If you have a large family, you probably have a lot of winter bedding to put away once the weather turns warm. Since some comforters are expensive and handmade quilts may have sentimental value, you'll want to store the bedding carefully so it makes it until next season without damage. If your home is short on space, consider renting a unit in a self-storage facility for your seasonal items. Here are some tips for storing comforters, quilts, and other types of winter bedding.

Consider a Climate-Controlled Unit

A climate-controlled unit isn't always a necessity, but the humidity is kept within a more desirable range, which is beneficial for fabric items you want to protect. Too much humidity can lead to mold and mildew that ruin your expensive comforters. Climate-controlled units not only hold the temperature in a safe range, but they also keep the inside of the unit a little drier, and that may prevent mildew and musty odors.

Store Clean and Dry Bedding

Since the bedding will be in storage for months, you want the comforters, blankets, and sheets to be clean. This is especially important for bedding that might have food stains or crumbs since those can attract bugs. Plus, the stains may be difficult to remove next season.

Besides being clean, the bedding should be completely dry or the fabric will probably mildew in storage. Take care when you transfer your belongings to the storage unit that they don't get wet from rain or spills.

Store Them in Breathable Bags

The ideal storage solution for comforters and quilts is to store them so they have plenty of air circulation. You can store sheets and some blankets in vacuum bags, but fluffy down comforters and other more fragile quilts and blankets should be stored fluffed up and so they can get air.

You can buy cotton storage bags, and you can even use cotton sheets as a bag. Putting them in a bag or sheet keeps dust off of the fabric and also helps keep bugs away. Most importantly, cotton is a breathable material, unlike plastic that could trap moisture and lead to mildew.

Provide Plenty of Room

It's helpful to put storage shelves, such as wire shelving, in your storage unit. This allows you to store winter bedding and clothing off of the floor so it isn't close to dampness. Plus, shelves allow you to store down comforters without having any weight on top of them to crush the feathers. The bedding will also have more air circulation when compared to being stored in a box or plastic tote.

Taking care to store your quality bedding carefully is worth the effort because when you can take your things out of storage next season they're ready to use. Just be mindful of other things you put in the same storage unit as the bedding because dirty tools, damp belongings, or equipment with strong odors could affect the bedding you carefully prepared for storage.

If you have seasonal bedding to store, contact self-storage companies such as Eastside Self Storage and RV Park to learn more.