Whether you are putting your clothes away temporarily between seasons or storing them for longer periods of time, a few simple tips can help preserve your clothing and increase the lifespan of your clothes so that you can wear them again and they will look like new.
Generally, the better you treat your clothes then the longer they will last and the longer you will be able to look great regardless if you are storing your clothes under the bed or in a storage unit. Of course some storage places are better than others for your textiles and a climate controlled environment such as a state-of-the-art storage facility will provide the most ideal environment for your garment storage. That being said, with the proper care, your clothing can be preserved for many months and years to come.
The first thing you should do when storing your clothing is take an inventory of what you have and make a list. This is important so that you will always know exactly what you have available and don’t unnecessarily spend money buying something you already have on hand (or close by). Many parents will store clothing from their newborns either to pass on to future children down the road or to give to their kids when they grow up as a sentimental item. Without a proper inventory, you may end up re-purchasing baby clothes that you have tucked away safely in your storage unit. You can help avoid this mistake by creating a simple inventory list of the clothing items you have placed in storage.
The next thing to do is assess what you want to store and which items should be discarded or donated. Take some time to assess whether you will actually wear something again or if it is in poor condition and should be thrown out or re-purposed. If the clothing is in good condition but you determine that you really won’t wear something again then maybe finding it a new home with someone who would really enjoy it could be the better option for those articles of clothing.
So after you have made your inventory list and you have separated the keepers from the others then you are ready to prepare your clothing for storage in your storage unit or your home storage space. At this stage, it is important to properly clean, iron, fold and even vacuum seal your clothing. Taking the proper steps to prepare your clothing will keep them in pristine condition as if they are preserved in time. If you have quite a large amount of clothing then it can be very helpful to label them and create an organizational system with boxes or plastic containers for your storage unit. This will help to easily locate particular items out of the whole lot when you visit your storage unit.
The next step is actually storing your clothing. Where you choose to store your clothing is just as (if not more) important as how you store them. You want a cool and dry place to store your clothing. This is where a climate controlled storage facility comes in handy as the climate will be consistent and ideal for storage of clothing and delicate items with a temperature controlled storage unit. If your storage area is variable in temperature or there is too much moisture then your clothes can become moldy and musty and degrade faster with time. In that case by the time you retrieve your clothes you will likely want to discard rather than wear them.
The key things to avoid with clothing storage are the following:
- Stay away from light so find an area that is void of UV rays when possible.
- Make sure the temperature is cool and dry
- Avoid using air tight containers. Maintaining air flow is important to preserve the longevity of your clothing. We mentioned vacuum sealing earlier and most of these types of systems have an air hole that allows air passage. If you don’t have good air flow with your vacuum sealing then avoid doing this step unless it is for a very short period of time.
- Avoid attic spaces when possible. The temperature and climate in your attic will fluctuate in heat dramatically in the seasons and this will help to break down the clothing fibers.
- If using boxes, be sure to use acid-free boxes.
By now you should have a good idea of what to do when storing your clothing and it is highly recommended that you get a climate controlled storage unit in Ottawa to preserve your garments, whether you are storing some of your seasonal clothes or some precious baby items that you plan to give to your children down the road.