How to Store a Duvet and Other Winter Beddings

With the weather getting warmer and warmer, the need for heavy quilts slowly vanishes, and at one point you make the important decision that winter is over and the time for duvet storage is here. It might sound simple enough, just fold the thing and put it away, but there is actually more to the whole storing process.

How to store your duvets for the summer

Properly storing your duvets will guarantee they remain in good shape and are safe from mould and pests, regardless of how long you decide to store your winter covers.

1. Clean up the duvet well

Start off by vacuuming any leftover debris and dirt. Check the label and see if the bedding can be machine washed. If you get confused by all the symbols illustrated there, see the explanation behind each washing symbol.

If the duvet is too big and barely fits in the machine, you can either wash it by hand or go to a laundromat. In case you’d rather clean it yourself, pay special attention to the drying instructions to avoid damage.

Most of the time, the best option is to leave the quilt or duvet to air dry someplace shady, away from direct sunlight. It might be a good idea to dry it directly on top of the grass or something else. Avoiding hanging the duvet will keep its fillings from gathering alongside the edges.

2. Fold the quilt properly before storage

The best way to store a quilt is to not fold it at all, and just lay it flat somewhere, but not many people have this kind of capacity in their homes. In order to save even more space and give the best possible summer vacation to your quilt, you need to fold it right. If it’s small and thin, just roll it in a tube and place it in the vacuum-sealed bag.

If this is not possible and the quilt is too big, fold it like you normally would but also place a sheet of acid-free paper between the different layers. Put little crumbled pieces of the same paper right where the folds are to prevent them from becoming permanent.

3. Rely on vacuum-sealed plastic bags

For any fabric, the best storage option always is a vacuum-sealed plastic bag. It will save you a ton of space while protecting your quilt from dust mites, insects and humid weather. Never use black bags as they do not ventilate moisture properly. Vacuum-sealed plastic bags are transparent and will not protect your duvet from sunlight, keep that in mind.

4. Store the duvets in cool and shady place

If you wish to keep the original fresh colour of the bedding, make sure you store it in a cool and shady place with low humidity. If you do not have a vacuum-sealed bag, you can store your duvets and quilts in a linen bag, or by wrapping them in natural fibre cotton.

In both scenarios, it’s always a good idea to slip in a dryer sheet, to keep the bedding fresh.

5. Consider a commercial storage unit to save space at home

If you are planning on storing all of your winter items in commercial storage, you must choose the right service. Compare the three main storage services on the market – portable storage, self-storage or containerised storage and weigh in the pros and cons so you can pick the best option, for you.

Tips on storing pillows

First of all, you need to decide which pillows will be stored, and which won’t. So categorise your pillows into three main groups. Pillows for the bedroom would be the first category. These are most likely the best pillows in your house, so they will need extra care. Followed by furniture pillows and “throwing pillows”.

Furniture pillows would be the pillows from anywhere else in the house laying around on furniture and leisure areas. Those would be the pillows that you will store somewhere in the back of the closet.

And finally your “throwing pillows”. Those that you take with you in the garden, or you kneel on whenever doing something around the house and so on. Those would be the pillows that you most likely won’t store anyways.

Takeaways

Images source: shutterstock / by Breadmaker

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You know a better way to protect your winter beddings during the summer? Please, do share your expertise in the comment section below.