Storage how-to guides
Storing seasonal clothes and bedding so they come out fresh next season.
Almost every storage failure starts the same way: putting something away before it is fully dry. If it feels slightly cool to the touch, moisture is still there.
Remove invisible stains too. Sweat and food oxidise in storage and turn yellow, so a garment that looked clean comes out marked next season.
Vacuum bags save space but not every fabric. Down and wool insulate by loft and may not recover after compression.
For seasonal clothes, start with stains and the fabric care label. For bedding, check that the filling is dry and the storage space stays ventilated. Choose the guide below for the item you are putting away.
In this category
- Storing Seasonal Clothes So They Come Out Fresh Next YearAlmost every storage failure traces back to two things: putting clothes away unwashed, or putting them away not fully dry. Fix those and most problems disappear.
- Storing Comforters and Bedding Between SeasonsAlmost every musty comforter went into storage with moisture still in the fill. Wash or air it, dry it well past the point where the outside feels dry, store it somewhere it can breathe, and keep down out of vacuum bags.