Are you packing up your clothes? You may be moving home, or you have decided to pack up your seasonal clothing items to make space for the clothes that you haven’t needed for the last 6 months. There is always the problem of where to keep those seasonal clothes when they are not needed. A solution to this problem is to store your seasonal and extra clothes into a self storage facility.
If you are placing your belongings in storage for a few weeks or for longer, our advice to you is to take extra care when packing your clothes. Unlike your other belongings such as furniture, kitchen equipment, or your children’s toys, your clothing can be easily damaged, or sometimes ruined, if it is not packed properly.
The main risks to your clothing come from two sources: moisture that may be present in them when they are packed or seep in from the outside or insects and rodents that are attracted by any food residue. Either of these can also cause major damage.
We have some tips and advice you can follow to help you pack your clothes up for storage to ensure that these risks are minimized. By following these tips, you will have peace of mind that you have done everything you can to ensure that your clothes will be in perfect condition when you take them out of storage.
Prepare Your Clothing for Storage
For either long-term or short-term storage, it is important to ensure that your clothing is packed properly. These are some red flags regarding the damage to your clothes.
- Any dampness will encourage mould that can permanently stain your clothes.
- Insects such as moths will ruin your clothes by leaving holes in them.
- You even need to consider the type of fabric that your clothing is made from as some fabrics will crease permanently if they are folded incorrectly and buried under heavier items.
Make sure that all the clothing items are freshly laundered. Any marks, stains, or spills can attract the unwanted attention of insects.
Clothing items need to be thoroughly dry before packing them. Clothes that have been packed in your cupboard or drawer can also be damp, so a quick spin in the tumble drier will sort this out.
Group similar types of clothing together before packing them like shirts together. Once this has been done place them in suitable bags. Cloth bags are best because they are porous. Pillow slips are ideal if you do not have cloth bags.
Good-quality cardboard boxes are the ideal containers to pack your clothes into. Plastic containers will encourage condensation and dampness. If you are using plastic bags or containers, add a few silica sachets with the clothes to absorb any moisture.
Pack heavier items at the bottom of the container and place the lighter garments on top of these to prevent them from being crushed. So, place your boots, shoes, and bags at the bottom, followed by jackets, sweaters, and finally t-shirts. Place the lightest clothing at the top.
It is worth investing in wardrobe boxes with built-in hanging bars to hang suits, jackets, and dresses. This way they will keep their shape and not get creased and squashed.
It is not a good idea to vacuum pack your clothes to save space. Clothes need to breathe and vacuum packing deprives them of this. It also causes your clothes to crease badly. These creases are impossible to iron out of certain fabrics, so your clothes may be ruined.
Protecting Clothing from Damage Whilst in Storage
- Moths and silverfish are insects that will cause havoc with your clothing, leaving gaping holes in them. So, the last thing you want in your stored clothes is a moth infestation. There are ways of repelling these bugs.
- Moth balls containing naphthalene were a popular way of protecting clothing during storage, but their use has been banned because the chemicals they consist of are toxic. Some substitutes for mothballs include citronella oil soaked in pieces of fabric and strong-smelling spices such as cloves or lavender.
- Throw some cedar chips in with your clothes to repel bugs.
- There are some natural remedies such as dried bay leaves, lemon rind, or lavender sachets which will help prevent infestation.
- Mould and mildew are the other enemies of your clothing while it is in storage. They both thrive in damp conditions.
- Any moisture is a big threat, and therefore it is vital to ensure that your clothes are bone-dry when you pack them away.
- The type of packaging you use can also affect this problem. Lining your packaging boxes with a towel will ensure that any moisture is absorbed.
- If the flooring of the storage unit is cement it would be worth your while to pack your boxes on wooden pallets or line the floor of your unit with tarpaulin as cement tends to sweat and cause condensation. This will allow air to flow.
Use Stop & Store Lowestoft to Store Your Clothes Safely
If you have any clothing to store, either short-term or long-term, Stop & Store Lowestoft is the place to do so.
- The security systems that we offer are of the highest order. At Stop & Store Lowestoft our facility is fully secured with monitored CCTV and intruder alarms.
- Our units vary in size from 12 sq ft to 200 sq ft, they are safe, dry, pest controlled, and ideal for the purpose of storing any of your clothing.
- You can hire storage space from 1 month to as long as you need. If you move your goods in the middle of a month, you pay a pro-rate.
- When you need a storage solution for your clothing items, or any other belongings you need to store, we have the answer.
- With our long trading hours, you can access the contents of your unit from 8 am to 6 pm, seven days a week.
- Please check our website for some genuine feedback from our customers.
We look forward to hearing from you.