5 Tips on Packing Away Summer Clothes in Your Custom Closet

Jessica Parsons • October 10, 2022

Along with the leaves changing color, pumpkin spice making a reappearance, and spooky decorations sprouting in yards, fall brings with it the opportunity for fresh wardrobes. You’ll need room for all those sweaters, shawls, and scarves, so proper organization in your custom closet system is a must.

It’s best to get a good method in place for the changing of the seasons. Instead of just sliding over your summer clothes or packing them all away, there are a few ways to spruce up your space while properly maintaining your clothes.

Once you’re ready to pack away the summer clothes in your custom closet, you should:

Go through all of your clothes and pare down.
Wash and maintain all garments before storing them.
Make good use of mothballs for safe storage.
Invest in strong, airtight containers.
Find the right place to store your off-season clothes.

Now that you’ve got an idea of the basics for out-of-season clothes storage, let’s dive into the specifics to get you ready for spooky season.

Go Through All of Your Clothes and Pare Down

As Martha Stewart points out, getting your custom closet ready for fall shouldn’t mean just stuffing your summer clothes into a box and sliding it under your bed. Your clothes will need proper maintenance and care to store properly throughout fall, winter, and spring, and that begins with a detailed inventory.

This is a perfect opportunity to make decisions on garments you don’t get much use out of anymore. The best route here is to make a pile of clothes you’ll keep, those you’ll toss, and those you’ll give away. Paring down will make it that much easier to find room for everything later.

Wash and Maintain All Garments Before Storing Them

Since your clothes will be packed away for months on end, you want to make sure that they’re all in great condition to make it through that long stretch. Be sure to wash everything before packing, and look out for any items that might need sewing or mending.

Stains can become nearly impossible to treat after months of sitting in a garment, so this simple step will save you effort later on and prevent you from having to throw away otherwise good articles of clothing. Make sure all of your clothes are completely dry before preparing them for long-term storage.

Make Good Use of Mothballs for Safe Storage

There are few things more disappointing than pulling your summer clothes out of storage, only to find that they’ve been bitten up by insects. Mothballs are a tried and true method of protecting your clothes. You can even opt for chemical-free options that’ll keep your clothes safe without any harsh effects.

If you’d prefer a more natural option, you can also go with cedar. Cedar naturally repels insects without any negative after effects. You can either choose a cedar chest or put a few cedar blocks in your storage container before stowing your clothes away.

Invest in Strong, Airtight Containers

While cardboard boxes might be cheap, readily available, and ideal for moving, they’re the last thing you want if you’re looking for long-term storage. Instead, you should opt for strong, airtight containers that can help keep your garments fresh for months to come.

Plastic bins and containers tend to work the best, especially those with lids that click into place. Be sure not to overfill your containers, though, as doing so can lead to stubborn wrinkles and creases in your clothes.

Find the Right Place to Store Your Off-Season Clothes

Once you’ve taken all of these steps, it’s time to actually store your summer clothes somewhere. You’ll want to choose an area of your home with stable temperature and humidity levels. An upper shelf in your custom closet should do the trick, as should a mudroom if you have one. Even under-bed storage will do the job once your clothes are properly secured.

Conclusion

With the changing of the seasons comes the opportunity to change your entire wardrobe too. By following these five super simple steps, you should have fresh and well-maintained summer clothes to come back to next year!