How to Pack Clothes and Linens for Storage in NH

Early November is when a lot of New Hampshire closets hit their limit. The shorts and beach towels are done for the year, the wool sweaters and flannel sheets are coming out, and if you are in the middle of a move or a renovation in Concord or Manchester, half your wardrobe may need a temporary home. Fabric is easy to pack and easy to ruin. A little care up front means you open your bins in spring to clean, fresh-smelling clothes instead of yellowed shirts, musty sheets, or a sweater with holes in it.

Start With Clean, Completely Dry Fabric

Almost every storage problem with clothing traces back to what went into the bin. Body oils, deodorant, food spots, and perfume that you cannot see in November turn into yellow stains and odors by April, and they attract moths and other pests. Damp fabric is worse: it grows mildew fast in a closed space.

• Wash or dry-clean everything before it goes into storage, even items you only wore once.
• Skip fabric softener and starch on stored items. Both leave residue that can attract pests and stiffen fibers over time.
• Let laundry air out for a day after the dryer. Thick towels, quilts, and comforters often hold moisture in the middle even when the outside feels dry.
• Empty every pocket and close zippers and buttons so garments hold their shape and nothing snags.

Choose the Right Containers for Each Fabric

Not every piece of fabric wants the same packaging. Matching the container to the item keeps things fresh without crushing or trapping moisture. Work through it in this order:

1. Everyday clothes and linens go in lidded plastic totes. Sealed totes keep out dust, moisture, and rodents better than cardboard. Line them with a clean cotton sheet or acid-free tissue so fabric is not pressed directly against plastic.
2. Suits, dresses, and coats go in wardrobe boxes. A tall wardrobe box with a hanging bar keeps structured pieces from creasing. Use breathable cotton garment bags, not the thin plastic bags from the dry cleaner, which trap humidity.
3. Wool and cashmere get extra protection. Fold sweaters rather than hanging them so they do not stretch, and tuck in cedar blocks or lavender sachets as a deterrent. Keep cedar from touching fabric directly, since its oils can stain.
4. Bulky bedding gets compressed carefully. Vacuum-seal bags save a lot of room for synthetic comforters, pillows, and spare blankets. Skip them for down, wool, and leather, which need some air to keep their loft and shape.

Rolling t-shirts, jeans, and casual knits fits more into each tote and leaves fewer hard creases. Fold heavier items like sweaters and table linens loosely, and put the heaviest pieces on the bottom so lighter fabric is not crushed. Wrap heirloom quilts, christening gowns, or wedding dresses in acid-free tissue and give them their own box. Then label every bin on two sides with what is inside and whose it is, such as “Kids winter, sizes 8-10” or “Guest room sheets, queen.” Our guide to labeling boxes for portable storage has a simple system that works well with clothing.

Loading Fabric Into a Portable Container

Once your bins are packed, how you load them matters. Keep totes of clothing off the floor on a pallet or a couple of 2x4s, and stack them away from the walls so air can move around them. Put the items you will want first, like holiday outfits, snow gear, or the spare flannel sheets for guests, near the doors. Toss a few moisture absorbers in among the bins, and never store fabric next to anything that can leak, such as paint, cleaners, or propane. Our posts on winterizing a storage container and keeping pests out cover the rest of a cold-weather setup. Most households storing a season of clothes and linens alongside some furniture find an 8ft MI-BOX plenty, while a 16ft or 20ft container makes sense when clothing is part of a full move or a whole-house renovation.

Common Mistakes With Stored Clothing

• Packing anything slightly damp. One damp towel can raise the humidity in a sealed tote enough to spread mildew to everything around it.
• Using garbage bags or dry-cleaner plastic. They trap moisture, tear easily, and get mistaken for trash during a move.
• Overstuffing bins. Jamming fabric in crushes fibers, sets deep wrinkles, and makes lids pop loose. Leave a little room at the top.
• Forgetting to check in. If clothing will be stored for several months, open a bin or two partway through to make sure everything still smells fresh and dry.

Unpacking Fresh in the Spring

When it is time to swap seasons again, open bins somewhere dry, shake out each piece, and give clothes and linens a day to air out before they go back into drawers. Anything with a stale smell usually just needs a wash. If you packed clean, dry fabric in the right containers and kept it off the floor, that is about all the work there is. Whether you are clearing a closet for the holidays or packing a whole house, our moving and storage containers let you do it from your own driveway, and MI-BOX can pick the container up whenever you are ready.

Local NH Cities We Deliver To

We deliver portable storage containers across Central, Southern, and Western New Hampshire. Most-requested cities: Manchester, Concord, Nashua, Milford, Laconia, and Keene. Don’t see your town? We probably deliver there too, get a quote.