How to Store Bedding

When you need to store anything, from art, to computers, to bedding, it’s important to do it right. Here are the steps we recommend when you need to put away your sheets, blankets, comforters, and so on, for a few months or longer.

When to Store Bedding

If you live in an area with big seasonal changes, you probably use a lot more bedding in the winter than in the summer. It makes sense to put it somewhere you can easily retrieve it in six months, so you can sleep in comfort during the summer months, and know your warmer blankets will be waiting for you once winter rolls around again.

Perhaps you’re already using a self storage unit as an off-season wardrobe, putting your summer clothes away during the winter, and your winter clothes during the summer. If so, then you can swap in much of your bedding when you retrieve your summer wear.

No matter when or why you store your bedding, you will want to look into climate control.

The Importance of Climate Control

You will most likely want to get a unit with climate control. Changing weather can cause severe damage to all sorts of items. Summer’s heat and humidity bring moisture and mold, while winter’s cold, dry weather can sap moisture from items that need a little and cause cracking.

With fabrics like bedding, mold, mildew, and pests are the biggest concerns. Climate control provides the best protection against these.

Wash Your Sheets

Another thing you should be aware of is how important it is to store your bedding clean. Dirt, sweat, and food particles will begin to stink over time, and the longer they’re left in, the greater chance they’ll permanently stain your bedding.

Start with your sheets and pillowcases. Set your washing machine to delicate cycle, and cold. The idea here is to protect the material. Hot water will cause subtle damage to the fibers. While your sheets and pillowcases would probably be fine after one, or a few, hot washes, over time they’ll take more and more damage and even shrink. Simply get in the habit of washing them in cold water on delicate cycle and they’ll last much longer. Also, use a light amount of detergent. The delicate cycle will wash your sheets slowly and thoroughly, and not a lot of detergent is needed. Besides, soap residue can stiffen your bedding.

Get The Rest Dry Cleaned

Yes, it is possible to wash your blankets, comforters, and pillows at home or at the laundromat, but it is cumbersome and it takes them forever to dry. Knowing your bedding is dry is important, because you don’t want to put them in storage damp. Even though we recommend using climate controlled storage, if you put away your blankets with them slightly damp anywhere, that can still allow mold to grow.

We recommend that instead, you bring that bedding to a dry cleaner and have them take care of it.

Storage

Good climate control will do most of the work, keeping your bedding in good condition, but you can go further to ensure the safety of your items.

Once you’ve washed your sheets and pillowcases and had all your heavier items dry cleaned, it’s time to prepare them for storage.

One option is vacuum bags, which can be great. Fill one with bedding and seal it. Next, attach it to your vacuum cleaner and suck out the excess air. This reduces the amount of room needed to store your bedding, and it creates an air-tight seal that keeps out pests, mildew, and mold. When you retrieve them later and open the bag, the bedding will fluff back up. If you’re concerned about moths and other insects in your area, consider getting a cedar chest or two for your bedding. Fold your bedding, put it gently into the chests, and take them to your climate controlled storage unit. You can also lightly sand the inside of the chests before putting your bedding inside, which will help release enough cedar oil to keep pests away. Another good option is cotton or canvas bedding bags, which will allow your sheets and blankets to breathe.

You can also combine these methods. For example, put the vacuum bags, or the bedding bags, into the cedar chests.

There you have it, the most important information for storing your bedding. Have an enjoyable, warm summer, knowing that your additional blankets and more will be ready for you when winter comes around.