What to Put in Clothes Storage

If there’s one thing most people have plenty of, it’s clothing. From pants and tops to miniskirts, shorts, dresses, shirts, and more, most of us have a closetful of clothes and might benefit from proper storage.

So, you may rent a storage unit in their town to store their ever-growing collection of clothes. If you’re out of space (and it’s driving you out of your mind), read on! We’ve got tips on what to put in clothes storage, how to store them correctly, and more below!

Storing Clothes is Relatively Easy

Here’s the thing; storing clothing in a storage unit isn’t rocket surgery! With the right boxes and a little bit of common sense, anyone can do it and do it well. That being said, it helps to have the correct moving supplies and boxes to store your clothes. Otherwise, they may get soiled, musty, or, even worse, damaged by insects and other pests. Below is a list of some supplies you may need:

  • Medium Boxes
  • Large Boxes
  • Wardrobe Boxes (Special boxes with metal bars for hanging clothes.)
  • Packing Tape
  • Packing Paper
  • Acid-free boxes (maybe)

STORAGE TIP: Use clean, new moving boxes. Used moving boxes may have things on or inside that can stain clothes. (Or, yuck, bugs.) Used boxes from, say, the grocery store can be even worse, with gross stuff on them that can damage your nice things.

Don’t Store Things You Don’t Want, Need or Use

When you store clothes, you’ll be buying boxes and supplies to store them, which costs money. If you store things you don’t want, need or use, you’re essentially wasting money. (Less clothing to store = fewer boxes to buy.) For that reason, selling, donating, or tossing any clothing you don’t want is essential. (We suggest giving everything that’s in decent shape to Goodwill.) By getting rid of stuff, you’ll save money and possibly be able to use a smaller storage unit to store your clothes.

Thoroughly Clean All Clothing You Wish to Store

One of the challenges with storing clothes is making sure they come out as nicely as they went in. To do that, cleaning them before storage is a must. You see, clothes can have all sorts of things on them that, over time, can damage them. Sweat, for example, and fat from food, oil from your skin, dirt, dust, and more.

If all that crud stays on your clothes, you may find them ruined when you take them out of storage. They might also have permanent stains or a permanent odor that won’t go away with washing. Also, any food or food stains not washed out can attract pests, possibly destroying your clothes. Cleaning your clothes is the best way to prevent this, so make sure you do before putting them in storage.

Pack Expensive Clothing in Acid-Free Boxes

This tip is one you should only use with your best clothes because, frankly, it’s a bit expensive. See, the acid in a cardboard can ruin fabrics and textiles over long-term storage. That’s why many museums use acid-free paper and boxes to store linens, fabrics, costumes, and more. Without the acid, the clothes inside will stay pristine for a much longer time.

what to put in clothes storage

Use Cedar Cips or Blocks to Deter Insects

For decades during the last century, people used mothballs to storage for clothes, linens, and textiles. The problem is, mothballs smell disgusting and can be almost as destructive as using nothing. Better to use cedar chips or large-ish blocks of cedar. Red cedar is the best and will protect your clothing well and provide a pleasant odor, too.

PRO TIP- Fill some nylon stocking material with cedar chips from the pet store. Here’s how:

  1. Take a used set of nylon stockings and cut a 15 inch tube from one leg.
  2. Tie a knot in one end.
  3. Fill the nylon stocking tube with cedar chips.
  4. Tie the other end shut.
  5. Place your cedar chip container in the bottom of a wardrobe box.
  6. Fill the box with clothes and feel great satisfaction that no insects will be coming for dinner.

Don’t Use Wire Hangers

Basic, wire hangers are OK for things like t-shirts but, if you’re putting high-quality clothes in long-term storage, wire hangers aren’t great. The metal can crease the fabric and will rust and stain the fabric if any moisture gets in. To avoid this problem, use thick, plastic hangers, wood hangers, or padded hangers.

Use Clear, Plastic Bins to Identify Clothes Quickly and Easily

We talked earlier about the need for using clean, new moving boxes when storing clothing. If you have a few extra dollars, however, clear, plastic bins can be even better. That’s because they are leakproof, bugproof, and are more durable, too. More importantly, you can see what’s inside a clear plastic bin, making finding specific clothing almost effortless. One caveat is that they don’t have to be airtight. In fact, a little bit of airflow is always a good thing when storing clothing.

Rent a Temperature Controlled Storage Unit

If you genuinely want to protect your clothing, a climate-controlled storage unit is best. Temperature controlled storage keeps the temperature inside from going too high or too low. It’s the best way to ensure your clothes stay in great shape, especially during long-term storage.

At Moove In Self Storage, most of our facilities have Temperature controlled storage units. Even if they don’t, all the storage units we offer are clean, safe, and secure. You can store clothing, household goods, antiques, and collectibles with us, among many other things.

If you have any questions about storage, please chat with us online. You can also rent to reserve your storage unit online and in under 10 minutes. Better still, visit your local Moove In storage facility and say hello to the on-site manager. They can show you around, answer your questions and get the process started. Until then, best of luck storing your clothing!


Read more moving & storage tips on the blog!