Easy Storage for Storing Clothes

10th February 2022

Here in the UK, we have very different seasons. Whereas some countries offer pretty standard weather throughout the year when the same clothes can be worn, in the UK many of us have very varied wardrobes. This can mean 2 different wardrobes. One of spring and summer clothes, the other of autumn and winter clothes. While this is great for finding the clothes that you want each day, it can be an issue for storage and space.

An overcrowded wardrobe can lead to some items getting rammed down the back of storage, becoming creased, damaged or lost and forgotten. Storing the 2 different wardrobes separately is a great idea for protecting all your clothes. You can then take out your new wardrobe and replace it with your old one as the seasons change. Storing your seasonal clothes properly does take some time and effort. However, it stops wardrobes and drawers from being fit to burst and means you can find your favourite items of clothing with ease too. We feel that is well worth the effort!

In this blog post we share some tips for creating more space in your wardrobe through using easy storage for your clothes.

Washing & Drying

Before you put your seasonal wardrobe into self storage, you need to clean your clothes properly. Take a look at each item of clothing and see how it needs to be properly cleaned and dried. For most of your clothing it will mean putting it through the washing machine. However, some of your items may need to go to the dry cleaners to ensure that they are washed and dried safely.

There is no need to iron the clothes before putting them into storage as they will crease on their folds in storage. Unless you enjoy ironing and want to iron all your clothes twice of course! It’s important to remember that deodorant and perfume can stain if left over time. Do not be tempted to give them a quick spritz to freshen your clothes. We would recommend that you properly wash and dry all your clothes because creepy crawlies love dust and dirt – which will not be a nice surprise when you open your storage boxes when the seasons come round once more.

Polishing

If you have seasonal shoes as well as clothes, make sure these are polished and stored well too. For a little extra TLC, rub a little oil into any of your leather shoes. This will help keep them in great condition. However, make sure you keep your freshly oiled shoes away from your other clothes. Take the time to stuff your shoes with clean tissue paper. This will help your shoes keep their shape while they are in storage.

Clear Out

There is no point in keeping some items each season if you never wear them when they can be put in easy storage to make more space at home. Maybe it is a jumper that you have had for years that doesn’t quite fit right or you have nothing to go with it? If that’s the case and you haven’t worn the item of clothing for years, then maybe now is the time to get rid of it? Be ruthless with your clothes when you are putting them into storage. Just as when you are decluttering your home, have three piles. These piles should be keep, donate and bin. However, if you have skiing clothes, for example, that you only use every 3 years, maybe keep them in self storage so they don’t get in the way of your seasonal wardrobes.

Repair

If you have items that you want to keep, but they have a small hole or button missing, for example – then fix them. This needs to be done before you put them in storage. Your future self will thank you for your foresight when you get your favourite top out to wear and realise it can be worn again. There is not much worse than grabbing your favourite outfit as the season changes and realising it can’t be worn as it’s still not fixed. It then goes into ‘the pile’ and just goes straight back into storage at the end of the season.

Vacuum Bags

Vacuum bags are a great invention for short term easy storage. They will save you a huge amount of space in your home, and they’re pretty satisfying to use too. Your big, bulky and thick winter jumpers miraculously get shrunk down to being as thin as your summer t-shirt or vest top. However, if vacuum bags are used as self storage for a long length of time your belongings can become damaged.

We have seen examples where clothing made of natural fibres such as wool or silk becomes damaged in a plastic bag over time. This can make them lose their shape and become ill-fitting when you take them back out of storage to wear them. If you’re looking to store some clothing for a few weeks, then these are ideal. However, longer than a few weeks and you could have a problem. Plastic storage boxes with an airtight lid will be a much better storage solution for your clothing. They will have room to keep their shape and the air-tight lid will protect them from mould and mildew too.

Pack Properly

Just because you are not ironing your clothing items before putting them into easy storage, it doesn’t mean that they don’t need to be packed properly. Your clothes still need to be packed with care. If you have heavier items, just like packing up your home, store these at the bottom. The lighter and thinner clothing can then be placed at the top. If you roll your items of clothing, instead of folding them, you’ll find you have more storage space. There will be fewer creases on the fold to deal with too.

It’s important that you don’t overfill your storage containers and stuff clothes in. This can result in clothing losing its shape or becoming a nightmare to iron out the creases when you get them out of storage again. If you have items that should be hung and not folded, why not consider investing in a storage box that has a hanging rail in it. This can be used for each seasonal wardrobe and will keep your clothing in a better condition too.

Store Properly

Now you have packed your seasonal clothing properly, you need to think about storing it properly too. When storing your clothes, your chosen storage location needs to be no warmer than 23oc. This is why the loft, shed or garage may not be the best place to store your clothing throughout the year. The location for your personal storage needs to be dry, cool, clean and dark. A bright or light area can result in the colours of your clothing fading. If space in your home is tight for personal storage, then why not consider a self storage unit instead? This will be at the right temperature as well as dark, dry and clean. Your clothing can come out each season looking as fresh as it did when it went into storage.

Accessory Storage

If you are using a self-storage facility, you might want to consider clearing out space in the rest of your home too. Whether it’s hats, scarves, coats, sledges and such, or inflatables, garden furniture and BBQs – you can use your personal storage space to look after all your seasonal items. This can include clothing and seasonal equipment too.

Want to know more about how you can use seasonal self storage facilities for your seasonal personal storage needs, call us now. We can help you make the most of space by storing clothes and more. Quick Self Storage Peterborough plus our Quick Self Storage Darlington facility, are both ready to help.