It's officially spring and it’s time to put the seasonal clothes away. With these kinds of drastic changes, many struggle to manage the disarray of bulky items and figure out how to make room for more weather-appropriate sandals and shorts. 

When you properly pack away your winter clothes, you make sure they don’t get damaged, lengthen their lifespan, and avoid items going missing between seasons. Read on to find some of our favorite tips for properly storing your out-of-season wardrobe.

•  Wash before storing: Bulky coats and wool blankets aren’t items you typically wash after every use, so it’s easy to think you could just store them away as they are. But perfume and sweat can attract insects and discolor your clothes. So first thing, wash your winter clothes before you pack them away.

• Pick a cool, dark place: Avoid cardboard at all costs and choose durable and waterproof storage that’s placed away from direct sunlight and stuffy air. Opaque is better, so you can keep the light out. 

• Vacuum seal for space: If your storage space is limited, you might want to try out vacuum sealing. When you seal your wardrobe with a vacuum, it reduces volume and helps maximize available storage space. As a plus, anything you vacuum seal is protected from dust and moisture, as it provides a protective seal. One downside to consider is some fabrics (like cotton) need air to stay in their original shape, so try not to vacuum seal natural fabrics.