Many of us are simply in denial about the clutter in our homes. We can never have enough stuff! All that clutter can overwhelm you creating stress in your life. Not to worry, let’s make some space in your life by storing your clothes in self storage.
First things first, should you store, or toss out clothes you simply don’t wear?
Donate or Sell Unwanted Items
While you are going through your closets and considering what to keep and what to store, start by sorting things into piles.
- What haven’t you worn in months?
- Do you plan to wear it in the next few months?
- Set aside anything that doesn’t fit or has stains or is worn out.
Now that you’ve got things sorted, it will make the decision process simpler.
- Sell your clothing through yard sales or on eBay.
- Or, donate your clothes to an organization like Goodwill or Salvation Army for a tax write-off.
Thinking of storing your baby clothes, seasonal stuff or just can’t part with family heirlooms? Remember it’s very important to store your clothes correctly. To maintain the quality of your clothing, you want to make sure it is stored properly. Choose the right storage containers, the right storage unit, and taking steps to avoid moisture and pests from ruining your clothes.
Okay now let’s make sure you store your clothes properly.
Super Simple Steps To Properly Store Your Clothes
- Before you even begin to pack, wash, dry and iron all of your pieces. Remove any spots or stains before placing your times in storage. Unwashed clothing can produce, mold, mildew, and begin to rot if not carefully prepared for storage. Residual perfumes, lotions, oil, or even sweat can ruin the fabric and turn your clothing yellow.
- Use plastic bins. Cardboard boxes or plastic bags are not advisable for storing clothes as the clothes are vulnerable to damage. Plastic bags can trap moisture, resulting in mold and mildew. Cardboard boxes are also vulnerable to humidity and water damage.
- Invest in plastic bins that snap shut to keep your clothing safe from pests, water, humidity, and dust.
- Make sure to not overpack the bins, as there is no air flowing through to let your items breath.
- Opt for clear bins so that you can see the items inside. If your unit will be exposed to light, choose darker bins to avoid fading in your fabrics.
- Utilize cedar balls. More effective than mothballs, cedar balls naturally protect clothes from moths and mildew.
- Never vacuum pack your clothes as it very damaging as it can create permanent creasing and wrinkles. Natural fibers need to breathe, lightly pack them into bins, keeping the heavier items on the bottom.
- Use plastic or felt hangers. Metal hangers rust easily and may damage your garments.
- When hanging garments, space out each item the width of 2 fingers. This will allow room for air to circulate. Sensitive items like fur, leather and wool should hang from the shoulders and space 3 fingers from other items.
- Use wardrobe boxes. Wardrobe boxes come with built-in hanging rods and are easy to stack.
- Choose the correct storage unit. Ask the storage facility which units are best for clothing storage. The quality of your clothing largely depends on temperature and air flow. Fluctuations in temperature can damage sensitive fabrics.
- Create an inventory system to keep you valuables organized. This will also make it easy to access your items when you need them.
Use these inventory systems when storing your clothes:
- The color coordinated inventory system, color codes each box in your unit. Each color should be associated to a specific type of clothing classified by family members, season, or item.
- Labeling makes it easy to find the bin that has the item you are looking for.
- An inventory list itemizes each box with a brief description of what’s in it including the type of clothing.
No matter how well you store your clothes you’ve got to realize that the longer they sit in storage the more susceptible to damage they become. Routinely access your storage unit and either wear the stuff stored or consider selling or donating it to those in need.
Freeing up space helps to create a stress free environment and that’s just smart. Storing your clothes in self storage is a low cost solution so that you can access your things when you need them.
Now that you’ve decided to store your clothes in self storage, let’s help you find the right storage size thats’ right for you. Read our Self Storage Size Guide.
About Montgomery Self Storage NY
Montgomery Self Storage is located in the “picture postcard” village of Montgomery, NY. We have been serving the greater Hudson Valley since 2005. Our facility is new and growing thanks to the high demand for self storage.
Being family owned and operated enables us to be more flexible and competitive with our pricing.
Our facility is located right off Route 17K and is surrounded by local shops and restaurants. Our location enables you to multitask in our lovely village! We offer great specials. We look forward to serving you!
Visit our website or give us a call to secure a space today.