Avoid These Mistakes When Storing Clothes in a Storage Unit
What’s in your storage unit? If you’re like most people, we’re betting there are at least a few items of clothing in there. Whether you’re storing your seasonal wardrobe, your special occasion clothing or any other combination of pants, shirts, jackets and clothing items, it’s important to store with care.
You might be tempted to just stuff your clothing into a box, suitcase or even a big garbage bag and put it in your storage unit, but before you do that, do yourself a favor and read on to find out what not to do when storing clothing:
1. Don’t Store Dirty Clothing
We know, we know. You’re moving, you’re packing, you’re in a rush. The last thing you want to do is toss in a load of laundry. But seriously, take the time to clean your clothes before you put them into your storage unit.
Be sure to empty out any pockets. You don’t want that unfinished bag of snacks from your child’s winter coat ending up in your storage unit where it could attract pests. You should also take the time to make sure all clothing items are 100% dry before putting them in storage. Even a little extra moisture can cause serious mildew and mold.
2. Don’t Skip Stain Removal
That tiny dot of wine on the sleeve of your blouse isn’t a big deal, right? Wrong. If you’re storing clothing, stains—especially those caused by food—can eat away at delicate fabric over time, meaning that that small stain on your lace wedding dress could degrade the material. Take the time to remove stains with Shout or whatever your preferred stain remover is. Even a Tide to-go pen works in a pinch.
3. Don’t Store Things You Don’t Need
If you’re a fashion maven or just the kind of person who hates to get rid of things, it can be tempting to store those items of clothing you know you’ll never, ever wear again. But guess what? Storing a bunch of clothing that you’re just going to end up getting rid of is going to result in your spending more money on a larger storage unit, when you might not actually need that much space.
Before you store clothing, take the time to get rid of the items you don’t need. As a rule of thumb, if you haven’t worn it in a year, it’s got to go. Exceptions can certainly be made for special occasion items and children’s clothing that you’d like to hang onto for your next baby. You can always donate your extra clothing to charity, offer it to friends and family or recycle it. If you need ideas on local organizations where you can donate or recycle your clothing, be sure to ask your storage facility’s manager.
