How to Pack Away Summer Stuff

When the weather turns cool, it's time to look forward to unpacking and wearing clothes meant for cooler weather, like cozy sweaters, wool skirts and jackets, and tall boots. But what to do with those summer duds, like t-shirts, shorts, sundresses and sandals? The obvious answer is to stash them in a box or bag until next year. But to keep your clothes in top condition and protected from the elements, there are a few ways to store clothes. First, launder clothes or send them to the cleaners. The last thing you want to do is store dirty clothes, and that includes invisible stains and stink, like deodorant marks or leftover perfume. Food and other stains can attract pests like bugs as well. So be sure to get them spic-and-span before storing. Find good, airtight containers like large Ziploc garment bags or Rubbermaid containers that fit the storage space you have. Collapsible bags and flat, large containers work great under beds, and if you're lucky enough to have extra closet floor space, then go big with your containers and stack away. Before adding clothes, it helps to line containers with plastic - it's a great way to recycle grocery bags.