How to Store Your Sweaters - Simple Storage Ideas and Tips

Best Ways to Store Sweaters – Easy Sweater Storage Ideas and Tips

Find out how to store your sweaters during the winter when you need them as well as during the summer or off-season. You will find these simple sweater storage ideas helpful.

Winter is here, the time of year when most of your family wears sweaters on a more or less regular basis. Sweaters come in a variety of styles such as pullovers, cardigans, tight knits, loose knits, bulky or thin and light.

When you buy a quality sweater you are making an investment in an article of clothing that will last you years and help keep you warm in the heart of winter. To help make your sweaters last longer you need to store them properly.

A properly stored sweater will not become stretched and misshapen while not in use. Storing sweaters properly offers them protection from the elements and pests to prevent damage in storage.

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How to Store Sweaters During the Winter

During the cold season when you need your sweaters, you need to consider how you will store them when you are not wearing them. How you store and care for your sweaters can really affect their lifespan.

Should You Fold or Hang Your Sweaters When Storing Them?

In the winter when your sweaters are in daily use you should consider how you store them between uses.

Most experts agree that folding your sweaters for storing is better than hanging them up. However, whether you fold or hang your sweaters will depend on whether you have more free space in your closet or on your shelves or in storage boxes.

The main problem with hanging sweaters in the closet is that hanging causes bumps to appear on the shoulders of the sweater, making the shoulders stretch out of shape.

In addition, hanging heavy sweaters on a hanger for an extended period of time can cause the entire sweater to stretch.

Sweaters should be folded neatly on a shelf or in a drawer for the best storage during the winter when you will be using them. This will prevent any kind of stretching.

How to Fold Your Sweaters

If you are planning on storing your sweaters on a shelf or in a storage box and need to fold them so that they don’t wrinkle you can do so by following these simple directions.

Lay your sweater out on a flat surface with the back of the sweater facing up and smooth out all wrinkles.
Fold sleeves inward across the body so one sleeve crosses over the other.
Smooth the wrinkles out of the sweater again
Fold the hem of the sweater upward towards the neck and then flip over the sweater so that the front and the top of the sweater are now facing up.

Storing Your Folded Sweaters

There are a couple of options for storing your sweaters.

You can store them stacked in your drawers like you do t-shirts or you can make it easier to see what you have by file folding them. This places them upright like you would store file folders.

You can even get organizers that hold them this way that can slide into drawers or any of these organizers to slip under your bed.

If you are a fan of Marie Kondo you will love the fact that her folding method is perfect for storing sweaters and making them easy to view when you open your drawers.

You can also keep your sweaters on your closet shelves.

How to Fold Sweaters – KonMarie Method

Here is a video of how to fold sweaters, the KonMarie method.

How to Hang Sweaters

If you choose to hang your sweaters instead of folding them, there are a few things you can do to prevent damage to your sweaters.

The first is to avoid thin wire or plastic hangers that can lead to creases and stretching of your sweaters. A thickly padded sweater hanger is a much safer option.

The best option is to fold the sweater over the bottom bar of the hanger like you do a pair of pants. This will hang the sweater folded and take pressure off of the shoulders.

Simple Steps to Hanging Your Sweaters

If you are looking for a safe way to hang a sweater so it holds its shape follow these simple directions.

Lay the sweater out on a flat surface and smooth the wrinkles out with your hand.
Fold the sweater in half lengthwise with the arms pointing in the same directions and together. Smooth again to keep wrinkles out.
Fold the arms over the body of the sweater from the shoulder down to the hem.
Hang the sweater arm side down over the bottom wire of the hanger.

Tip: To provide cushioning on the hanger for my sweaters (and pants), I take old towels, cut them to fit the bottom wire of the hanger and then wrap the towel around the wire and tape it.

How to Store Sweaters in the Summer or Off-Season

The real issue with storing sweaters is when you need to store them over the summer when they are not in use. Simply keeping them in your drawers or closet can put your sweaters at risk of damage.

To extend the life of your sweaters you need to take the time to properly store them.

Wash and properly dry your sweaters before storing them. This will ensure that there is nothing on them that could encourage break down or attract pests that will destroy your sweaters.

Sweaters should be folded to store them over the summer. Do not leave your sweaters hanging even if you choose to hang them during sweater season.

Hanging them for a long period of time such as over the summer when you will not be wearing them can lead to damage and stretching.

Store your sweaters in a fabric box or an airtight container. This will help protect them more than simply placing them on a shelf or under the bed for storage.

More Tips Storing Folded Sweaters Off-Season

Store heavy sweaters on the bottom and lighter sweaters on top
Store in a dark dry place, if you are storing in a container choose one that is airtight.
To keep out pests and keep your sweaters smelling great, use cedar discs or scented sachets in the storage container or placed on the closet shelf. Cedar wood discs can also help keep your clothes smelling fresh in drawers and closets.

By following these simple directions you can safely store your sweaters until the weather once again turns cold.

How to Protect Your Sweaters in Storage

When it comes to storing sweaters in the off-season, you need to keep them dry.

If you are storing them in a closet, consider adding a dehumidifier to prevent moisture from damaging your sweaters.

If storing in an airtight container or even a space bag, consider adding in a couple of silica packets to help protect your sweaters.

Pests are a big risk for your sweaters in storage. Moths will eat away at sweaters made of natural fibers. To help protect your sweaters, you want to use something to repel moths.

Classic moth balls are a great option for this, though they can leave an unpleasant odor.

Cedarwood disks are inexpensive and a great option for keeping moths away without the odor.

You can also find a larger variety of pest control products for moths ranging from scented packets to moth traps. Taking the time to protect your sweaters from moths before storing them can help to protect your investment and prevent any unwanted surprises when the fall rolls around.

Storing Sweaters – Conclusion

The best way to store your sweater is to fold them and store them on shelves or in storage boxes. Hanging your sweaters can cause them to stretch, however, the good news is that there is a way to hang sweaters without causing them to stretch out of shape.

If you need to hang your sweaters for storage during the winter when you will be using them, you should look for thick padded hangers and avoid thin wire ones that will misshapen your sweaters while they are hanging.