1. Wash and Thoroughly Dry Your Winter Clothing
Washing and drying your winter clothing correctly before storage is key to keeping jackets, puffer coats, heavy sweaters, and other winter favorites in good shape from one year to the next.
Pay special attention to the labeled care instructions for different items to prevent fading of colors and ruining expensive materials. For example, a down jacket typically only needs spot treatments unless heavily soiled. In that case, the manufacturer may recommend using a front-loading washing machine's gentlest cycle — top-loading machines with a central agitator often damage down-filled clothing — and using your dryer's lowest temperature setting.
Winter gear that has been specially treated, such as jackets with a water-repellent coating, may require hand washing or may even need to be taken to a specialty cleaner.
2. Fold Your Winter Clothing and Sort Them Into Specific Types of Clothing
Fold your winter clothing to make them more compact. You may even want to consider vacuum seal storage bags. The plastic bag adds an extra layer of protection, and removing the air helps reduce the total size and volume of bulky winter items to make them easier to store.
Then, sort all your winter clothing into categories. For example, all your jackets and coats might be in one pile, and all your gloves, scarves, and hats can be in another pile.
3. Pack Your Clothing Into Airtight Containers
Once you have your winter clothing separated into categories, pack them in containers of a suitable size. Aim to keep each category of clothing together in its own container. For example, one container might be reserved solely for winter coats.
Use clean, airtight containers to minimize the risk of pests and moisture getting inside your seasonal items. Closed roller suitcases are also useful for storing gloves, scarves, hats, and other lightweight garments if your airtight container is too cumbersome or not large enough.
4. Label Your Containers With the Type of Clothing Inside
It may sound silly now, but labeling your storage containers will make it easier to find what you need when winter rolls around again. Label several sides of each container so you don't have to worry about how you stack them and can see at a glance what's inside each container.
5. Store Your Seasonal Clothing in a Temperature-Controlled Room
Winter clothing needs to be stored in a cool, dry area. Wide temperature swings can cause condensation and humidity problems in your storage containers. This often rules out cold, damp basements or attics that heat up in the summer.
For these reasons, many Coloradans invest in the convenience and security of renting a temperature-controlled room for their winter clothing storage, especially if they have a lot of bulky winter items to pack away.
With commercial storage space, you have easy access to your winter gear and other household items without cluttering up your home or taking up valuable space. And the best self-storage options, such as those offered by BlueMountain Self Storage, offer a 100% climate-controlled indoor environment to keep winter clothing and other temperature-sensitive items free from damage. Need a storage unit? Contact us today to learn about our self-storage locations in Parker, CO, and Loveland, CO.
