How Do You Safely Store Clothes?

The space saver bags work great, pack them on top of eath other in a box. They will be air tight and water proof etc. That has worked great for me.

Hi A.,
I would suggest large plastic tubs that tightly seal and then there is always those really big bags that you let the air out of. I hear they are marvelous.
Good luck and blessings

We are doing the same thing right now. We are using plastic bins and putting them in a climate-controlled storage room. It's not cheap, but it seems to be the best option for us. We do visit the room frequently to make sure everything if fine and to make sure the temperature is at its promised level. So far, everything's been fine.

space bags...so worth it.
take up so much less space and no bugs or dirt can get in them.

Store your belongings in climate controlled storage room. It is well worth the expense. I have had one since my daughter and granddaughter moved home and she decides what and where they are going to live.

I second the plastic tubs. Maybe through in a few dryer sheets to help clothes from smelling stale.

Hi,
They need to be nice and clean. Buy some of those bags that you vacuum excess air out of once bags are packed. When putting clothes in the bag you can layer them with clean tissue paper (for your expensive delicates). You can also get silicone gel packets with scent, put a couple of these in the bags.

The key is to have them sealed with as little air as possible. This way they will not smell so musty when taken back out, and they also take up less space!

Packing clothes with dryer sheets helps get rid of and prevent odors.

My daughters are 27 months apart in age. The younger one gets the older ones clothes. At the end of each season I wash and dry the clothes normally (Tide in the wash and dryer sheet in the dryer, no extra hot water or vinegar). Then I fold and store the clothes in plastic bins. I usually label them winter 2T- 3T, summer 5T, etc. I have stored these bins in a storage facility (not climate controlled), and in the garage (insulated, but not climate controlled) in Texas and Louisiana for up to two years until my younger daughter was ready for them. Because the bins are air tight I have never had problems with mildew, mold, insects, or mustiness. Sometimes I store the clothes in the bins still on hangers. When it is time to use the clothes I simply take them out of the bin and hang them in the closet. When my youngest daughter was born, my oldest daughter's clothes, blankets, and bedding had been in storage for two years. Since I was about to use them for a newborn I washed everything for the first year before using them. Otherwise, I have not washed anything when taking it from the bin for use. I've been doing this for six years now and both my kids and their clothes are fine. The only things I can no longer recycle are tennis shoes. After age four the shoes are so played out there is no wear left in them.

I have not tried the space bags, but may consider it in the future.

I wash all the clothes that I store then I put them in space bags. Some suggest not putting them in plastic, but with space bags, you vacuum all the air out.

I use vacuum bags, the quality isnt always great, but when they work, it's perfect (a couple of bags will hold the content of a large plastic bin). We have tons of clothes, I have been keeping our daughter's clothes in case we have another girl and I stick the bags on the shelves in the closets or under the beds.

We spent time overseas and we made sure to get a storage unit that was air controlled. This made a BIG difference for our belongings (I have experience with storage units as we used to travel for months at a time).

I hope this helps
A.

Hi A.,
I like the Space Bags. All the air is sucked out of the bag so they take up so little room. Unless the bag is punctured, they are also waterproof. I suggest sprinkling a little baking soda in the bag with the clothes to absorb any moisture still in the clothes before sealing up. Then you could store out of season clothing/linens after you're in the new house. Congrats!

invest in those space-saver bags, where you put the clothes/linens/etc. in and then use the hose attachment on your vacuum to suck out all the air! it will save you lots of space in storage, too!

Store them in plastic bins, not boxes. I have been storing my kids' clothes in the attic this way for a couple of years now and haven't had any problems with it at all. Congrats on the new house and good luck!

Wash in the hottest water safe for the fabrics, double rinse, no fabric softener/sheets. Store in plastic bins/space bags. Plan on washing again when you unpack everything--add a cup of white vinegar to the rinse cycle if you feel like they are musty.

Personal experience: DON'T put a dryer sheet in the storage containers, especially if they are not going into climate-controlled storage. They can (and probably will) permanently stain your textiles.

WELL ALL I CAN SAY IS "SPACE BAGS", THEY ARE WONDERFUL. HAVE LOTS OF MY THINGS IN THEM IN OUR ATTIC NOW. KEEPS VERY GOOD.
Diannne

I store blankets and clothes and whatever else in plastic bins. I also put my stuff in trashbags before putting them in the bins. Sometimes I even double bag because I don't want the chance of bugs getting in. Some of my things have been stored for at least a year and a half (prepregnancy clothes) and they are still fine.

I have a great solution to that, save all the sample perfume/cologne sheets from magazines.You will need to place the clothes in a bag you can seal like the huge Ziploc bags place a perfume sheet and store away. You will love this, it will make your clothes smell so good. It really works, I got this great idea from my favorite magazine "First for woman on the go".

Plastic tubs that have lids that fit/close properly, and cedar chips. You should be able to find cedar chips at Home Depot, Loews, or Bed Bath & Beyond. The cedar chips keep everything smelling nice with the added benefit of deterring bugs!