Spring is coming and we will be breaking out the T-Shirts and shorts soon! With the change of seasons, means a change of wardrobe. It’s easy to want to just throw your sweaters and other winter items to the back of your closet. But following a few simple steps for correct storage will help preserve them for years to come!
Proper cleaning
You barely wore some of your sweaters… so why not just have them cleaned next Fall before you wear them again, right? Wrong. The number one thing to do before storing your wool, angora,or cashmere pieces is to clean them. Moths, silverfish and other wonderful creatures feed off sweat and stains. Storing even slightly dirty items can attract them. Worse – they lay their eggs near their feeding grounds and their young feed too – causing irreplaceable damage.
Many of your sweaters can be washed at home and laid flat to dry. However – they often become misshapen during even the most gentle residential wash cycle. Professional cleaning will ensure your pieces are stain-free and properly finished with de-pilling if needed.
To fold or not to fold
If you are blessed with a large closet, you may be tempted to keep your Fall/Winter clothes hanging until next year. For many sturdy pieces, this is fine. However – there are some sweaters and shirts that are best stored in the folded state. If you do prefer to keep them hung, consider folding them over a pant hanger (as we do at Urban), rather than hanging them on a shirt hanger. This will help ensure they do not pull and become misshapen.
How to store
There are many ways to store your winter clothes. The key is to keep them in a cool, dry container with air circulation. Cedar chests have long been a tradition and work well. Make sure to check your chest each year for holes or areas where pests can enter. Plastic totes are popular and useful – as long as your clothes are fully dry before storing. Placing folded sweaters in pillow cases before storage on a shelf works well also. This allows air circulation but deters pests since many can’t eat through the cotton barrier. No matter how you choose to store your winter clothes, you can add a sachet of lavender or eucalyptus to repel pests.
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