Living in London - one of the most exciting cities in the world - has its perks. The downside has to be the expensive rent, and the little space available in your flat.
This doesn't mean you have to give up anything you love for extra space: with a strategic approach and some decluttering, you'll figure out how to store your clothes if you have little room.
With summer fast approaching, there is no better time than now to give your winter wardrobe some much needed extra care before packing it away for summer hibernation.
How to store clothes? By following these steps:
- Sort your clothes
- Declutter
- Clean
- Categorise
- Store away safely
How to store clothes for storage: 5 easy steps
1. Sort your clothes
Start by pulling out the entire contents of your wardrobe. Whilst this may seem overwhelming, it is the best way to remind yourself of the clothes you already own in order to begin organising. You are more than likely storing stuff you don't even remember having, and this will also be a chance to clean your wardrobe before putting back the clothes you'll keep.
2. Declutter
We accumulate so many things throughout our lifetime, for whatever reasons we choose to hold on to them. Whether it's because we spent a lot of money on them, or we feel like we may be able to use them at a future point in life, having a minimalist approach to fashion can actually be so liberating.
You can declutter anything that is unnecessary: overworn sweaters, jeans you haven't been wearing in ages, that outfit that always makes you feel overdressed. Put on one side what you haven't been wearing in the past 6 months or more. Be realistic about what you wear to work, at the weekend, or to events: identify what you wear most regularly and concentrate on these pieces.
Place the ones you want to declutter in a box or bag right away that can be dropped off at a local donation centre. Don't throw away stuff that someone else would need!
3. Clean the clothes
Put the summer clothes back in your wardrobe, and now concentrate on those you won't need in the warmer months. It is important that you give your Winter clothes a clean before packing them away. Remember to check care labels before washing, especially as Winter garments such as cashmere may require a specialist cleaning technique.
4. Categorise
It can be really helpful when sorting your Winter clothes to create labels for each box or storage bag. This will help to have everything organised for when you'll need them again.
5. Store away safely
Decide whether you are going to store unseasonable clothes away. In that case, how and where will you store your out of season clothes?
Access Box Storage gives you the perfect safe space where your items will be stored and impeccably preserved until the next season. In this way, you'll be able to rotate your wardrobe and gain much more space in your flat! Consider wrapping delicate items individually in tissue paper or using vacuum-sealed storage bags for bulky items.
How to store baby clothes?
If space in your flat isn't plenty, the first thing you want to figure out is if there's anything you're not using that you can put aside. The best example? Baby clothes. Babies grow out of clothes so fast: they just get taller by the minute. The same goes for their shoes and accessories: beanies, gloves, socks and underwear. Wondering how to store baby clothes?
If you plan to save them for future use, especially if you're thinking of having a baby number two (or three, or four..), then you're in the right place. You can declutter, organise, label, and pack away baby clothes in storage boxes. First of all, make sure again as a first step to clean everything.
This is an important step, as babies and stains go hand in hand: you want to keep what's in good conditions. It is also an excellent way to declutter what won't be used again. Decide which clothes are worth keeping: pull out anything that isn't in good condition, anything visibly stained or damaged.
A key step: sort by size!
Sort the baby clothes into piles by size or age. You can do this on a clean surface and put different post-its with each size written on them. Then, place each item under the correct pile. In this way, you will keep everything tidy and won't get a headache in remembering which pile is the correct one.
Fold everything in a neat way while doing so: then, put one size only in each storage bag. Things will stay organised and easy to find; don't forget to label each box with the size of the clothes.
How to store baby equipment?
Prams and pushchairs, high chairs, walkers, sleeping bags, sleeping cribs, car seats: equipment for babies can take up so much space. Especially considering you won't need those items permanently. Using storage space for baby equipment is a great choice to save space, preserve them adequately, and save money as you won't have to buy those a second time.
Make sure they're thoroughly cleaned and sanitised, as you want to prevent bacteria from growing. Dismantle them when possible, and wrap each part in bubble wrap.
Make sure to keep each item in a separate box or bag, and add labels to keep everything organised for when you'll need them next time.