Storing Suits in Drawers: Or how I found a way to aviod the worst smell in the world.

My apartment smells of mildew, attic dust, cigars, and numerous failed attempts to get rid (read cover up) the smell. Anyway, I might be stuck here for a while. As one would imagine, I have been very fustrated with this monster of a smell clinging to my clothes. Hanging the clothes up is not an option. The clothes will absoluetly reek and have piles of dust with a few days (slight exageration). Storing all clothes in drawer seems to help. Thus, I have even been storing suits in them. I fold the suit jackets along the center, and they seem to stay relatively wrinkle-free. This makes me happy.

My question is, I suppose, do these suits need to "breathe?" Would keeping them in drawer cause any serious decay, damage, etc.? Big note here... they are not wool... In fact, they are polyester... Hopefully I will out of here by the time I can afford more than $150 suits.

Check your closets and behind particle boards...sound slike a dead body is buried somewhere in your casa!

Originally Posted by acadiaspring

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My apartment smells of mildew, attic dust, cigars, and numerous failed attempts to get rid (read cover up) the smell. Anyway, I might be stuck here for a while. As one would imagine, I have been very fustrated with this monster of a smell clinging to my clothes. Hanging the clothes up is not an option. The clothes will absoluetly reek and have piles of dust with a few days (slight exageration). Storing all clothes in drawer seems to help. Thus, I have even been storing suits in them. I fold the suit jackets along the center, and they seem to stay relatively wrinkle-free. This makes me happy.

My question is, I suppose, do these suits need to "breathe?" Would keeping them in drawer cause any serious decay, damage, etc.? Big note here... they are not wool... In fact, they are polyester... Hopefully I will out of here by the time I can afford more than $150 suits.

This thread is about to descend into a clusterfuck about you having polyester suits, so I'm going to get in early with some suggestions.

1. Purchase cedar balls/cubes/chunks. It has an unbelievably potent smell (very nice though). It is one of the reasons they are used for shoe trees; they kill off other smells and germs, while leaving the item smelling fresh. A handful in your closet will do wonders.

2. Go buy some cheap-ass material. Market stalls, haberdashers, anything will do. Now use it to line the inside of your closet. Give it a good spray with Fabreeze (or similar) and it should act as a significant barrier to your mildew smell.

Now to answer your question:

The suits don't actually need to breathe but they will crease up horribly. If you don't wear your suits very often then you will need to have them cleaned/pressed before each use which is both costly and time consuming. You are mutch better off dealing with the smell.

I don't think you need to let polyester breathe, but creases might be an issue. You might be better off getting a suit bag or two and storing the suits in those, hanging. Something like: http://www.amazon.com/Travel-Bag-Sui...8336335&sr=8-2
(Just an example. I've never bought this particular bag, so I don't know what it's like.)

OK, I'll bite: why is your apartment so dusty and smelly? And isn't that really more of a pressing concern than whether your suit is breathing?

Originally Posted by viator

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OK, I'll bite: why is your apartment so dusty and smelly? And isn't that really more of a pressing concern than whether your suit is breathing?

The apartment is old. It has poor air circulation, a damp basement, and a cluttered attic (which is directly above me). Of course, suggestions to move out, complain, etc. are all valid, but one is not an option and complaining has gotten me nowhere (which I completely understand, since the cost of the renovations required to "fix" the problem would be beyond the means of the landlord). I just have to do my best to deal with it for the time being.

Thanks for the closet suggestions! I might try to line the closet this weekend. I have a few suits, and the one that has seen the least amount of wear does not look creased at all really, but I am sure that it may develop some soon.

I do not see any reason plastic would need to breathe.

Originally Posted by acadiaspring

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My apartment smells of mildew, attic dust, cigars, and numerous failed attempts to get rid (read cover up) the smell.

My question is, I suppose, do these suits need to "breathe?"

Given the situation you have described, if I were your suits I would purposely stop breathing just to end the torture. The real question is: How on earth do YOU breathe?

It shouldn't cost you more than $10-20 to pick up a clear vinyl wardrobe bag you can hang up in your closet. I found I preferred this to hanging suits in individual bags because it was way easier to navigate (rummage around). If you can, get a dress-length bag over a suit-length one... gives you a little extra space at the bottom to throw some cedar down or whatever without making contact with any cloth.

Based on the closet conditions you describe, you may want to buy some for more than just your suits. I just don't want to hear about you crawling into one yourself!

PS: Seen these from Sharp? http://www.sharpusa.com/ForHome/Home...er/KC860U.aspx