“Oh, the summer is red! I would love you if it weren’t for the heat, and the dust, and the mosquitoes, and the flies,” said Pushkin. As a storage service, we will add: and if not for winter tires, fur coats and skis. It’s simple: winter things take up a huge amount of space in summer, but there is no point in this – we just don’t use them. Therefore, skis and snowboards gather dust on the balcony, winter shoes also collect dust in the hallway, and what is there with a fur coat and a winter jacket in the closet is even scary to look at. But are there really no options for how to safely and conveniently store winter clothes in the summer? There are such ways, and in this article we will tell you everything about storing winter things in the off-season.
How to fold winter clothes for compact storage
So, all seasonal things can be divided into main categories:
- clothes;
- shoes;
- Sports Equipment;
- car tires;
- children’s things (winter stroller, winter sports equipment, etc.).
Things need to be prepared in advance: washed, cleaned of dirt and dust, and most importantly, repaired if something is broken somewhere. Firstly, it will be much easier for you to use the thing again when the season comes (and not to run urgently for repairs), and, secondly, a broken thing can deteriorate even more if stored incorrectly – for example, dust clogs in ski bindings, etc. d.
Things are folded before being packed. If everything is clear with skis and snowboards – you just need not to lose bindings and accessories, then with clothes everything is a little more complicated.
Sweaters, sweatshirts, hoodies, vests must first be washed, dried and ironed if necessary, so that there are no creases on the fabrics, which will then be difficult to smooth out. After you have washed and prepared your clothes, fold them compactly the Marie Kondo way. Using this method, you can fold things as compactly as possible, and then put them in boxes. If you just put it in a bag or a rag bag, then you won’t be able to pack sweaters so compactly.
How to pack your winter clothes for compact storage
After you have correctly folded things, they need to be packed. The packaging will protect from dust, dirt, moisture and sunlight. This is important, since it is ultraviolet that spoils not only fabrics, but also leather and wood products. Therefore, it is especially dangerous to store things on the balcony in summer – in addition to direct sunlight, the temperature there may be too high for long-term storage. For example, winter car tires are not designed to be stored in conditions above 18-20 degrees Celsius (ideally, they should be stored at only + 10-12 degrees). Otherwise, the structure of the rubber changes – it becomes less elastic.
You can pack in bags, boxes, film, fabric bags. Vacuum bags are perfect for clothes – they will make even voluminous things, such as down jackets, much smaller in volume.
Where is the best place to store winter clothes?
So, we properly folded things and even packed them correctly. So what’s next? And then they need to be correctly defined somewhere. And not all ways and places are suitable for storing winter clothes and winter things. Let’s analyze the most popular options with their pros and cons.
1. On the balcony or loggia
Pros: you don’t need to take things anywhere, just took the boxes and took them to the balcony – saved a lot of time and effort.
Cons: if you have a sunny side, then it is likely that in summer there is a real Tashkent on the balcony, or at least an excellent greenhouse for growing tomatoes, but not a place to store winter fur boots. And if the sun’s rays can still be somehow prevented – for example, hang blackout curtains, then it will be difficult to escape from the high temperature – we wrote about its effect on rubber above.
2. In the pantry or on the mezzanine
Pros: It’s free, it’s fast, and it’s convenient because things are always at hand.
Cons: mezzanines have a special property to endow things with a smell – since there is no ventilation there, everything begins to be saturated with a musty smell, so that it does not exist, it is necessary to constantly ventilate, clean out the dust and clean up. In addition, mezzanines will not allow you to properly remove bulky items – skis, snowboards, etc.
3. In the garage
Pros: things will be stored in a safe place – after all, garages are usually guarded, which means that nothing will happen to things. The second plus is that the garage will allow you to store things for as long as you need – no time limits. For example, in winter you realized that there is simply no time for skis and you don’t want to get them out and bring them to your apartment – you can leave them in the garage at least until next winter.
Cons: The garage may not always be large enough to accommodate a bunch of winter things in addition to car tools. In addition, in the summer the garage should be ventilated so that the air does not stagnate inside. And a minus for those who do not have a car – you will have to order delivery separately, and this is an extra expense.
4. In the country or in a country house
Pros: free storage of things without restrictions, security.
Cons: if the house is small, then things can be difficult to attach so that they do not interfere, you will have to allocate extra space in the closet, room or extension. In addition, things such as snowboards and skis are best stored with the help of special mounts, which are not always possible to organize in the country.
5. Remove box or cell
Pros: Often there are mounts for storing sports equipment, the right conditions – temperature, humidity, safety.
Cons: you pay for the entire box, even if there are very few things, which means you overpay “for air”, and you will also have to carry things to the box yourself (wasting time and money).
6. Rent a container
Pros: economical storage option, you have access at any time if it is an essential moment for you.
Cons: no delivery service, you have to pack everything yourself, the container is usually not ventilated.