Saving Time and Money While Moving: Tips From a Mum

Clothing can seem like one of the easier parts of your household to pack, but if you are looking to preserve vintage clothing for a long move or time in storage, it's important to be careful about how your pack your pieces.

Wash pieces

Before you put pieces into storage, make sure they are cleaned. Pieces of dust or sweat can degrade fabric over time in storage.

Layer the pieces to protect tearing

Many vintage clothes are delicate, due to hand stitching, custom features, delicate beading and buttons, not to mention the effects of years of wear. For natural fabrics such as cottons and linens use an unbuffered paper between the layers, and try layering rather than hanging to prevent unnecessary stresses on the fabric. Normal tissue paper is slightly acidic and can cause damage over time.

Pest proof the boxes

Natural fabrics are tasty snack foods for pests such as rats and mice, as well as insects. Paper boxes are equally tasty to pests, so it's important that after the clothing has been wrapped,  it should be surrounded in plastic wrap. Some packing boxes have plastic coating on the inside, which provides protection from pests as well as keeping out water ingress. It's much easier to provide a solid barrier to pests rather than trying to use chemical barriers such as mothballs, which can leave a nasty residual odour in the fabric and may not be fully effective.

Keep it dry and in the dark

If you have valuable vintage clothing, you need to ensure it stays stored in dark and dry conditions. Natural fabric is vulnerable to mildew if it stays in warm and wet conditions. Sunlight can also cause yellowing in cottons, linens and silks. A secure and plastic lined box will keep out light and water, but you may also want to look at temperature controlled moving conditions if you'll be storing your valuable vintage clothing for a long period.

Vintage clothing, where possible, benefits from regular airing out. If that's not an excuse to take Grandma's 1950's party dresses out for a spin now and then, we don't know what is!

With careful storage your vintage clothing can be in great conditions for years to come, bringing joy to you and people you love. Why not look for a premium plastic lined storage boxes to ensure your clothes come out looking as great as they looked when packed.

For more information on packing boxes, contact a company like MB Traders International.