What do you need to know about storing bedding, blankets, towels, and anything else from your linen closet? Whether you are dramatically downsizing, you have seasonal linens, or you just have too much to securely store at home, take a look at the do's and don'ts of self-storage.

Do Clean and Dry Everything Before You Pack

Food particles left behind on a well-used quilt can attract pests to a storage rental and damp towels can cause mold to grow in a self-storage facility. Clean all bed or linen items (according to the manufacturer's directions) before you pack for storage. 

Make sure everything is completely dry before you fold it, box it up, or place it in a bag. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) notes that mold can grow on a damp surface in as little as 24 to 48 hours. Failure to completely dry bed linens, towels, quilts, or other fabric items could leave them, and your storage unit, open to mold growth almost immediately after you move everything in. Not only can mold ruin these items, but it can also make your rental unit smell musty and cause indoor air issues.

Don't Try To Fit Everything Into One Box

Unless you only have a few towels or a sheet set to store, spread the linens out over a few different boxes, bins, or bags. Even though folded or rolled linens can fit into smaller spaces, you don't want to crumple or ball these potentially delicate items. While a crumpled set of sheets won't cause a problem in storage, it will add time to the unpacking process. If you don't want to wash, dry, and iron everything after you move it out of your self-storage unit, make folding and spacing into packing priorities.

Do Use Clear Plastic Bins

Cardboard boxes are often free and garbage bags typically won't cost much. But these containers won't let you see inside. Save time locating linens in storage with clear plastic bins. These bins have a window on all four sides that allows you to tell the difference between a container filled with Christmas-time hand towels and one that holds your child's spring season bed linens. 

Don't Forget About the Labels

Even though clear plastic bins let you see what's inside, labels are still necessary packing supplies. Instead of including the category of what's inside (such as seasonal towels or bedroom linens), get descriptive and create a specific label. Write the category, room, season/holiday (if applicable), and the number of items inside of the container. 

Check out local self-storage facilities to learn more.