When the weather turns cool, it’s time to look forward to unpacking and wearing clothes meant for cooler weather, like cozy sweaters, wool skirts and jackets, and tall boots. But what to do with those summer duds, like t-shirts, shorts, sundresses and sandals? The obvious answer is to stash them in a box or bag until next year. But to keep your clothes in top condition and protected from the elements, there are a few ways to store clothes. First, launder clothes or send them to the cleaners. The last thing you want to do is store dirty clothes, and that includes invisible stains and stink, like deodorant marks or leftover perfume. Food and other stains can attract pests like bugs as well. So be sure to get them spic-and-span before storing. Find good, airtight containers like large Ziploc garment bags or Rubbermaid containers that fit the storage space you have. Collapsible bags and flat, large containers work great under beds, and if you’re lucky enough to have extra closet floor space, then go big with your containers and stack away. Before adding clothes, it helps to line containers with plastic – it’s a great way to recycle grocery bags.

Consider adding mothballs or cedar blocks to keep insects out. Before tossing clean clothes into a bin, do some sorting that will save you a headache come spring. First, toss torn or damaged clothing. Make a pile of outdated or ill-fitting clothing, and donate or swap it with a friend. Pull all your summer accessories, such as belts, jackets, shoes, scarves and other items, and stash them separately. There may be some articles that work well into winter, especially if you live in a mild climate. If you think you might be able to layer items such as camisoles, tshirts and dresses, then leave them out. Now pack clothes with similar articles grouped together – nothing is more frustrating than looking for a particular pair of shorts and having to rifle through a bunch of t-shirts to find them. Now that you’re ready for next spring, enjoy autumn and winter!