If unused baby clothes, winter coats, and other items are overcrowding your closets, renting a storage unit could be an ideal solution. However, keeping your garments, blankets, and other items safe from the wear of time, heat, and humidity takes some preparation and planning. Below are a few tips for keeping your favorite belongings and sentimental items safe for years to come.

How to Safely Pack Your Clothes for Storage

1. Clean Everything

Minor stains can set in over time, and a small, untreated spot can easily destroy your favorite garment after spending years in storage. Residual lotions, perfumes, and beauty products can also discolor fabrics, turning your favorite white top into a yellowed mess. Before packing up your items, carefully wash each piece of clothing, and be sure to empty out all the pockets.

2. Use Plastic Bins

Cardboard boxes are vulnerable to humidity, and water damage promotes mold and mildew. If you rent a unit without climate controls, pack your clothes in stackable plastic bins. Unlike cardboard boxes, plastic bins won’t be crushed under the weight of items placed on top of them. These storage containers also keep fabric safe from insects.

3. Inventory Your Belongings

Trying to find a single suit in a crowded storage unit can be frustrating. Creating an inventory system will help you keep track of everything and make finding specific items a lot easier. Use different colored bins to pack individual types of clothing, like seasonal clothing items or jeans. 

Label each bin by writing its contents on a piece of paper and placing it inside the bin. If you’re not worried about reusing the bins at a later time, you can also use a marker to list the contents on the outside of a container.

4. Buy Some Cedar Chips

The best storage facilities offer pest control options, but insects can be very determined. Instead of mothballs, toss a few cedar chips into each bin before sealing them up. These work just as well as chemical pest control options, without any harsh or unpleasant chemical odors. This will also keep your clothing items from smelling like mothballs when you retrieve them from storage.

If your closets are overflowing and you need to pack up older items, find a safe and affordable storage unit at West Side Storage & Truck Rental in Cincinnati, OH. Their clean facility boasts a 24-hour, state-of-the-art security system and a wide range of unit sizes to accommodate your needs. Visit their website for more information, or call (513) 451-6474 to schedule a tour.