The temperatures are rising, the days are getting longer and nature is turning green: spring is on its way! Now is the time to make room for spring fashion in your closet and put your winter jackets away safely.
But how and where is the best place to store winter clothing, what should you bear in mind when washing your winter jacket and how does a vacuum bag for clothing work? Read here how to store your winter jackets so that they are ready to go again next winter.
Storing winter jackets: Inventory
Before you stow away your winter clothes and send them off for the summer break, you should take the opportunity to take a critical inventory. That way, you can start next winter with clean and flawless winter jackets that fit and suit you.
Storing winter jackets: Get an overview
Open your wardrobe and get an overview: Which winter jackets did you really wear last winter? Which jackets were just hanging in your wardrobe? Does the jacket still fit at all, do you like the colors and patterns, does the jacket match your clothing style? Sort out the winter jackets that you no longer wear. Sometimes, unfortunately, your favorite jacket has to go because it is simply too worn out. Many winter jackets can be sold on various internet platforms or find a new owner through a clothes shop.
Store winter clothing: Eliminate defects
The next step is to check the condition of your winter jackets: are all the buttons still in place, do the zippers work? Have any seams come undone or Velcro fasteners come loose? Grab a needle and thread and repair any minor defects, or take your winter jacket to a specialist tailor to get it in perfect condition before storing it away.
Stowing winter jackets: wash and dry first
Now it's time to wash, empty all the pockets, close the zippers and follow the care instructions: What can you wash yourself and what needs to be dry cleaned? Make sure you use the right detergent for your winter jacket and turn the jackets inside out before putting them in the washing machine. This will prevent the detergent from attacking the surface. Also make sure that the washing machine is not overloaded, your winter jacket could be too big for the drum and will then have to go to the dry cleaner. After washing, winter jackets should be dried completely before you can store them. Any residual moisture in the fabric can lead to mold growth.
We have compiled our cleaning tips for the most common winter jacket materials for you here:
For your duffle coat, wool coat or tweed jacket, we recommend professional cleaning at a specialist company, where jackets and coats are cleaned gently and thoroughly. Alternatively, you can also wash them by hand or in the machine if the care label allows washing. The bathtub is ideal for hand washing. Fill it with cold or lukewarm water and add a special wool detergent. Then place your jacket in the tub, leave it to soak for around 30 minutes and then gently agitate it in the water to loosen the dirt particles. Now rinse the jacket with clear water, squeeze it out carefully and dry it flat. If your washing machine has a wool program, you can wash your jacket there at a maximum of 30 degrees with a wool detergent. Only spin-dry on a low setting, then pull the jacket into shape when wet and leave it to dry flat.
First check the care label to see whether your down jacket can be washed or should be dry cleaned. Use a special detergent for down in the washing machine and select a gentle wash program with a high water level and little drum movement. Spin your down jacket gently and then start an extra rinse cycle with clear water to rinse out the detergent completely. A tumble dryer is suitable for drying, as this allows the down to be fluffed up again. Set the dryer to a medium temperature of 30 to 60 degrees and interrupt the process every 10 minutes to fluff up the filling. Extra tip: Put one or two clean tennis balls in the washing machine and dryer to prevent the down from clumping together.
Waterproofed and waterproof outdoor jackets can usually be washed at home in the washing machine. Select a gentle wash cycle at 40 degrees, use liquid detergent and spin at a low speed. Air dry your jacket or tumble dry at low speed and then put the dry jacket back in the dryer for 20 minutes to activate the waterproofing. If the beading effect has been lost after several washes, use a suitable waterproofing spray to re-waterproof.
How to store winter jackets
There are various ways to store your winter clothes. Perhaps you have a second closet in the cellar or attic? Or you can store your winter jackets in plastic boxes, cardboard boxes or vacuum bags.
1. store winter jackets in a vacuum bag
Vacuum bags for clothing are a practical way to store winter jackets. As the excess air is extracted with a vacuum cleaner, you can store your winter jacket in a very space-saving way and it is also protected from odors, moths and dust. However, make sure that your winter jacket is completely dry before storing it in the vacuum bag for clothing, otherwise mold may form. Not every winter jacket is suitable for the vacuum bag for clothes: Delicate winter jackets made of wool or with down filling should not be vacuumed, as the fibers can clump together and lose their insulating properties.
2. store winter clothing in boxes and baskets
Boxes and baskets made of air-permeable material such as cotton or linen are ideal for storing winter jackets. You can fold up your jackets to save space and the air circulation prevents winter clothing from becoming moldy. The air-permeable storage boxes can be stored in the cellar or attic.
3. store winter jackets in the garment bag
Garment bags are particularly suitable for delicate jackets that crease easily. Hang your delicate winter jackets in an air-permeable garment bag in your closet or on a clothes rail. This protects your winter jackets from light and dust, allows air to circulate and keeps them crease-free until the next winter.
4. store winter clothing in plastic boxes and plastic bags
Plastic boxes or plastic bags are only suitable for storing winter clothing to a limited extent. They prevent air circulation and the clothes cannot breathe, which can lead to mold growth. If you want to use plastic boxes, make sure that they are not airtight so that the air can circulate.
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You can store your winter clothes here
Once your winter jackets are well packed - be it in a vacuum bag for clothes, a garment bag, cardboard boxes or boxes - you need to find the right place to store them. An extra closet, cellar, attic or under the bed in the bedroom? Rooms that are dry, dust-free and protected from light are best.
Store winter jackets in the closet
An extra closet to store winter clothes is a great luxury. You can hang your winter jackets on a hanger so that they are ready for the next winter and wrinkle-free. However, they take up a lot of space in your own closet, as hoods, fur collars and the like make winter jackets very bulky.
Store winter clothing in the attic and cellar
Storing winter jackets in storage boxes in the cellar or attic - is that possible? Yes, as long as the room is clean, cool, dry and dark. This will prevent your jacket from falling victim to mildew or pest infestation, or the colors from fading due to intense light. The attic or cellar is particularly suitable for storing large boxes, which are best labeled so that you always know which box your winter jacket is in. Sensitive and easily creased winter jackets can be packed in garment bags and hung on a clothes rail.
Stowing winter jackets under the bed
There is storage space under the bed in the bedroom that is used far too rarely. The conditions are usually ideal: the bedroom is cool and regularly ventilated, the air is not too humid and it is dark under the bed. You can find suitable boxes in any DIY store, just make sure that they are air-permeable and you will have found the perfect solution for storing your winter clothes.
How to protect your winter clothing from moths
Even in summer, you should not lose sight of your winter jackets completely. Check occasionally that the clothes are dry and have not been infested by moths or other pests. Scented sachets or soaps with lavender, cloves or dried orange peel, moth paper from the drugstore or cedar wood balls prevent moths from nesting in your winter jackets. Replace the scented sachets every 3 months or so and refresh the cedar wood balls by sanding them.
With these simple tips, you can be sure that your winter jackets will survive the summer. As soon as the next winter arrives, you can get your winter jackets out freshly washed and fragrant and wear them straight away.
