Parts of the country enjoyed extended Indian summers again this year. Meteorologists’ predictions hold that these unseasonably warm temperatures are now well behind us. Unless you live in Southern California, Florida, or somewhere else with a warm, temperate climate, the time has definitely come to store your warm weather clothes for a while. Here are tips to make packing, storing, and eventually unpacking, seasonal clothes, sports gear, decor, and other wares in your apartment as easy as possible.
Wash and clean items before packing
Wash and thoroughly dry all clothing before packing it away for the winter and spring. A shirt or blouse that smells musty now will smell downright rotten several months from now, as will clothes packed around it. A stain that’s given several months to set will be impossible stubborn when you try to work at it in April or May. Clean sports gear or equipment you store away, and dust off any decorative items you’re stashing for the winter.
Pack like items together
Before you start packing, take an inventory of everything you’re storing for the winter. Logically store like items together. This way, when you’re ready to use your cycling gear or wear spring attire, you can retrieve just one box or bin. It’s less of a hassle and far less time-consuming than digging through several storage containers, looking for what you want.
Label boxes and bins
As you load clothes and other wares into a container, take note of each item in that container. Write the contents of each box or bin on one side. If you find yourself wanting a single dish or article of clothing a month from now, you can go straight to the bin rather than rummaging through several containers. Store containers with the labeled side facing out to make retrieval of items even easier.
Store containers logically
Consider this an extension of the “pack like items together” tip. When stacking boxes and bins in closets or in your storage unit, keep boxes containing similar items together. Unless exceptionally heavy or bulky, place boxes or bins you’re likely to retrieve soonest at the top of piles so they’re accessible.
Use hanging storage
Don’t hang all of your clothes. Wool knit clothing and several other fabrics will lose their shape if hung for a long time. But blazers, most jackets, and several types of dresses and shirts hold their shape much better when they’re hung than folded or even lain flat. Hang them right, and you may not have to dry clean or even iron them come spring or summer. If you don’t have storage designed specifically for hanging clothes, invest in a hanging rack or two for your storage unit. Wrap hanging clothes in a breathable fabric. This will protect them from harmful elements but allow air to circulate through the fabric.
Store off the floor
If you have a storage unit in your apartment, avoid storing containers directly on the floor if possible. Set out wood pallets or cinder blocks to elevate containers a few inches off the ground. Pests will find it harder to get at your stored goods. This will also protect them against water damage.
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View All Posts by Jason Ernst