Best way to store clothes to use for Keepsakes
Are you looking to buy a keepsake and are saving up the clothes for it? You may not have enough items yet so you need to store what you have until you’re ready to get one made. Parting with such sentimental items can take weeks, months or even years to do.
Whether you plan to store baby clothes or store your own clothes. Be careful with how you store your clothes!
Often when you are sorting through all the clothes your child has outgrown, you sort the clothes into keep, donate, sell or bin piles. You grab the closest thing you have to store the most precious clothes in and that goes into the back of the cupboard or loft for a while.
Choosing the right way to store the clothes is important in keeping the clothes in great condition if you want to pass them down to your own kids or use them to have a keepsake made.
Always wash and completely dry any clothes before you store them, to avoid encouraging mould growth. Those baby vests that have had milk spit up on them can turn yellow and if not washed properly can form other bacteria spots.
Bin bags and cardboard boxes are susceptible to moisture which can affect your clothes and insects (such as moths who love to nibble clothes). It may be a good short-term solution if you are having your keepsake made in the next few months, but if you’re looking to save them for over a year then I wouldn’t recommend storing them like that.
Vacuum packing your clothes is something you may consider. It’s a great space saver but can also leave those awkward permanent creases in your clothes. It’s good for short term storage or if you are really tight for space, but certain natural items of clothing (like wool) will need airing and refolding several times a year if you want to keep items for longer periods.
The solution I recommend is plastic storage boxes with locking lids. They keep the dust and moths away, and depending where you store the boxes, the moisture. They can also be stacked if you have multiple boxes to store.
Place the boxes or containers in a cool place that’s off the floor and away from damp, sunlight and any type of heat.