How to Store Clothes Long Term Without Moths, Mould or Creases
Clothes are ruined in storage by three things: moths, damp and their own weight. All three are avoidable, and most of the work is in the preparation rather than the storing. This guide covers a winter wardrobe going away for six months and a whole wardrobe going away for a year or two abroad, because the method is the same; only the amount of care per item changes.
Key takeaways
- Wash or dry-clean everything and let it dry completely. Moth larvae eat the food and sweat traces in worn clothes; damp fabric goes mouldy in a sealed box.
- Fold knitwear and most things; hang only coats, suits and structured dresses, on proper hangers in cotton garment bags.
- Use rigid lidded boxes or cotton bags. Vacuum bags are for short spells and synthetics only, never for wool, silk or down.
- Cedar or lavender, refreshed every six months, does the job of mothballs without the smell.
- Cool, dark and dry: a spare room, not the loft or garage. Check the boxes every few months and refold once a year.
Decide what actually goes into storage
Storage is the moment to be honest. Anything you have not worn in two years, anything that no longer fits, and anything already damaged is not going to be more welcome in a year. Sort into keep, sell or donate, and repair before storing, not after: a loose button or small hole gets worse in a box.
If you are storing a season (winter coats and jumpers over summer, or the other way round) the pile is a few boxes. If you are storing a whole wardrobe while you travel, work abroad or live somewhere smaller, you may want a hanging rail’s worth as well as boxes. Both are covered below.
How to store clothes long term, step by step
- 1
Wash or dry-clean everything, even if it looks clean
Moths and carpet beetles are attracted to sweat, skin oils and food traces, not the fabric. Clean clothes are far less likely to be attacked. Skip fabric conditioner and starch, which leave residues that attract insects, and remove the dry-cleaner’s plastic as soon as items come home. - 2
Dry completely, then leave it another day
Slightly damp seams and waistbands are how mould starts in a sealed box. Tumble-dry or air-dry, then leave items laid out or hanging in a warm room for 24 hours before packing. - 3
Sort by season, then by owner
You will want the winter box back before the summer one, and one person’s clothes before another’s. Sorting now means you open one box later rather than six. Label each box on two sides with the contents and the date. - 4
Fold most things, hang a few
Fold knitwear, t-shirts, jeans, and anything that would stretch on a hanger. Fold loosely along seams rather than in tight squares, and put a sheet of acid-free tissue between layers of anything delicate. Hang coats, suits, blazers and structured dresses on wide wooden or padded hangers, in breathable cotton garment bags, never in dry-cleaner plastic. - 5
Choose the right container
Rigid, lidded plastic boxes (polypropylene, the cloudy kind) keep out dust, insects and damp and stack safely. Line them with a cotton sheet or tissue so fabric is not against plastic. Cardboard boxes are fine for a season in a dry room but absorb moisture and attract silverfish over longer periods. Cotton storage bags suit anything that needs to breathe. - 6
Add moth protection
Cedar blocks, cedar hangers or lavender sachets in every box and bag. Both lose their strength after about six months, so sand the cedar or swap the lavender when you check the boxes. Naphthalene mothballs have been banned from sale in the UK and EU since 2008 and leave a smell that takes weeks to lift; there is no reason to use them. - 7
Store cool, dark and dry, and check every few months
A spare room, an internal cupboard or a dry warehouse. Not the loft, garage or shed, where the temperature swings and the damp gets in. Open a couple of boxes every three months to check for damp or insects, and once a year refold everything so the creases do not set.
Fold or hang? Box or bag? By fabric
The material decides most of it. Knits stretch when hung; tailoring creases when folded; leather cracks in plastic; down never recovers from a vacuum bag.
| Item | Fold or hang | Best container | Avoid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wool, cashmere, knitwear | Fold | Lidded box, tissue between layers, cedar | Never hang: it stretches. Never vacuum-pack. |
| Cotton, linen, denim | Fold | Box or cotton bag; vacuum bag for short spells | Linen creases hard; roll it loosely instead of folding |
| Silk and delicate fabrics | Fold with tissue | Acid-free tissue, breathable box | Keep out of light; no plastic touching the fabric |
| Coats, suits, dresses | Hang | Wide padded or wooden hangers, cotton garment bag | Not dry-cleaner plastic: it traps moisture and yellows |
| Down and padded jackets | Hang or fold loosely | Breathable bag, uncompressed | Compression flattens the down for good |
| Leather and suede | Hang or fold with tissue | Cotton bag, conditioned first | No plastic; it dries and cracks. Stuff bags and boots |
| Shoes and boots | Boxed | Original box or clear box, stuffed with tissue | Clean soles; cedar shoe trees for leather |
A word on vacuum storage bags
They are tempting because they turn a wardrobe into a suitcase. For a few months, and for synthetics, cotton, towels and duvets, they are fine. For long-term storage they cause three problems. The compression flattens natural fibres, so wool and down come out thin and never fully recover. Creases are pressed in under vacuum and set. And the airtight seal traps any moisture left in the fabric, which cannot escape for the whole storage period.
