Clothing Storage Advice

To keep important garments looking their best year in and year out, it’s important to consider proper clothing storage. Sometimes it’s hard to find the space in your home to store everything the right way. Try Anton’s Closet, our seasonal clothing storage program where we carefully box and preserve your garments in a temperature-controlled facility and press them when you’re ready to pick them up. You only pay for the cleaning. Here are 5 clothing storage tips that will help preserve your garments for future seasons:

1. Start with clean clothing
   You should NEVER store clothing that has a stain. Not only will this attract insects to your clothing, but the stain might be impossible to remove the longer it sits.
2. Cool, dark and dry
   These are the best conditions for storing clothing. Avoid storing clothing in plastic bags because the fabric needs to be able to breathe. Obviously, UV light will cause fading and you want to keep your garments in a cooler temperature. You certainly want to avoid any potential moisture that could lead to mildew or insect activity.
3. Avoid mothballs, and maintain your cedar
   Mothballs are potentially hazardous to unsuspecting children and who wants to smell like mothballs anyway? Cedar blocks or cedar lined closets are a much better option, but you must remember to maintain the wood to ensure its effectiveness. Cedar should be sanded and re-oiled every few years.
4. Don’t leave them hanging
   Leaving certain garments (specifically sweaters and other knit items) on hangers for long periods of time can cause them to permanently lose their shape. You should fold the garments and place them in a storage container. Lightly packing heavier items on the bottom and lighter items on top will allow the clothing to breathe.
5. Containers matter
   More and more people are using plastic containers to store their clothing. This is acceptable, but you should be mindful of how long these items are being stored and make sure everything has been properly cleaned to avoid an insect activity. Cardboard boxes work much better for short-term storage in promoting good air circulation. These are exactly the type of containers Anton’s uses for our Anton’s Closet service. We make sure the clothing is clean and stored properly in a cool, dark space and we’ll press the clothes when you’re ready to pick up. You only pay for the cleaning. Leave the storage to us! Click here to learn more about Anton’s Closet.