1. Wash and repair your clothing before storage
Make sure you’ve washed all seasonal clothes – even coats and jumpers – before they’re packed away. Only AEG SoftWater Technology purifies and softens water, delivering 60 degree cleaning performance at just 30 degrees, maintaining every garments’ shape and feel, while keeping colours vibrant. Plus, AEG washing machines are gentle enough for washing wool – including delicates and handwash only items, certified by the Woolmark Company. Before storing, pay particular attention to stains as leaving them untreated causes problems later. Plus, moths and other pests are more attracted to food and sweat stains than to the fabric itself.
2. Know what to hang and what to fold
As a general rule, any item that can lose its shape – think knits, synthetics, and silk – should be folded for long-term storage. If you’re using hangers for something being stored, like a down filled jacket to maintain its puff, use high quality padded or wood hangers, which will provide better support for your garments than wire hangers. Knowing how to store clean items will also minimise their creasing, meaning you could simply use the AEG washing machine steam refresh cycle before rewearing, adding steam at the end of a wash cycle to reduce wrinkles by up to a third.
3. Use plastic storage tubs with secure lids
This is one time where plastic is preferred, as cardboard boxes can be susceptible to breakdown and more easily accessed by pests. Opting for transparent stackable plastic boxes allows for better organisation, while be sure not to overloaded them, giving your clothing items space to breathe. In terms of how to pack, store your heaviest items like chunky knits and denims at the bottom, while your lighter items go on top to avoid crushing. Also be sure to separate any easily snagged fabrics from embellished items. You could consider wrapping delicates in acid-free tissue paper for an extra layer of protection.
4. Categorise, label and safeguard
It’s clever to categorise what you’re storing so that you know where something is when you need it – or if you have an alternate-season holiday and need to access those clothes. Label your storage tubs accordingly and be sure to add the right amount of moth balls, or their safer version, cedar balls before sealing the tubs.
5. Store in a climate-controlled space
Stable conditions are recommended when it comes to storing clothing. A cool, well-ventilated location like an interior closet away from heat and light is a good choice to stop anything fading. Otherwise, under the bed could be alternate, space-saving option.
