How to Store Clothes in Plastic Totes

Often, people find they need to store clothing for later use. Whether it's baby clothing that you plan to use for your future children, winter sweaters that are no longer needed in the summer, or old recital costumes, the most pressing issue is storing the items so that they are safe from insects, dirt and water. There are costly ways to do this, including purchasing expensive storage bags. For those who want to store their clothing easily and without great expense, there is another option: plastic totes.

Things You'll Need

• Plastic totes and matching lids
• Air freshening sachet
• Bar of soap
• Muslin bag

Instructions

1. Purchase plastic totes in the sizes you need from your local discount or department store--this typically costs between $4 and $12, depending upon the size. Ensure the plastic tote has a secure, air-tight lid--these are usually included with plastic totes.

2. Ensure the clothing you plan to store is clean and dry. Odorous clothing that is stored for a prolonged period with other articles of clothing will transfer their smell, and wet clothing will mildew when placed in an air-tight bin.

3. Fold the clothing so that it will lay as flat as possible as opposed to rolling it up. You can also tuck the sleeves of shirts and sweaters inside out so that they're easier to fold. Baby clothing can typically be laid flat instead of being folded.

4. Put an air freshening sachet into the corner of the empty tote--this will prevent smells from forming. You can purchase these from the home fragrance or laundry section of your supermarket, discount, grocery or department store.

   Alternatively, place a bar of deodorant soap inside a muslin bag and use that instead of a sachet--choose a bar of soap without dye in it.

5. Place the clothing inside the tote, and secure the lid on top, and place the tote in your storage area.

References

• iVillage: How Do You Store Out of Season Clothing?
• Mamapedia: Storing Baby Clothes
• Thrifty Fun: Storing Clothes