Well, finally it is warm and staying warm. The threat of frost is still here, but the threat of snow and ice has finally disappeared. Sweaters are no longer the necessary article of clothing, but rather short sleeves and tank tops. Breaking out the summer clothing means one thing though, storing the winter clothing.
Without proper storage, the winter clothing will take up most of the room that your summer clothing will need. This can make it very difficult to find the desired outfit and can make it more difficult to keep everything looking good. There are a few different ways to store the clothing for the summer. These different techniques have different pros and cons, but they are all pretty effective.
Space Bags- These bags are made of a tough plastic that is folded into a bag with a zipper. The bags also feature a small port where a vacuum hose could be attached and air removed from the bag. This compresses the fibers and flattens the material. The up side is that this means a lot of clothing can be stored in a very small area. The downside is that if the material is held in that position for a long period of time, over a year, the fibers begin to wear and become creased in that position.
Hangers- The hanger is a common storage way. The hangers hold the clothing and often a plastic covering is placed over the clothing and hanger. The up side to this is that the clothing is left wrinkle free. The downsides to the hangers are that they are space consuming and they can wear on the shoulders of the outfits. This technique is best used for very short periods of time.
Trunks- I personally store all my seasonal clothing in trunks until they are ready to be used. The upside of the trunk is that the clothing is folded naturally and the trunks can be stored easily. A small fragrance pouch can be added to the trunk to infuse the clothes with sweet scents. The downside is that the trunk can get dusty or moldy if they are subjected to water damage. While this has never happened to me, it is a potential.
- Garbage Bags- A lot of people store there clothing is garbage or other plastic bags during the off seasons. The upside is that the method for storing the outfits is more affordable. The downside is that the bags are not water and dust proof and the bags can rip. This is not an ideal way to store clothing.
Another important thing to remember is that the clothing from one season may not be necessarily fit or be in style the next time that season comes around. A good idea is to sort through the clothing and remove the outfits you no longer want from your wardrobe. There are many different charity organizations such as the Salvation Army that would love to have the clothing that you no longer want. I personally love to donate to the Salvation Army every season.