Winter Clothes Storage

Seasonal Clothing Storage - Sustainable Fashion

I wouldn’t want to brag, but when we lived in LA, we had so much closet space, the idea of seasonal clothing storage just wasn’t a need. Nor was it a need because seasons barely exist in Southern California, but then we moved to our 1925 bungalow and closet space is a premium!

I have a running joke (though it’s very true, I think) that in 1925 the concern for entertaining serveware was far greater than that for closet space. While there’s a sustainability lesson to be had in the latter, if not the whole idea, I nevertheless have clothes and they need homes.

Seasonal Clothing Storage Tips - Sustainable Fashion

Before and after our move to Sacramento, I downsized. A LOT. I downsized a bit as I was packing (though not a lot as I had a newborn).

Then we rolled into the driveway of our lovely new home and it took me about 6 seconds to see that the clothing situation was going to need a major downsizing. So then the donation bag pile grew and grew. And once I’d finally got it down to a decent size (given our space), I started to realize a few things.

First, if you know your style, you will always feel as though you have something to wear. It isn’t a matter of having a big enough closet and MORE clothes. It’s really a matter of knowing your style and owning the clothes that suit you.

And now that my closet is a manageable size, I try to use the one-in-one-out method to keep my closet size in check – part of a maintaining minimalist wardrobe (just enough for me). Here is my complete checklist for how to do a closet purge, so you can downsize smartly too!

But the truth is, seasonal clothing storage is how I make it work. Like. AT ALL!

CONTENTS

Seasonal Clothing Storage

So what is seasonal clothing storage? Not complicated (as you expect, I’m sure). It’s the idea that you store out of season clothes away, so they don’t take up room and stay in good conditions.

In the hot summer months, sweaters and coats are nowhere in sight. And in the cold months, shorts and lightweight dresses (pretend) don’t even exist.

Where Do you Store Seasonal Clothing?

The answer to this will vary depending on your home situation. While our closets aren’t wide, they are fairly tall and there’s a big, sturdy shelf just above the bar in each one.

It’s there that I store large bins, swapping the clothes out seasonally as needed. I will tell you that three would probably be ideal for my husband and I. And I’ll also share that most of my winter coats and jackets don’t go away in storage – they’re always hanging (because of space).

Something like these (very similar) storage bins because I was trying to avoid plastic, wanted to limit access to moths should they find my clothes, and wanted our closet to look nice. Small space living really demands minimalism and an aesthetic so it doesn’t feel messy or cluttered!

Seasonal Clothing Storage Basic Tips

A few basic things about storing clothes, however and whenever you do.

Clothing must be clean before storage. Moths are actually attracted to those unclean scents. Also, if you put dirty/worn clothes into a tight space for a few months without air, those scents stay in your clothes and stains are harder to get out.
Wrinkles will happen. It’s a fact. Things are folded and then pushed into a tight space. I find that bulkier items wrinkle less. And the fewer items you “smash” into a storage bin or bag, the fewer wrinkles you’ll have
Wrinkles can easily be removed with a handheld steamer or a quick wash when removing items from the bin.
Every year I forget about all the items in my stored seasonal clothing bin. So it feels like a shopping trip every time I switch seasonal clothes. It’s because of this, it’s important not to shop for seasonal clothes before you’ve switched them out. “Shop Your Closet” first before you add anything.
Each time you store clothes for an upcoming season, it’s a great time to see what you can donate. What didn’t you wear? Or what has been worn too much?

When do You Store Summer Clothes?

When to store clothes varies from year to year and location to location. Some years I pull out my summer clothes closer to March. This year, except for a pair of shorts I pulled out during a short heatwave, I made the switch in mid-May!

Keep an eye on the weather. Once it looks as though those hot temps are gone, you can start the process of switching.

I find that with the need to clean everything and with life’s time limitations, the process of doing my seasonal clothing storage takes 1-2 weeks. I start first with the items I only wear in those terrible hot days and then move to getting everything stored.

When do You Store Winter Clothes?

Same goes for winter clothes – watch the weather. Spring is lovely for its cool morning and evenings, so I’d leave out those extra layer pieces, but first put away the heavy sweaters and coats.

I will also say here that I’m never able to get all my winter clothes into these two bins since they’re so big and bulky. So oftentimes, it’s those lighter layers that end up staying out in my wardrobe year round.

Looking to downsize your wardrobe? Check out ideas like this spring capsule wardrobe by a friend and my seasonal basic recommendations:

Winter Clothes Storage ideas

Clothing must be clean before storage. Moths are actually attracted to those unclean scents. Also, if you put dirty/worn clothes into a tight space for a few months without air, those scents stay in your clothes and stains are harder to get out.
I prioritize putting away the most items, rather than the bulkiest, but you can pick your priority. I generally find coats harder to store (and harder to return to shape), so those often stay hanging. It’s shirts, sweaters, fleece pants, and boots that get stored first and foremost. If there’s room, them I do some coats.
There is always a transitional time, so keep those easy to wear, lighter layers on top to be put away last and reached for first during your clothing storage switchovers!

