How to store outgrown baby and kids' clothes for the next child

Clean and dry before anything goes in a bin

Dirty clothes are what pests look for. The National Pesticide Information Center, run by Oregon State University with the US Environmental Protection Agency, says clothes moths are especially drawn to fabrics with sweat, food or urine stains, which describes most of what a baby has worn. They damage wool, fur, hair and feathers, leaving thin spots or holes. NPIC's advice is to wash clothes in hot water or have them dry-cleaned before putting them into long-term storage; for baby clothes, use the hottest setting each care label allows.

Silverfish are a second reason to wash plainly. A University of Kentucky Extension guide to textile care notes that silverfish are attracted to textiles containing starch, sizing, glue or paste, so skip spray starch on anything going into storage.

Then make sure every piece is completely dry. The same Kentucky guide says humidity above 55 percent promotes mildew, and that mildew stains may become permanent. A load folded straight from a slightly damp dryer and sealed in a bin is an easy way to find spots a year later.

Sort by size, then by season

A bin labeled only baby clothes is hard to use when the next child needs 18 months winter clothes in October. Sort first by size, and within large sizes by season: one bin for 3T cold weather, one for 3T warm weather. Label the outside with the size, the season and, if you have more than one child to pass things to, whose clothes they were.

Stained, stretched or broken pieces rarely improve in a bin, so decide before each one goes in whether it is worth the space.

Keep a list of what each bin holds, either on a card taped inside the lid or on your phone. The list saves you from opening four bins in the garage to find one rain jacket, and it tells you which sizes are thin before the next child reaches them.

Choose containers for how long they will sit

Advice on containers splits depending on what you are storing. For everyday clothes that will be worn again in a year or three, NPIC recommends storing cleaned items in airtight bags and containers and keeping the storage area clean of dust, cobwebs and pet hair, to keep moths out. A lidded bin works as long as what goes in is clean and dry.

Keepsakes are different. For a christening gown or a first outfit you plan to keep for decades, extension textile specialists prefer breathable wrapping. University of Georgia Extension advises never wrapping heirloom textiles in plastic, because it blocks air circulation that can lead to mold and mildew, attracts dust through static, gives off chemicals that degrade fabric and does not block light. It suggests a clean white cotton cloth such as an old sheet, pillowcase or washed muslin, and acid-free boxes. The Kentucky guide gives the same advice and adds that tissue paper used with heirlooms should be the acid-free type.

If you use mothballs, follow NPIC's caution. Mothballs are insecticides meant to be used in closed, airtight containers so their fumes stay trapped. Used in the open, they can harm people and pets who touch them, eat them or breathe the vapors, which matters in a house with small children.

Where to keep the bins

Temperature swings, humidity and light all wear fabric down. The Kentucky guide says attics are generally not a proper storage place for textiles, recommends 65 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit, and warns against basements and other places with high humidity and poor air circulation. University of Georgia Extension puts the ideal temperature closer to 60 to 65 degrees with relative humidity around 50 percent, and lists attics, basements, kitchens, laundry areas and outside walls as places to avoid.

Both guides favor darkness. Kentucky explains that the ultraviolet rays in all types of light weaken fibers and fade dyes, so a dark storage spot is best. A closet shelf or the space under a bed in a heated room is an easier way to meet those conditions than an attic. Kentucky also advises keeping textiles away from food storage areas, because mice chew fabric.

Look the bins over now and then. Kentucky recommends inspecting stored textiles at least every four to six months, and Georgia suggests checking storage areas regularly for insects and mold. Small loose fibers or droppings are early signs of pests.

Before the next child wears them

Wash or at least air everything that comes out of long storage, and check each piece for holes, thin spots and loose buttons. Then give outerwear a second look. Under US Consumer Product Safety Commission requirements, children's upper outerwear in sizes 2T to 12, such as jackets, vests and sweatshirts, may not have drawstrings at the hood or neck. In sizes 2T to 16, waist and bottom drawstrings may extend no more than 3 inches outside the channel when the garment is spread to its full width, and may not have toggles, knots or other attachments at the free ends.

CPSC explains why: young children can be seriously hurt or killed if a drawstring catches or snags, and most incidents happen when a drawstring gets caught on things like playground slides, handrails or school bus doors. Ties count as drawstrings under these rules; belts do not. These requirements apply to clothing sold in the US, but the hazard is the same in a hand-me-down. Removing a hood or neck cord, or retiring the jacket, brings it in line with what new clothing has to meet. CPSC lists drawstring recalls on its website.

This is general storage and safety information from the agencies named above, not a safety check of any specific garment. When in doubt about an item, leave it out.

Common mistakes

Storing clothes that look clean but are not. Milk and food marks that are hard to see still count as the stains NPIC says draw clothes moths. Wash first, every time.

Sealing bins before the clothes are fully dry. Trapped moisture is how mildew starts, and Kentucky's guide says mildew stains may become permanent.

Choosing the attic because it is out of the way. Both extension guides name the attic as a place to avoid, along with damp basements.

Losing track of what is where. A bin you cannot describe without opening it is a bin that gets skipped. SizeShelf, for example, records each piece's size, season and the bin it lives in, and when a younger sibling is in the app, passing those pieces down moves them onto that child's shelf and into their next-size count.

Frequently asked questions

Are plastic bins okay for storing baby clothes?

For everyday clothes, yes, if everything is clean and completely dry; NPIC recommends airtight containers to keep clothes moths out. For keepsakes you plan to keep for decades, University of Georgia Extension advises breathable cotton wrapping and acid-free boxes instead of plastic.

Can I store baby clothes in the attic or garage?

Extension textile guides advise against attics and damp basements. University of Kentucky Extension also says to avoid any storage area where the temperature swings, which often rules out an unheated garage, recommends 65 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit, and warns that humidity above 55 percent promotes mildew. A closet or under-bed space in a heated room is usually safer.

Should I put mothballs in bins of baby clothes?

Only if you follow the label and keep them in a closed, airtight container. NPIC explains that mothballs are insecticides whose fumes are meant to stay trapped, and that in the open they can harm people and pets who touch, eat or breathe them.

Do hand-me-down jackets need checking for drawstrings?

Yes. CPSC requirements bar hood and neck drawstrings on children's upper outerwear in sizes 2T to 12 and limit waist drawstrings in sizes 2T to 16. A jacket from a cousin or a secondhand bag may not meet them, so look before the next child wears it.

How often should I check stored clothes?

University of Kentucky Extension recommends inspecting stored textiles at least every four to six months, looking for pest droppings, loose fibers and mildew.