With spring just around the corner, it’s time to start thinking about packing away the cold weather clothing and gear and bringing out the short sleeves and bicycles. Rotating seasonal clothing and items out is the best way to prevent excess clutter and maximize on your available storage space.

One important thing to remember before making the swap: clean everything. Wash clothes and shoes, wipe down skis, snowboards, and anything else needed before storing away for the season. This will help preserve the quality and life of your items. Here are a few tips for storing off-season storage items within your own home. 

Off Season Clothes: Keeping off-season shirts and sweaters on hangers for months on end can warp the shoulders and takes up valuable space. Store off-season clothing inside where it’s cool, dry, and well-ventilated and avoid using cardboard boxes. Consider utilizing soft-sided bins or those clear plastic bags your bedding came in. These storage options are easy to slide under the bed or in the hallway closet. The clear bags allow you to make use of an item you already have and help you easily identify what’s inside.

You could also consider storing off-season clothing in unused suitcases. They are already taking up storage space in your home, why not take advantage of them?

Shoes and Accessories: Boots, tennis shoes, and darker pallet bags have no place in a spring and summer wardrobe. Store them in well ventilated, cotton-poly bins and boxes. Leather can easily dry out if contained in a plastic bin or cardboard box. Like clothing, slide these under the bed or in other nooks and crannies in the closet.

Weather Related Gear: Skis, snowboards, and other winter related gear are investments you want to protect and use again next season. Preserve their life by properly storing them away for the winter. Get them off the ground and hang them on the wall or within cabinets to protect them for next season.

Holiday Decorations: Now that all the winter holidays are over, bins and boxes full of holiday decorations often get piled up in the garage, taking up valuable space and offering up a home for unwanted pests. Take advantage of the unused overhead space in your garage to store these items up and out of the way. Overhead storage racks are the best solution for off-season storage. You can store hundreds of pounds of items overhead without worry, and you’ll be able to easily access them come next holiday season. 

Check out our overhead racks and other storage systems when considering what to do with your off-season storage items.