How to Store Winter Clothes in Small Space

Downsize!

I know. Off the bat, this doesn’t help, but since I feel everyone needs to downsize (yes, even me), this is always the first reminder. If anything, living in a small space doesn’t allow us to get as out of hand with our wardrobe as possible.

Every time you switch clothes for the season, storing winter clothes or summer clothes, try to pull out items that are too worn in (recycle) and that you didn’t wear much (donate/sell). If it helps, you can set a number of items you want to remove from your wardrobe!

Take Advantage of Every Nook and Cranny

When it comes to putting clothes in bins or containers of some kind, don’t leave empty spaces. Shirts, socks, and even thinner sweaters can fill up small spaces happily.

Prioritize Everyday Wear for Storage

If your closet is like mine, then your coats aren’t mixed in with shirts and sweaters. In warmer months, you’ll really only be looking to that “shirt” place, so clear that out of winter clothes, so you can put your summer clothes there. Then move to sweaters. If you have room, put away your coats!

How to Store Coats

Clean!

I will keep saying this, but clothing put away in storage needs to be clean. Anything that isn’t clean will attract moths and continue to get “stuck” in clothes. It might be a hefty cleaning bill, but it is 100% worth it.

Puffer Coats First

Puffy coats and vests don’t wrinkle as easily and they squish easily. For this reason, I say, try to put them away first. They actually take up a hefty amount of room in a closet and not much room in a storage container.

Button Up & Fold on Seams

For other items, be sure to zip or button them to help keep their shape. And then try to fold on seams. Imagine how a store would fold a jacket to display or send to you and replicate that. I find the easiest way to do this is to lay it out on our bed to get it right.

How to Store Leather Jackets

Clean!

Ok, so you can’t really clean the leather of a leather jacket, though a cobbler could help with leather conditioning. For the inside of your leather jacket, however, use a wet cloth with milk detergent and gently spot clean the inside of the jacket – namely the armpits, near the cuffs, and near the neck.

Zip Up & Fold on Seams

Just like with any coat or sweater, be sure to zip it up to keep it’s shape. Then fold at shoulders, elbows if needed, and gently in half. I’d recommend not placing other clothes on top of your stored leather jackets to help minimize pressure of wrinkles.

How to Store Winter Boots

Clean them Up!

As with anything, you want to clean them up. A gentle brush, maybe wet, will usually do the trick. If you decide to spray or condition anything, make sure it can air out for at least 24 hours before storing away so those chemicals and scents don’t get caught up in the storage bin.

Sort by Size

Not all boots you wear in winter are equal. Boots that take up less room can easily be stored sideways (imagine a jigsaw puzzle) in a bin. I use one like this under-bed basket and use it for summer sandals during winter as well

Stuff Boots

For boots that need to keep their shapes, you’ll need to stuff them and stand them up (I do this in the back of our closet – out of the way). You can use boot trees, newspaper, magazines, or see how I like to use plastic bags as boot fillers in this video!

Luci Folding Dress - Seasonal Clothing Storage - Sustainable Fashion

How To Avoid Clothes Moths?

Living in LA, I forgot about moths chewing holes in clothes. Then we moved back to Northern California and got the quick reminder about their presence.

All Natural Methods

I looked into some clean alternatives for moths (natural scents like cedar, lavender, and cloves are deterrents). I loved the idea of how natural it was, but using those items requires a diligent and consistent checking, refreshing, and replacing.

The Best Clothes Moth Traps

Even without a kid, I doubt I’d be as diligent as needed, so I looked up eco-friendly alternatives. I ended up buying these moth traps. They have some trash, BUT I feel the ability to keep my clothes hole-free (and therefore me happy) is far more sustainable than the alternative. These also don’t have a smell to them and THEY WORK – just keep an eye out for them being “full” and needing replacement.

How to prevent that stale smell of storing clothes?

If you’re worried about that stale smell, it’s tricky to avoid, but keeping only clean clothes in there will help, as will using some sort of “odor catcher.” I like activated charcoal bags as their scent and chemical free. These bags are great in your drawers of clothes as well!!

Small Home Living Tips

Want some organization tips for small home living? Check out these posts of kitchen appliance organization, how to store reusable bags, seasonal clothing storage, and mail and paperwork organization! If you’re working to downsize your closet, see my step-by-step tips for a minimalist wardrobe (that feels anything but small).

You’ll also want to read how we’re making our home more sustainable; my go to clean home cleaning products; and how to declutter your mailbox!

Keep an eye on this constantly updated list of sustainable product reviews for every aspect of life! Don’t miss these refillable cleaning products! And if you shop online, you’ll want to read these tips for shopping more sustainably on Amazon.