Winter Storage Tips: Organize Your Seasonal Gear, Hats, and Accessories

Did you have a fun winter? Chances are, you used a lot of seasonal gear and accessories like hats, scarves, and gloves—not to mention your holiday decorations!

It can be challenging to secure these items until they’re ready for use next year. After all, some are susceptible to mold and other risks the next season brings. Let’s discuss some key winter storage tips to help keep your valuables safe for the following winter.

General Winter Storage Principles

Here’s how to store winter clothes and accessories as you prepare for spring.

Declutter first. Duplicates, ill-fitting pieces, damaged garments—consider discarding or donating them and only keeping your favorites. In doing so, your stuff will occupy less space.
Choose the right storage. Clear, labeled bins keep items safe from the elements, especially if you plan to store them in humid spots like attics, basements, or garages.
Clean and dry everything. Wash and dry your clothes thoroughly before storage to remove damage-causing dirt and microbes. Products like silica gel and DampRid also help prevent mold growth.

Storing Winter Accessories

Knowing how to store gloves and scarves properly will help preserve these winter must-haves for the years to come.

Use over-the-door organizers. Over-the-door organizers feature small pockets or shelves that perfectly fit gloves, hats, and scarves. They’re also perfect for rentals since you don’t have to nail them down!
Use individual bins or baskets. Avoid the hassle of digging into family boxes to find your belongings. Instead, utilize small bins or baskets and assign one for each family member.
Hang gloves and hats with hooks and clips. Hanging gloves and hats in hooks attached to your entryway is a convenient way to keep them within easy reach.

Store accessories in coat pockets. Do you have coats with matching gloves, scarves, and hats? Consider storing them in coat pockets to keep sets together.
Use a dedicated drawer or shelf. Finally, keep your hats, gloves, and scarves inside a dresser or shelf, with dividers to organize the setup.

Organizing Seasonal Outdoor Gear

It’s just as essential to keep your valuable sports and outdoor equipment safe so that you can keep using them next year and beyond. Here are a few tips.

For camping and sports equipment: Consider storing winter-specific equipment in bins categorized by activity or season. Meanwhile, large items like backpacks, ropes, and snowboards are best hung on hooks.
For patio furniture: Clean seats and tables, then cover them to protect them from seasonal weather. If your chairs are stackable, consider storing them this way in a corner or room.
For bikes and large equipment: Ceilings and walls are often underused storage opportunities. So, use ceiling racks or wall hooks to hang seasonal gear and save valuable floor space.
For tools and garden equipment: To make finding your shovels, rakes, and shears easier during garden duties, stow them in hooks and shelves in your shed or garage.

Holiday and Seasonal Decor Storage

Done with your holiday decorations? Practice these winter storage tips to keep them in good condition when you need to use them again.

For ornament containers: Ornaments are notoriously fragile, so keep them in divided cushioned boxes to prevent breakage. Then, label each box accordingly for easier retrieval.
For wreaths and garlands: Wreaths and garlands have specialized bags to maintain their shape and prevent bending or damage.
For string lights: If you’re having trouble rolling string lights, try wrapping them around cardboard or spool to prevent tangling.
For inflatables and large displays: After deflating your pop-up Santa and reindeer, wash and dry them thoroughly before storing them in waterproof containers for next year.

Creative Storage Solutions for Small Spaces

Don’t let your limited space affect your winter clothes storage practices. Let’s talk about solutions that are perfect for small living areas.

Under-bed storage: Is your bed elevated? Don’t miss out on this prime real estate—store bins and boxes underneath to leverage it.
Vertical storage: Shelves and stackable bins maximize storage by taking advantage of your vertical space, especially if you have high ceilings.
Hidden storage: Check your local furniture store; some bed frames, ottomans, and couches have hidden compartments to keep winter gear out of sight.
DIY solutions: Repurpose old organizers instead of throwing them away. For example, you could use over-the-door shoe organizers as accessory pouches and hanging baskets for sports equipment.

Tips for Staying Organized Year-Round

Securing your belongings shouldn’t be a seasonal thing. It’s a continuous process that pays off in the long run as you keep valuables in good condition for longer. Here are some tips.

Do a seasonal swap. Rotate clothes and gear in and out of storage depending on the season. For instance, when winter is over, you can stow your snowboarding gear in a shed while you bring out your gardening tools.
Label everything. It’s taxing to go through every box to find a single piece of clothing, so label each bin with clear, concise labels. Try using QR codes to create a digital inventory!
Dry items before storage. Remember to dry your wet clothes thoroughly on a rack before storing them to prevent mold growth, which will damage your valuables over time.
Perform routine checks. Don’t just put away your winter clothes and forget about them. Periodically inspect each storage to check for pests or moisture problems.

Avoiding Common Mistakes

Now that you’re familiar with how to store winter clothes and decor effectively, let’s discuss some practices that could undermine your efforts.

Concentrated woman carrying stack of cardboard boxes for relocation

Neglecting to clean gear: Dirt and moisture cause mold and microbial growth, gradually eating away at your belongings. So, clean your items thoroughly before storage.
Using cardboard boxes. While cardboard boxes are common storage solutions, they’re prone to damage from pests and moisture. Consider using more rigid and waterproof plastic bins instead.
Overcrowding storage areas: Overstuffed spaces make it difficult to find specific items. Even worse, they limit ventilation, encouraging mold growth and inviting pests. So, space out your bins to avoid overcrowding.

Keep Your Winter Clothes and Gear Secure with Storage King USA

Following our winter storage tips will help preserve your belongings for the following seasons, reducing the stress of digging through boxes or replacing damaged items. We’d love to hear your own storage tips—feel free to share them with us!

Would you rather skip the hassle of organization and storage? Let Storage King USA take care of it for you. Our secure, climate-controlled self-storage units will keep your winter clothes and equipment in good condition for longer. Each unit has industry-leading safety features, making storage simple and hassle-free.