What Types Of Clothing Need Climate-Controlled Storage

Has your wardrobe outgrown your closet space? If you can't keep your favorite clothes and footwear at home, take a look at which pieces should go into climate-controlled storage.

Leather Jackets

A leather jacket keeps you warm in the winter and adds a sense of style to whatever you wear under it. Even though this pricey piece may seem like a sturdy staple of your wardrobe, it requires delicate care in storage.

Cold weather can cause excessively dry air. The resulting dryness can make your leather outerwear crack. While a storage unit will protect your clothing from the outdoor elements, if it doesn't have climate controls, the interior temperature can drop to unsafe levels.

Along with cold and dryness controls, a climate-controlled unit can also protect your leather clothing against heat- and humidity-related issues. Even though a higher humidity level can prevent cracking, too much moisture in the air can lead to mold or mildew growth. This makes climate controls an important part of spring and summer storage.

Leather Shoes and Boots

Like leather jackets, shoes and boots made from this material are also subject to the ravages of cold, dry air and overly humid environments. Again, a climate-controlled rental unit is the best way to store these items and protect them from seasonal damage. Before you store these items, make sure to completely clean and dry them. Failure to do so can add excess moisture to your storage unit.

Wedding Gowns and Other Dresses

A one-of-a-kind gown deserves special storage. Your wedding dress or other black-tie outfit can't go into a bag, box, or bin. Instead, you need to take steps that will preserve the fabric and keep it safe. After you've had the dress professionally cleaned, place it in a preservation box or chest. While plastic bags can keep a gown safe temporarily, they won't let the material breathe and can hold moisture.

Now that the dress is in a specialized preservation box or chest, it's time to store it for the long haul. A climate-controlled self-storage unit provides a light-free, humidity-controlled, temperature-controlled space for the gown. This reduces the risk of discoloration, mildew, or mold buildup.

From leather jackets and shoes to your wedding gown, some types of clothing require extra attention. To reduce the risks of temperature, light, and humidity damage, you can't rent just any storage unit. Climate-controlled storage can keep your favorite clothes in ready-to-wear shape—even if you don't plan to wear them for weeks, months, or years.