How to store summer clothes over winter so they come out fresh

To store summer clothes over winter, sort them first, wash or clean everything you are keeping, make sure it is completely dry, then fold it into breathable storage such as cotton bags or lidded boxes and keep it somewhere cool, dry and dark. Avoid damp spaces and sealed plastic for natural fibres, and check on it once or twice before spring. The pieces you did not wear this summer are often better sold now than stored for another year.

A seasonal swap frees up space, and it means your summer wardrobe comes back in spring without musty smells, yellow marks or surprise moth holes. Here is how to do it.

Step 1: sort before you pack

Lay everything out and make three piles.

Keep: pieces you wore and liked, and that still fit.
Repair: a loose button, a dropped hem, a small seam split. Fix these now, while you remember, or put them in a bag with a note.
Pass on: things you did not reach for all summer. If you skipped a dress for two summers running, you are unlikely to wear it the third.

Storing clothes you will not wear takes up space and time. Selling them gives them a chance to be worn by somebody else.

Step 2: wash everything you are keeping

This is the step people skip, and it is the one that matters most. Sweat, sun cream, deodorant and food marks that you cannot see now can turn into yellow stains over a few months in a box. They also attract moths.

Wash or clean each piece following the care label.
Treat any marks before washing. Our guide to removing deodorant marks from clothes covers underarms.
Swimwear: rinse in cool water and wash gently, then dry it in the shade.
Linen and cotton: wash and dry as usual. There is no need to iron them before storing, since they will crease again anyway.

Step 3: dry completely

Packing anything even slightly damp is how clothes come out smelling musty or spotted with mildew. Leave everything an extra day after it feels dry, particularly thick cotton, denim and anything dried indoors in cool weather.

Step 4: choose the right storage

Breathable is best

Natural fibres such as cotton, linen and silk need a little air. Good options:

Cotton storage bags or old pillowcases.
Lidded boxes made of fabric or card, lined with a clean cotton sheet.
Plastic boxes with lids, if your space is dry, with some breathing room left in them. Avoid sealing clothes into plastic bags for months.

Vacuum bags

Vacuum bags save a lot of space and suit bulky synthetics, such as beach towels and lightweight jackets. They are less kind to natural fibres, which can come out deeply creased, so keep your linen and silk out of them.

Fold or hang?

Fold most things, with the heaviest at the bottom. If you have wardrobe space, delicate dresses and shirts can stay hung in cotton garment covers. Avoid wire hangers, which leave marks in the shoulders.

Step 5: pick the right place

Cool, dry and dark is the rule.

Good spots: under a bed, the top shelf of a wardrobe, a cupboard on an inside wall.
Spots to avoid: lofts, garages and sheds, which can get damp and change temperature a lot, and anywhere near a radiator or a window in direct sun, which can fade fabrics along the folds.

If your home is prone to condensation in winter, a moisture absorber in the cupboard can help.

Step 6: keep moths away

Clothes moths are best known for wool, but they also go for silk and other animal fibres, especially if there is food or sweat on them. Clean storage is the main defence. Many people add cedar blocks or lavender bags as a deterrent too. Open the boxes once or twice over winter, give things a shake and check for holes or webbing.

Shoes, bags and accessories

Sandals and trainers: clean them, let them dry fully and stuff them with paper so they keep their shape. Our guide to cleaning white trainers has the method.
Straw hats and bags: store them where they will not be crushed.
Sunglasses: keep them in their case.

Label everything

A simple list on each box saves digging in March. Write down what is inside, or take a photo of the contents before you close it.

Sell what you are not keeping

The pass-on pile is worth more listed than in a bin bag. Autumn is a quieter time for summer clothes, so you have two choices: price them a little lower and sell now, or keep them clean and list them in early spring, when buyers start looking again. Our guide to clearing your wardrobe this autumn covers what to sell now and how to price it.

On Rewear, listing is free and there is no selling fee, so what you agree with the buyer is what you are paid.

When spring comes

Unpack on a dry day, give everything a shake and hang it up for a few hours. Anything that smells a little stale usually freshens up with airing or a quick wash. Then do the same swap the other way, and store your winter knitwear clean and folded, as our guide to washing and storing knitwear explains.

The short version

Sort, repair, wash, dry completely, then fold into breathable storage somewhere cool, dry and dark. Keep linen and silk out of vacuum bags, check for moths once or twice, and sell what you did not wear rather than storing it for another year.

Find your next piece

Second-hand clothing from sellers across the UK, with measurements in cm where sellers add them and buyer protection at checkout.

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