Spring is in the Air!

This year, when you spring-clean your house, make sure to clean out your closet and pack away any winter fabrics. Learn the basics of winter storage to help you maximize space and preserve freshness for all of your cold-weather belongings—from comfy sweaters to wool blankets.

Spotless Storage

If you want your clothing and linens to stay fresh and be ready to use next winter, you'll need them crisp and clean before confining them to an enclosed space. After all, if your comforter was covered in cat hair before storing, it will certainly be coated when you bring it back out—along with the rest of your stored items. Head off this, and any other storage issues, by cleaning all items thoroughly before packing them away. This includes hand-washing or dry-cleaning any wool skirts, angora sweaters, or heavy blankets (reference the care labels), so these cold-weather items are fresh and ready for winter's return.

Seek Out Space

Finding the right storage space could be an absolute scavenger hunt, depending on the amount of existing storage you have in your home. Take a quick inventory of any available space. Ideal storage spots for winter wear include closet shelves and underneath the bed. Next step: storage bin shopping. It's important to store winter garments in an airtight container to prevent moth and water damage. However, you should decide where you're going to store your items before purchasing a container. For example, if you decide to go with beneath-the-bed storage, you'll want a bin that isn't too tall. If you opt for closet-shelf storage, your bin will need to be the correct width to fit the specified space.

It might help to store similar items in the same bin. That way, you can easily track down your sweater bin versus your blanket bin. Once your items are safely secured in storage bins, label each for reference. Even if your bin is transparent, it's best to add some other identifying marker so items can be found quickly.

You'll also want to keep tabs on your stored belongings by maintaining a list of where each bin is located and what it contains. That way, you'll know right where to find everything once the winter chill sets in again. Keep this list posted on the closet door, and tracking down your stored items should be a cinch.

With a little organization and creative thinking, you'll be able to keep tabs on your belongings without much hassle. And as spring-cleaning gets underway, there's no better time than now to start storing.