The 70-degree weather probably has you digging out your t-shirts and shorts in anticipation of almighty summer. But what about your winter essentials?
Don’t be too quick to store your winter accessories at random. Proper storage is the key to making sure your beloved infinity scarves, gloves, leather boots, and any hat other than a fedora are safe, unwrinkled, and living their best lives.
Long-lasting garments start with proper care, especially the ones that are made to endure the roughest of the seasons. We’ll show you how to store hats, gloves, scarves, and boots the right way. So you can avoid moisture, pilling, bugs — you name it.
Now let’s get to it!
How To Store Hats
Easily clean your hats with a hat brush.
Felt hats are beautiful, yes, but they also need some upkeep. Though you may not be able to see it, especially on darker hats, dirt can cause problems. Heck, even a small amount of water can cause mud stains that are pretty tricky to get out.
That’s why prevention is key. Before you retire your hat for the season, make sure to properly clean it.
Not sure how?
Watch this video by the hat pros at Village Hat Shop:
All you need to do is grab a hat brush and brush away any soil that may be lingering. Be gentle, yet firm, and don’t forget to brush the top too.
How often should you brush your hat?
If you want to avoid stains and increase your hat’s life, brush your hat frequently. And if you’re really serious, invest in this handy felt hat cleaning kit.
DIY a clothespin hat hanger.
Who says you can’t make your hat storage beautiful and functional?
Not us. Nor A Cat of Impossible Colour who made this brilliant clothespin hat hanger that’s a great alternative to the traditional hat box stuffed inside your closet.
Spring, summer, fall, or winter, you’ll appreciate being able to see all your beautiful choices all at once. Like a cake buffet, but for hats.
Just secure a chain or some string from one wall to another, clip safety pins or clothespins onto the line, and attach your hats.
If you’re feeling fancy, put up some string lights alongside your hats. No one will have to know it was all done in the name of storage, not aesthetics.
Free Bonus: Want more creative ways to store your hats, gloves, scarves, sweaters, coats, and more? Check out our list of 12 storage ideas for small spaces.
How To Store Gloves And Scarves
DIY a glove and shoe organizer.
Although it isn’t ideal if you’re in a hurry to stow away your winter accessories, this wooden wall organizer will help maximize the storage space in your entryway or closet. You know, the space where you’re the most likely to rip off your soggy gloves and boots in the winter.
If you’re feeling crafty, this tutorial from Remodelaholic is for you. It takes about half a day to complete, but as long as you have the right tools, and are decent at measuring and cutting wood, you should be good to go.
In addition to working well in your entryway, we think these wooden storage bins would work great in your closet for two simple reasons:
- They’re vertical, so they take up little horizontal space.
- They’re big enough for you to store whatever small items you need to put away, like your gloves, scarves, and earmuffs that you can definitely forget about until winter.
Or store your gloves and scarves in an actual shoe organizer.
Even though shoe organizers can be repurposed in countless ways, we think they’re perfect for storing all your different kinds of gloves and other winter accessories.
Home Decorators has this simple $18 24-pocket over-the-door shoe organizer that goes with any decor:
Hang this on the back of your door and stuff it with beanies, scarves, gloves — you name it.
The best part?
They’ll be out of sight, and therefore out of mind. That is, until you need them.
Make a curtain rod scarf organizer.
Here’s a DIY idea that’s a little less involved than the glove organizer:
Use a curtain rod (one that sticks out quite a ways) for hanging scarves.
If you install it in the back or side of your closet, you’ll have a scarf rack that’s functional and discreet.
Simply fold your scarves in half, feed them through the rod, and then pull the ends through their loops and voila! Neat and orderly scarves that will be waiting for you unwrinkled.
You’ll also never again ask yourself, “Where in the world did I throw that scarf last week?”
Bonus points for color-coding.
How To Store Boots
Soap, salve, and oil up your boots.
Whether you live in the city, out in the country, or anywhere in between, you can be sure about one thing:
Your winter boots will get dirty.
Alright, maybe not folks in Southern California. But boots, especially leather ones, should be cleaned regularly if you want them to last. This is especially important if they’re going to be out of commission for the rest of spring and upcoming summer.
Luckily, catalogue has your back. They made this step-by-step guide that shows you how to best care for your boots. It all starts with a good cleaning kit, and if you don’t have one, invest in something like Otter Wax’s Leather Care Kit.
First, use a damp cloth or brush to work saddle soap into the leather. Then wipe it away completely (make sure to get all excess dirt and salt off!) and let it dry.
Next, use leather salve to hydrate your boots’ leather and add a layer of protection. Be sure to use a cloth for this and work it into the boot until it shines.
Finally, use a brush to smooth over a bit of leather oil, which adds extra shine. Then store your boots on a shelf high away from the daily closet traffic. Or find a special nook where you can store them until at least fall.
How To Effortlessly Store Everything
Use MakeSpace.
Beautiful space is a terrible thing to waste, and so we recommend effortlessly storing your stuff in MakeSpace.
Simply schedule a free pickup, pack your stuff, and leave the rest to us.
We’ll pick up everything (including your snowboard and skis), store it in our secure and temperature-regulated storage facility, and create an online photo catalog so when you need something back, it’s only a few clicks away.
This article was written by Hannah Van Arsdale, a freelance writer and dog person based in Portland, OR.
