We were married many years ago and I had a truly beautiful handmade silk and lace wedding dress which I always wanted to keep.
While we were decluttering and cleaning I noticed how the box it was in was showing its age and was concerned the dress may suffer.
For me and for many other people your wedding dress is one of the most precious and sentimental items in your wardrobe. Some people may not want to keep it and make it into something else or give it away, but for those of us who want to keep it a safe place is important. You want to preserve it for years to come, maybe even pass it on to your daughter, niece or granddaughter if you have them. So if you decide to keep it we have to store properly to prevent damage and fading.
Other special clothing items, such as christening gowns, communion dresses, graduation robes and precious baby clothes also require special consideration if we decide to keep them.
These type of clothes may hold very special, precious memories, so if we decide to keep them they need special care. They may not fare very well if we just keep them in a drawer or wardrobe.
It is important to clean these clothes before storing them to prevent any stains from setting into the cloth or odours and mould from ruining your special clothes.
In order to preserve your wedding dress , christening gown, baby clothes or other special clothes at their best for longer it is important to choose the right storage box.
Ideally we should not use cardboard boxes, plastic bags, or vacuum-sealed bags or even just hang up in a wardrobe. These can cause the fabric to discolour or even damage the clothes and certain containers may trap moisture and create mould.
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| Wedding Dress Storage box showing place to identify contents |
The best option for storing your wedding dress or other special item is one that is large enough to store your garment with minimal folding and which has acid free paper to use to protect it and to use in between any folds necessary to prevent creasing.
So after cleaning and drying it is important to fold and wrap the item of clothing carefully. Before placing your wedding dress or other special item in the storage box, wrap it in acid-free tissue paper or unbleached muslin. This is in order to protect it from dust, light, and insects.
It is not a great idea to use mothballs, as they may have chemicals that can harm your clothes. If we wish we can add some lavender sachets or cedar balls to repel moths and add a pleasant scent.
Once you have your storage box and have folded your special garment carefully with acid free tissue paper, it is a good idea to label what is inside and ideal to store it in a cool, dry, and dark place. This would ideally be in a wardrobe, or an under-bed storage container that is away from direct sunlight, heat, or humidity. We do currently have ours on top of a wardrobe, but it is out of direct sunlight.
It is vital to avoid storing your precious garment in a garage, attic loft area or basement because those places can expose your clothes to extreme temperatures, moisture which may create mould and damage, or even mice which may chew and damage your clothes.
Once your beautiful clothes are safely stored it is important to check perhaps annually, to make sure they are still in good condition.
Every two the three years it is a good practice to get them out and air them out for a few days and then refold to prevent any permanent creases. It is good practice to air them out once every so often to prevent musty smells.
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| Wedding storage box showing handle |
The storage box we bought came flat packed and well protected. It was very easy to put together and appears pretty sturdy. It was really just a matter of getting it out the packaging, opening up and laying in the base insert and it was done in a couple of minutes. It is available in small, medium and large sizes and has a hinged lid.
We bought two in the large size, one for my wedding dress, shoes and veil and one to store my bridesmaid dress I wore for my sisters wedding and some baby clothes my Mum had made and kept along with some lace we had inherited.
There was plenty of room for all these clothes. They are quite large boxes so could easily fit all these items. I would imagine for most wedding dresses the large size would be the most practical. We stacked them on top of each other on our wardrobe and we think they look lovely.
I like that the storage box had ten acid free sheets already for me to use. This was enough for me, but if you need to you can always buy more acid free sheets.
I like that it has a handle for ease of moving around and this handle feels fairly secure for its purpose. As I have not travelled with it I cannot say how it would stand up to the rigors of travel. As it is intended just for storage in my case, I feel it meets my needs.
It has straps as well which are fine for the purpose of securing the box. These are fitted with plastic clips which work, but time will tell if they are as strong as I would like them to be. If moving it around a lot I would handle it carefully.
The box is study enough for most wedding dresses and light enough so that it can be carried around if need be. I also appreciate that it has a space to place a reminder of the contents of the box.
I like the pattern which also distinguishes it from our other storage boxes, but it also comes in plain ivory and plain white. You can also find plain boxes or those with other patterns in different styles. Really you can pay any price for a storage box for your wedding dress and some are very expensive indeed. For the price I paid I am very happy with my storage boxes to keep my special clothes clean and safe. There are also many more to choose from for your precious clothing items
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Having a proper storage box with acid free tissue paper is extremely important when preserving clothing articles like your wedding gown. I love I idea of preserving special garments to pass down for generations or give to other loved ones in pristine condition years later. Such a great idea Raintree Annie and a wonderful review!
ReplyDeleteI’m so glad you have found a good way to safely store these garments that hold such precious memories, Raintree Annie! I agree that acid-free tissue is essential for preserving textiles in storage. Thank you for your review and recommendation.
ReplyDeleteThis is a wonderful review and truly great advice on storing those precious memories that we have with our clothes. You really did us a great service with this review. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteGeat article on storage for people who want ro store precious clothes or keesake items.
ReplyDeleteI wasn't aware that you could order the boxes online - in 1985 when I was married (oh my gawd, where did the time go!!) - I had mine drycleaned and they stored it as you describe, and I was told to never open it because once the air hit it, it would start to yellow - Unfortunately several years later I opened to get the wedding viel out for a friend, and yep, my dress has a yellow tinge to it now, darn. Maybe the boxes nowadays are better for that (it does have the tissue too though)
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