Brrr – it’s starting to get a bit chilly in the mornings, the kids are back at school and the nights are drawing in – this all means only one thing…winter is coming!
Now is the time to sort through your summer wardrobe and store it away for next year. Here we have put together some tips on preparing your clothes for storage and also some storage suggestions to keep them in top condition ready for next summer. Reclaimed furniture not only looks great in your home but also offers you plenty of scope to store your favourite clothes.
Sort through and decide what to keep
Look through your summer wardrobe and decide whether to keep, sell, donate or dispose of garments. If you have some damaged items now is the time to decide whether it is worth spending the time and money on getting it repaired!
Wash clothes before putting them away
Often clothes are just packed away without washing – the thinking being that they will be washed when they are taken out of storage. This could be a bit of an error – some items may have sweat left on them or stains that will only be more noticeable after 6-8 months of storage. So wash your clothes according to the care instructions and ensure they are completely dry before putting them away into storage.
Roll clothes rather than fold
It is much better to roll clothes to store them long term than to fold them. Folding will leave a deeper, longer-lasting crease whereas rolling won’t. A wooden blanket box is a great place to store away rolled clothing items.
Use wooden under bed drawer storage
A wooden under bed storage drawer is perfect for out of season clothes storage – plenty of space and still accessible. Put a few favourite pieces on top where they are easily accessible just in case we do get a little autumnal warm spell!! And of course, an under bed drawer looks fab under a solid wood bed!!
Swap summer dresses for jumpers and cardigans in the wardrobe
You need the items you will be using the most, most easily accessible – so swap your summer dresses and light blouses for heavier winter jumpers and cardigans in your rustic wardrobe. Dresses, silky tops and summer blazers should be stored on padded hangers or structured hangers to keep them at their best for next summer. If you get a wardrobe storage bag, opt for linen rather than plastic, this will help air circulate around your clothing, a cotton pillowcase will also work – just cut a small hole in the top of it to feed the hanger hook through.
Use draw dividers in a chest of drawers to keep t-shirts and vests tidy
Allocate the bottom drawer of a solid wood chest of drawers for summer clothes storage and use dividers to keep your stored clothes in order. It will be much easier to find things and really help you get your storage space organised.