To keep your winter fashions looking good season after season, follow these simple rules for storing your warm and wooly items:
1. Clean or dry clean everything before storage. Dirt and food are invitations to insects.
2. Make all necessary repairs – sew hemlines, replace buttons, and fix split seams – before cleaning and storing.
3. Store all items in a cool, well-ventilated area.
4. Store away from natural and artificial light. Hot attics, damp basements, and garages are to be avoided.
5. Store woolens in cedar chests or in other airtight containers. The second choices for storage of woolens are cloth or canvas bags and cardboard boxes. If you store in a closet, drape a cloth sheet over your clothes to protect them from dust and light. Do not store in plastic.
6. Pack airtight containers (other than cedar chests) with mothballs separate from the clothes, never on them.
7. To discourage wrinkles in sweaters, fold them and wrap in white tissue paper before storing. If you hang your sweaters, fold over the crossbar to avoid shoulder stretches.
8. Down, like all winter clothing, should be cleaned (either washed or drycleaned according to the care label) before end of season storage. Down should be stored loosely to allow for air circulation.
9. Furs should be stored on a wellpadded hangar in a cool, dark place, ideally with a professional fur storage company or a dry cleaner with fur storage capacity.
10. If you do not have proper storage space, ask your dry cleaner about box storage. You can get your clothes cleaned and properly stored for the season all at the same time.