Spring Clean

Part of the spring-cleaning process is going through clothing and taking inventory. It’s a great time to decide what’s essential and what’s just taking up space. Go through the lot and ask yourself, “Have I worn this since last year?” If the answer is no, it’s a good indication that it might better be donated, handed down, or resold. As you’re sorting, put aside the articles that you wear strictly in winter and properly store them until their next use, it’ll preserve them and give you more room to stock up on spring’s new trends.

Wool Sweaters

First of all, make sure its clean—dirty wool is likely to attract pests and moths. Do not hang them in a closet; the stress on the hanger will cause the threads to pull, leaving those unsightly “wings” on the shoulders. Instead, store them folded, either in a cotton bag like a pillowcase or in a wooden chest or drawer. For good measure, you can spritz an herbal fragrant like eucalyptus or lavender on them—it will keep them smelling fresh until you pull them out again and it will ward away insects.

Winter Coats

Clean them inside and out, check all the pockets and zipper, snap, and button them all up so nothing is loose and may snag when you pull them out next winter. Wool and cashmere coats should be dry-cleaned and puffy jackets can be machine-washed. Invest in nice hangers of wood or velvet and breathable cotton garment bags. You can store multiple coats in one bag. If you have an older home or animals that go outdoors, try putting cedar blocks in closet with them to ward away insects and keep coats smelling fresh.

Accessories

Cotton, fleece, or wool gloves and scarves should be rolled up, loosely, and stored in together in a plastic pin—don’t over pack. Shaped hats should be stuffed with tissue paper so they keep their shape and placed in a hatbox.

Cotton sweaters and long-sleeved shirts

Put heavier sweaters like thick knit cardigans and sweatshirts at the bottom and layer lighter pieces like long-sleeved cotton T-shirts on the top. Make sure to fold everything neatly and not to overstuff. You can use an acid-free tissue paper to layer in between.

Delicates

If storing any silks or satins in the closet, make sure to use padded hangers, as wire ones tend to cause stress on the fine threads, stretching them out.