How to Store Sweaters: 11 Expert Tips (With Pictures)

Sweaters are comfortable, convenient, and warm. They’re the ideal fall fashion item, but because they are bulky and can be heavy, they’re not always the easiest to store. Whether you are looking for a convenient method to store sweaters so that you can easily access them, or you want a semi-permanent storage solution until next season, there are some ways that you can maximize your storage space while still protecting your favorite sweaters.

Below are 11 tips on how to store sweaters, including whether it is best to fold or hang them, and some storage solution ideas that can really help you bring some order to your collection.

The 11 Tips How to Store Sweaters

1. Donate or Sell

Every list of storage tips starts with encouragement to have a sort-out, and this is no different. Sweaters tend to be seasonal, and it is very easy to forget exactly what is in your collection before buying more. It also means that what was popular last season might not be popular this season. Use this opportunity to go through the sweater collection. Be honest and take out any that you realistically won’t wear.

You can either sell them or donate them to charity and thrift stores. It could make you a few dollars while making room in your closet.

2. Don’t Hang Them Up

When it comes to storing sweaters, whether short-term or long-term, the general consensus is that it is better to fold them than to hang them. Hanging a sweater typically leads to it losing its shape and stretching from the shoulder and arms. Folding takes up less space and allows you to use less space.

3. If You Do Hang Them, Use Proper Hangers

If you do need to hang your sweaters, for whatever reason, ensure that you use the right hangers. Bulky wooden hangers, and those with padded shoulders, are your best bet and they will help retain the shape of the sweater much better than that thin plastic ones and certainly better than metal hangers. Once you have the right hangers, you can also learn to fold sweaters over the hanger. You still get to hang them up, taking up less drawer space, but the sweaters will retain their shape and are less likely to get damaged.

4. Roll Bulky Sweaters

Really bulky sweaters are the most likely to lose their shape on a hanger and are also the ones that take up the most space in drawers and other storage areas when folded. You can roll sweaters. This packs them down so that they don’t take up as much room, so you can fit more into your under-bed storage drawers.

5. Organize by Color

If you’re looking for short-term storage tips, it is likely that you have more sweaters than you do sweater space. And one of the problems that this causes is that whenever you grab a sweater out of the closet, you end up pulling all the others out at the same time. It causes a mess and leaves your sweaters bunched up. The problem is even worse if you have to dig around to look for the sweaters you want.

Organization is key, and organizing by color is your best option. It makes finding the sweater you’re looking for easier and it looks better and more inviting when you view the closet shelves.

6. Use Clear Storage Drawers

If you’re looking to free up space in your closet or store sweaters until next season, consider using clear storage drawers or stacked clear storage boxes. These allow you to see what is inside, so you don’t have to root through every box to find one sweater. And if you’re storing your full fall wardrobe until next year, you can easily see what is in each box at a glance.

7. Under the Bed

Storing sweaters under the bed doesn’t mean throwing them under in a ball. Some beds have storage drawers built in, but if yours doesn’t, you can buy under-bed storage drawers that will do the same job. These tend to have wheels so they are easy to move, and you can find under-bed drawers that have separators and dividers, making it really easy to create an order collection.

8. Closet Shelf Dividers

Storing sweaters on the closet shelf is convenient and it grants you easy access to them, but it can be messy if you have a lot of sweaters. The piles you create can become structurally unstable especially if you pull a sweater out from halfway down the pile. Use shelf dividers and place them between each pile of sweaters. This way, when you pull one out, even if the pile attempts to topple, it won’t take other piles with it, and it can be easily restored.

9. Hanging Organizer

Hanging organizers can be hung over the back of bedroom and other doors, or they can be hung over closet doors. Some have pockets that can hold rolled sweaters and some have fabric shelves, upon which you can store one or two sweaters each. They’re inexpensive, convenient, and they allow you to elicit a degree of control over your storage.

10. Vacuum Bags

If you won’t be wearing sweaters until next season, you can store them out of the way. Vacuum bags let you put clothing like sweaters inside, and then use the vacuum nozzle to suck the air out. You’ll be surprised at just how much space you can save by sucking the air out of a pile of sweaters. Once they’re in the bag, it should be both airtight and watertight, but it is still a good idea to store the bag somewhere dry and not too cold.

11. Use Silica Gel

If you do have store sweaters in a box or other container that isn’t airtight, get hold of some silica gel packets. The packets are made of paper and they contain silica gel, which is a constituent part of sand and absorbs water. If moisture gets in your box, the packets will absorb the moisture so that your sweaters don’t, therefore preventing moisture damage and mold.

Conclusion

Sweaters are a staple in the fall wardrobe because they’re warm and convenient. They’re easy to slip on and can be matched with other warm clothes like jeans. They’re also quite bulky and can be difficult to store, especially if closet space is limited or if you’re looking to store a wardrobe full of sweaters during the summer.

Using the tips above, you should be able to free up some closet space, safely store sweaters so they don’t become damaged, and still be able to find them when you need them again.

Featured Image Credit: White bear studio, Shutterstock