Paging all fashionistas: are you storing your beloved clothes correctly? If you’ve amassed a nice collection of clothes over the years and want to store them properly in your wardrobe and keep your clothes smelling fresh, you’re going to need to design or organise your wardrobe properly.
And while it might be tempting to display your fancy shoes and handbags out in open shelves, such practices are harmful to your shoes, bags, and clothes.
10 Wardrobe Interior Design Ideas
Time to reassess your wardrobe and take note of these 10 tips to protect your clothing, shoes and bags. Here’s how to keep those couture pieces in mint condition for as long as possible.
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Store Bags Upright
Bags are the often the piece de resistance of an outfit, which is why you should dedicate a section of shelves to them so you can stuff them with tissue paper to maintain their shape and store them upright.
Clutches should be laid flat. Never pile bags on top of each other.
If you only have hanging room for them, place your bags in their dust bags and hang those up instead. As with shoes, gently clean the interior and exterior of your bags after each use before putting them away.
Also, make it a point to regularly remove them from the dust bags and air them for 24 hours at a time in an air-conditioned room.
Folded Clothes in Drawers
Not everything needs hanging. Some clothes can lose their shape when hung for too long. Identify these pieces – they’re often made of delicate material like lace or knit – and fold them instead.
When there isn’t enough height in your wardrobe, long, sweeping dresses should be folded and placed in a drawer, too.
Drawers should be lined with acid-free paper
Ensure your drawers or boxes are lined with acid-free tissue paper before placing items hem-side down first and folding each piece accordion-style with a sheet of tissue paper between each layer to protect the fibres.
Use Low Heat LED Lights
The quickest way to elevate the dressing experience and show off your designer collection is by installing lights in your wardrobe.
But be sure to use LED bulbs that give off less heat and install them in areas where your clothes cannot come into contact with them.
Heat can damage clothing fibres and embellishments. If you have the luxury of a walk-in wardrobe with a window, use the blinds to keep your clothes out of direct sunlight.
Build a Shoe Shelf
Although we tend to place shoes on the floor, it’s not ideal because the lower airflow means poor ventilation. After cleaning with every use, keep shoes elevated in a dedicated cabinet.
For serious shoe lovers, apply leather conditioner once a month while airing them and then it’s best to keep them in their cloth dust bag or box.
Clean, Remove Moisture, Store
Also, you’ll find that cedar shoe trees remove excess moisture produced by your feet and are critical in maintaining and extending the life of leather shoes and their shape.
Avoid storing suede and leather shoes in plastic boxes as they need to breathe.
Wood & Padded Clothes Hangers
Wire hangers can stretch expensive clothes and cause kinks in fabrics. It they are prone to rusting, they could stain your clothes.
Use wooden or velvet padded hangers.
These should be sturdy and slightly arched forward to hold the shape of the shoulders, especially for suits and jackets.
Wrap Expensive Clothes in Acid Free Paper
In The Devil Wears Prada, Miranda Priestly, an influential New York City-based editor-in-chief of a fictional fashion magazine, had tissue paper cut to the shape of each item of clothing before packing for a trip.
You don’t have to do the same, but you should check that the paper you’re using is acid-free, so it doesn’t destroy clothing fibres. It is also useful for stuffing your handbags and protecting your shoes.
Use Cotton or Muslin Garment Bags
Instead of using plastic, keep the dust off your clothes by investing in garment bags made of a light, breathable material like muslin.
These help to prevent individual pieces from coming into contact with each other without compromising airflow.
Tag your clothes with Polaroids
To identify your clothing, attach Polaroid or Instax snapshots to the bags.
Worn Clothes Hang Outside
This should go without saying, but never place worn clothes next to clean ones – even if they’ve only been worn for a short while and aren’t due for a trip to the dry-cleaner’s.
The oil from your body and perfume can spoil clothing fibres. Store them in separate sections of the wardrobe.
Air Your Wardrobe
Humidity is your enemy. Clothing and leather articles are targets of mould and mildew growth in high moisture content environments.
Keep wardrobe doors and windows open daily to increase ventilation and light to the area.
Or place a dehumidifier fan in your wardrobe
A good dehumidifier or air purifier near the wardrobe helps to prevent mould and mildew. Regularly having a fan running on low for as much as possible helps to circulate the air.
This is especially important when it is raining, and you can’t leave the windows open to get airflow naturally. Finally, remove the plastic bags from the dry-cleaner as they encourage mould growth, too
Cedar and lavender keeps moths away
Cedar blocks or sachets of lavender help to repel pesky moths. These need to be refreshed regularly to remain effective.
A good rule of thumb: if you can’t smell them any more when you open the wardrobe, it’s time for a change. And make sure they don’t touch your clothes because their oils can seep into the clothing fibres.
10 Walk in Wardrobes in Singapore
High up on the renovation wishlist of most homeowners is a walk-in wardrobe, if they have the luxury of space.
And while most of us spend lots of time thinking about the design or gathering ideas for the perfect walk-in wardrobe, many forget about the design of its exterior — partitioning or doors for the space.
Consider what sort of doors, whether pocket or flush, you’d like, as well as how it blends with the wall designs on the outside.
See how these interior designers and homeowners have done it, zoning the walk-in wardrobe from the main bedroom area.
8 Small Walk In Wardrobes in HDB Flats
Designing a walk-in wardrobe in Singapore’s small Housing and Development Board (HDB) flats can present several challenges due to the limited space available. Here are some key challenges you may encounter:
- Space
- Layout
- Structural Walls
- Vertical Space
- Lighting
- Ventilation
- Accessibility
- Cost
The designers incorporated a tiled border for this tinted glass wardrobe.
Placing your bed in the middle of a wall gives you limited space. This designer pushed the bed in a corner for more wardrobe space.
Don’t let the structural wall stop you from joining two rooms; you can create a walk-in-wardrobe-like effect with it.
A fuss-free combination of wardrobe, dresser and bedside table.
A timber headboard is flanked by two black wardrobes positioned at odd angles for a unique look.
A wardrobe ala television console!
This unique door-less wardrobe features an angular form as well as a curtain that keeps the dust out of.