How to Pack and Store Summer Dresses
Summer dresses are often made from lighter, more delicate fabrics, so it’s important to look after them well. Here’s six pointers to ensure those lovely summer dresses are still lovely next year.
1: Clean and dry
Tip one is almost an instruction, always to be followed whatever your preferred way of packing. Our mantra for packing is clean and dry. (Here’s why: The science to storing dry.)
Pay special attention to linen items which generally retain more water than other items.
If something is stained now, and the stain can’t be removed, it won’t get better/fade with time. It may be time to say goodbye to that item.
This applies as much to where you’re planning to store as to the clothes themselves: always store in a cool, clean, dry place.
2: Ironing
Ironing (unless you go crazy with the steam function) will dry out your clothes and help save space when packing. It also increases the chances of the item being ready to wear as you unpack next year.
Let clothes hang/air for a short while after ironing to dry out and to avoid extra creases.
3: Don’t pack it!
Don’t pack it away if:
- it’s too small or badly fitting
- it’s badly stained
- you haven’t worn it all season because you don’t like it
- you don’t feel good in it
- it hasn’t been repaired (yet)
Gift, sell, recycle – you don’t need it in your life, or taking up valuable space.
4: Ditch the plastic
Plastic dry cleaning type plastic covers are great for short-term keeping things dust free. Hung up short term in a wardrobe, they can breathe to some extent. But folded/packed away, moisture can’t escape and may lead to mould). Plastic can also disintegrate and bond. Fabric garment bags are better for your clothes.
5: Use a clean box, and tissue or packing paper
Packing boxes should be sturdy and, importantly, clean and dry. Lining the box with tissue or packing paper can add an extra degree of protection for clothes.
Especially with more delicate fabrics, folding with clean white tissue paper or packing paper will help prevent lines and damage.
There is a great selection of cost-effective packing materials available at easyStorageBoxes.com.
6: Choose how to pack
- Packing hanging: If you are lucky enough to have a second wardrobe for out of season clothes, or have a box wardrobe for storage, packing hanging can be a great solution. A few considerations include:
- Covering with fabric clothes bags, cotton sheets or pillowcases will allow air in but keep dust and dirt out.
- Make sure that clothes are hanging on hangers of the right shape and size, and that the inner hanging loops are used to keep clothes in the right shape. Summer is a while away, which is plenty of time for our favourite dresses to become misshapen.
- Folding clothes: Folded clothes may end up with fold lines when other things are placed on top, so do try and use tissue or packing paper unless you want an ironing marathon when you unpack next summer.
- Rolling clothes: in reality we often end up with a mix of folded and rolled clothes to make the most of space, but some packers prefer to always roll to avoid creases. Take care – sequins, beads, hooks and buttons can catch when things are rolled, so this works best for simpler items like light jersey dresses. Don’t forget the tissue paper or packing paper.
- Bundle wrapping: A big trend right now, wrapping in a bundle keeps material straight, not folded, and wrinkle free. Here we’re discussing summer clothes being stored, so this proviso may be less of an issue, but bundle wrapping means everything has to be unwrapped at the same time. You will not be able to easily access individual items. You should still put tissue paper between layers to prevent fabric catches.