Anyone short on closet space knows the struggle of the rotating wardrobe. Winter ends and then it’s time to pull out your shorts and t-shirts and store your winter clothes elsewhere.

But where to store winter clothes? A self-storage unit is the perfect solution for clearing out your closets and getting ready for summer!

How do you prepare winter clothes for storage?

Properly storing winter clothes requires some prep work. Make sure your clothes look (and smell) pristine next winter by following our winter clothing storage advice.

Step 1: Launder everything!

Even if they don’t look dirty, make it a point to clean your winter clothes before you store them!This way, you can guarantee all your clothes will be in perfect condition when you have to pull them out again in the fall. This also applies to your hand-wash or dry-clean only items. You may have never gotten that cashmere sweater dry cleaned in the past, but now is the perfect time!

Step 2: Use deodorizers.

To ensure your clothes keep that just-washed smell, include a few drops of lavender essential oil or dryer sheets inside of each container or garment rack.A climate-control unit can also be a great way to make sure your clothes look and smell just as fresh as the day you put them in storage!

Should I hang or fold winter clothing?

As a general rule, natural fiber fabrics should be folded. Fold synthetic fabrics with acid-free tissue in between the folded areas. More specifically, consider the following:

• Sweaters – Fold and place in cardboard boxes or plastic bins. Avoid cramming too many sweaters in, so they stay nice and neat.
• Winter coats – Zip up zippers, button the buttons, and gently fold coats made of leather, wool, or faux fur so they keep their shape. If you have a coat of real animal fur, hang it up.
• Delicates – Remove from plastic dry-cleaning bags, wrap in acid-free tissue paper, and store in cotton garment bags.
• Shoes – Pack with tissue paper to help them hold their shape.
• Boots – Put a boot form in each boot to help it hold its shape; store boots on their sides with a pillowcase or an old shirt in between each pair.
• Casual shirts and jeans – Fold or roll and store in a cardboard box or plastic bin.

How do you store winter clothes in a self storage unit efficiently?

Utilize empty wall space.

• Hang your clothes on a rack and store it against an empty wall.
  If your rack doesn’t include an enclosure, cover it with a cotton sheet so that the clothes are protected.
• Make sure you’re deliberate about how you pack up your winter clothes on the rack. Hang like items together and coordinate each item by color or family member.
• Make hanging labels using thick ribbon and a sharpie. Tie the ribbon label directly to the rack or on hangers to separate categories.
• When storing items, you want to utilize your space as best as you can.If you can, store your items by stacking the boxes on top of one another to create extra walk way space.
• Be sure not to stack them too high though as you still want to be able to reach them easily and quickly!
• When storing your items, you want to start in one corner or the back of the space and work forward while leaving yourself ample walkway for you to access all your items with ease.

With these quick tips and easy steps, you are sure to maximize your winter clothing storage in your unit!