If you use them, stick to synthetics and bedding, pack everything bone dry, and expect to iron. For anything you care about, a box is the better trade.
Out of wardrobe space? We collect your boxes, store them and deliver them back
Storing winter clothes over summer
The most common case, and the one where a bit of effort in April saves an evening of despair in October.
- Coats: clean, empty the pockets, do up the buttons or zip so the front hangs straight, and hang in a cotton garment bag on a wide hanger. Down jackets uncompressed.
- Knitwear: washed, folded with tissue, boxed with cedar. This is where moths do their worst, so do not skip the cleaning.
- Boots: clean the soles, condition leather, stuff with tissue or boot shapers so the shafts do not fold over, and box upright.
- Scarves, gloves, hats: washed and in one clearly labelled box, or you will buy new ones in November and find these in March.
Wedding dresses, heirlooms and anything you cannot replace
These want a different standard. Have the item professionally cleaned, then store it folded with acid-free tissue in every fold, in an acid-free archival box (ordinary cardboard and coloured tissue both leach acid and yellow the fabric over years). Do not hang a wedding dress long term; the weight of the skirt pulls the bodice out of shape. Keep the box flat, dark and cool, and open it once a year to refold along different lines. Some specialist cleaners offer this as a boxing service.
Things that do not store well
Elastic, rubber and foam degrade over two to three years whatever you do: sportswear, swimwear, bra straps and trainer soles. Store them if you must, but do not expect them to be as they were. Anything heavily beaded or sequinned wants to be folded with tissue, not hung, and kept flat.
Do
- Wash, dry, then dry some more before packing
- Fold knits, hang tailoring, tissue between delicates
- Lidded boxes or cotton bags, labelled twice
- Cedar or lavender, refreshed every six months
Don’t
- Store anything worn once since its last wash
- Leave clothes in dry-cleaner plastic
- Vacuum-pack wool, silk, down or tailoring
- Use the loft, garage or a damp basement
No space for the boxes? Store them with collection
In a London flat the limiting factor is rarely the method, it is where the eight boxes and the rail of coats go. Stackt collects them from your door, stores them in a dry London warehouse and delivers them back when the season turns or you come home. Every box is photographed and listed in your account, so when you want the winter coats and nothing else, you pick that box and we deliver just that.
Storing furniture and appliances too? Read the furniture storage guide. Every plan and term is on the pricing page.
Storing clothes long term: your questions
What is the best way to store clothes long term?
Clean and completely dry, folded with acid-free tissue in rigid lidded boxes or breathable cotton bags, in a cool, dark, dry room. Hang only structured items such as coats and suits, in breathable garment bags. Add cedar or lavender against moths and check the boxes every few months.
Are vacuum storage bags bad for clothes?
For a few months and for synthetics, cotton and bedding they are fine. For anything longer, or for wool, cashmere, silk, down and structured tailoring, avoid them: the compression flattens fibres and fillings, creases set permanently, and the airtight seal traps whatever moisture is left in the fabric. Boxes take more space but the clothes come out wearable.
How do I keep moths out of stored clothes?
Wash or dry-clean everything first, because moth larvae feed on the sweat and food traces in worn clothes, not the wool itself. Store in sealed containers rather than open wardrobes, add cedar blocks or lavender sachets and refresh them every six months, and check knitwear for small holes and webbing when you inspect the boxes.
Can I store clothes in plastic boxes?
Yes, rigid polypropylene boxes with lids are the best everyday option: they keep out dust, damp and insects and stack well. Make sure the clothes are bone dry going in, line the box with a cotton sheet or acid-free tissue so fabric is not against the plastic, and do not tape the lid airtight; a little air movement is better than none.
How long can clothes stay in storage?
Stored clean, dry and dark, everyday clothes are fine for years. Elastic and anything with rubber or foam (bra straps, sportswear, some trainers) degrade over two to three years regardless. Refold items every year or so, so the creases do not set along the same lines.
Can I put clothes into storage with Stackt?
Yes. Pack them into boxes or suitcases, or let our team pack for you, and we collect from your door, store in our London warehouse and deliver back when you want them. Boxes are priced per item per week, and a wardrobe-sized plan covers hanging items; both are on the pricing page.
