I’m getting ready for spring weather. Good thing it was snowing when I walked out of the apartment. Oh well, I’m still getting rid of my heavy sweaters. I’ll just layer up on lighter spring apparel until the temperature goes up.
I packed all of the ingredients to make a quesadilla for lunch.
My quesadilla was filled with leftover tofu, cheddar cheese, and 2 pickles. I also had some crunchy blue corn chips on the side.
I decided to take a break from exercise today. I escaped the office for for my lunch hour and walked around the Atrium Mall. I’m hoping one day of rest will mean I’ll have a great weekend of running.
I was starving when I got home from work so I made another quesadilla. This one was really simple. Just cheddar cheese inside and salsa on the top.
Even though it’s going to be a chilly weekend in Boston, I’m still preparing for spring. I’ll be doing some cleaning and getting rid of some winter clothes. I need to send them to my parents’ house for storage. Here’s part of a Divine Caroline article, written by Vicki Santillano, with tips for storing your winter wardrobe.
Four Ways to Keep Winter Clothes Pristine in Storage (link to original article)
“Part of any thorough spring-cleaning regimen should include ridding your closet of stuff you don’t need, and that includes winter clothes. However, that doesn’t mean throwing everything into a box in the basement and hoping for the best. If you want to keep winter clothes in top form for next year, you must abide by the laws of seasonal clothing storage.”
1. Clean everything, including the clothes that look clean.
“Your clothing’s worst enemies in storage are insects. Moth larvae, carpet beetles, and silverfish feed on the natural fabrics in your clothes, causing small holes or shreds. They’re most attracted to clothes that have stains—food, perspiration, and otherwise—so make sure everything that’s fit for storage has been cleaned. Even if you can’t see any stains, it’s possible that lingering oil spots will oxidize and become noticeable (and permanent), so keep that in mind when deciding what needs washing. Take care not to use starch or fabric softener, as they tend to attract insects more.”
2. Find an optimal storage area.
“While attics, basements, and garages are good places to store old toys and books, they’re less than ideal for clothes. Attics get too hot in the spring and summer, basements are too damp, and garages are dusty and prone to insects (your clothes’ worst enemy). The ideal spot for winter storage is a dark, dry, and relatively cool area. Closets work, as do spaces under the bed or even underneath stairwells. Wherever you store the clothes, make sure the area is freshly vacuumed and clean before you put anything there.”
3. Break out the hangers and boxes.
“Keeping clothes insect-free (and therefore damage-free) also requires covering them for the duration of storage. For clothes you’d like to hang, use wooden or plastic hangers and wrap them with clean white pillowcases or sheets so that the hangers don’t make permanent creases. Zip them up in thick plastic or canvas bags. Don’t use dry-cleaning bags; they’re too thin and can promote mold. And, as Joan Crawford would say, “No wire hangers!”
“Delicates, sweaters, and pants should go into plastic, wooden, or cloth boxes with lids. Lay them flat as often as possible to reduce wrinkles. If you put acid-free tissue paper or clean white cotton pillowcases between each article, it will help maintain clothes’ color. Place the heaviest items on the bottom and the lightest on top. If you’re using an airtight plastic bin, consider punching a few tiny holes in the lid to encourage air circulation. If the clothes aren’t able to breathe, they degrade more quickly and can develop mildew in the meantime.”
4. Drop the mothballs and reach for lavender or cedar instead.
“Mothballs and moth crystals are often recommended to avoid infestation, but they also release pesticides that can exacerbate human and pet health—the toxic vapors they release could actually melt the plastic in plastic bags if they’re put in a small enough area. Plus, they smell awful, and that smell’s not going anywhere unless you’re able to air out the clothes outside; dry cleaning won’t erase it.”
“Instead, opt for little pouches of lavender or cedar chips inside the garment racks or storage boxes. The Container Store recommends cedar, saying that its essential oils stave off adult moths and beetles. However, they lose their power after a while, so rub the cedar blocks or chips with sandpaper periodically to release new oils.”
Each year I try to spend my clothing money wisely, buying invest pieces that will last for several seasons. Now that I’ve stepped my shopping up a notch, I need to remember to store my clothes properly. I have too many winter jackets and sweaters that haven’t been dry cleaned in a really long time. Uh oh… 
COMMENTS
20 Comments
1. Kelly
March 26th, 2010 05:19 PM
Very impressive list. I definitely just leave my clothes in my closet- oops!
2. Kim
March 26th, 2010 08:11 PM
Oh my thanks for the great tips on storing out of season clothes. To think that I’ve been doing it all wrong all these years.
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6. Shannon
March 27th, 2010 06:07 AM
Goo tips! We moved last summer so I did a big cleaning out of all of our stuff. And now we’re moving again! I think thats the key to keeping out the clutter!
(By the way…that was a hilarious previous post about the bubbly toilet!)
7. Gabriela @ Une Vie Saine
March 27th, 2010 06:33 AM
Great tips!! I’m horrible at taking care of my clothes in the summer (I usually just put sweaters back in a drawer), so this is helpful!!
8. Lauren @ Eater not a runner
March 27th, 2010 07:20 AM
I’m definitely guilty of throwing my clothes in a box and forgetting about them!
See you in a few
9. Lisa
March 27th, 2010 10:00 AM
Thanks for the tips! I don’t really do ANY of that….so now I know.! Thank you!
10. Melinda
March 27th, 2010 11:01 AM
Our problem here is mold so I use moisture sucking packets in my closet, I think called damp-rid or something because all my shoes and purses and things grow mold. I constantly have to wipe them down. I don’t even have any place to put the clothes in storage so they are out in the closet year round. haha, I said closet, I don’t have any closets in this house, gotta love the Europeans. I have like a wardrobe unit thing.
11. BostonRunner
March 27th, 2010 11:12 AM
The warm weather last week was such a tease! But nonetheless, I plan to clear all the winter clothes out of my dorm room and bring in the spring clothes!
12. Emily
March 27th, 2010 11:16 AM
Thanks for the great tips! Makes me feel like a slacker though.
Great run this morning!
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