Why the Clothes You Wear Least Are The Ones Most Likely To Get Ruined

There’s something slightly counterintuitive about our wardrobes: the clothes we love most aren’t necessarily the ones we wear most often. In fact, it can be the pieces left sitting quietly at the back of the wardrobe that are most at risk of damage.

Since 2019, Homefulness has organised more than 700 homes across the UK, giving its team plenty of insight into how we actually store and look after our clothes. After spending so much time inside other people’s wardrobes, they’ve noticed some surprisingly common habits – and why the pieces we rarely reach for may need more attention than we think.

The dress you found in that vintage store and wore once, your mother’s evening coat, the suit you keep because they don’t make that shape any more … in their experience, these are the pieces people care about most, and almost always the ones stored worst: shoved to the far end of the rail in the plastic the dry cleaner gave you, or bagged up in a loft that swings from freezing in winter to unbearable in summer.

The damage they find is rarely dramatic. It is slow, quiet and completely avoidable: a brown bloom across a silk top, a row of little holes in a cashmere sweater, a crease along a fold that has been there so long the fibres have given up.

So, what actually protects a garment you only wear now and then? Here, Caroline Caron Dhaouadi, founder and director of Homefulness shares her advice on keeping those lesser-worn pieces in the best possible condition.

Clean it before you put it away, not after you take it out from storage

This is the single rule that saves the most clothes, and the one most often skipped because the piece looks clean.

Moth larvae feed on natural fibres, particularly wool and cashmere, but they are also drawn to what is on them: perspiration, skin, hair products, the drop of wine down the front. Anything with a trace of you on it is a meal, and a piece put away unwashed is an invitation left out for months.

Stains behave the same way. Sugar, white wine and perfume can leave residues that slowly darken or discolour in storage, only becoming obvious months later. 

If a piece is going away for some time, it goes away clean.

Let the structure decide whether it hangs or lies flat

Heavy knitwear stretches under its own weight, so jumpers, cardigans and knitted dresses are folded. Lighter knits can sometimes be hung, provided you use a properly shaped hanger that supports the garment without pulling at the shoulders (think rounded hangers).

Jackets, coats and structured dresses are better kept on hangers that fit the shoulder properly and support the garment’s shape. Avoid thin wire hangers and poorly shaped ones: they can leave dents in the shoulders and put unnecessary pressure on the fabric. A wooden, padded or suitably shaped hanger, wide enough to support the full shoulder line, is a better choice.

And if a dress has interior ribbon loops, use them. They are there to help distribute the weight and take some of the strain off the shoulder seams, but they are surprisingly easy to ignore.

Cotton, not dry-cleaning plastic

Dry-cleaning plastic is transport, not storage. It can trap moisture against the fabric and may yellow white and pale-coloured cloth over time. Don’t use the cleaner’s plastic as long-term storage.

If you want to overprotect some pieces, go for a cotton or fabric garment bag, full length, with room for a little air to move. 

Vacuum bags deserve a particular warning. They are excellent for a spare duvet, but compressing natural fibres crushes the loft out of wool and down, sets creases you may never get out, and traps any moisture already in the fabric against the cloth.

Where you store it matters as much as what you store it in

The golden rule for storing clothes is simple: they need to be somewhere cool, dark and dry. Lofts are often too hot and too cold by turns, and cellars can be very damp. Be especially careful with direct light, which fades dye and yellows white silk faster than most people expect. A spare wardrobe (in the guest bedroom or study) is usually the best option. And don’t forget that less accessible shelves (such as the top ones) can be ideal for rarely worn pieces, provided they remain clean, dry and protected.

On moths: cedar can help, but its effectiveness diminishes as the scent fades. Lavender is mild. Mothballs work and leave a smell in the fabric that will outlive you. The most effective thing is dull: empty the wardrobe twice a year, vacuum the base, the corners and the seams of the carpet, and check the pieces you rarely touch.

Accessories need protecting too

Handbags need support to keep their shape, particularly when they are stored for months at a time. Stuff them lightly with a suitable insert, and store them upright rather than stacked. Leather benefits from some air circulation, so avoid storing handbags in airtight containers or sealed plastic.

Shoes should be stored in a way that supports their shape without putting pressure on the leather or fabric. Shoe trees are particularly useful for leather shoes, helping to absorb moisture and prevent creasing. And before putting anything away for some time, make sure it is clean and completely dry.

Jewellery has its own storage rules. Keep pieces separated rather than tangled together in a shared drawer, ideally in individual pouches or velvet compartments. This reduces scratching and, for silver in particular, slows down tarnishing.

The habit that holds it together

Twice a year, when the seasons change, everything comes out. You clean the space, look at what you have, and refold along different lines so the same creases aren’t set into the fabric year after year. It takes an afternoon and it is the difference between a wardrobe full of things you are saving and a wardrobe full of things you can still wear.

Good storage isn’t about preserving clothes as museum pieces. It is about making sure that when the occasion finally comes round, the dress is ready and so are you.

Top photo by Alex Tyson on Unsplash