Swimsuit Storage

When you find a swimsuit that becomes a favorite, you'll do everything to make it last as long as possible. You'll follow the care instructions, you'll make sure it doesn't snag while you're wearing it, you'll do what's necessary to get sand out of it, and so much more. But one thing that you may not be doing properly is storing your swimsuit. That's right, if you don't store it properly, you could lose one of your favorite suits too early. Luckily, there are several ways to store your swimsuit properly to help it extend its life.

It may seem like this is pretty basic, just put it in a drawer, but that becomes a bit tricky, because it's not quite that simple.

To start, make sure that your swimsuits are clean before storing them. That should be pretty commonplace knowledge, but if you think that it dried out and is fine, then you need to go wash your swimsuit immediately. We put together easy to follow care instructions to help you get the most of your swimwear, you can find it here (link to care instructions).

Make sure that once you have washed your suits that they have dried completely. Even if they're mostly dry and just a bit damp, they can become mildewy and gross in a drawer, so make sure that they are completely dry. Making them last is worth the extra time and effort to do this properly.

If you normally just toss your suits in a bin, I'm afraid you'll need to modify this. You'll need to lay your suits flat when you store them. Not folded or rolled into a ball or tangled up with other tops, but laid out flat, both tops and bottoms. The reason for this is to help the suit to maintain its shape and form. If you have enough space, you can stack all of your tops on top of each other towards the top of your drawer and then put the bottoms below them, also neatly stacked. You could also put them side by side. One thing to make it easier to sort them is to either ROYGBV them and sort your tops and bottoms by color or if you are big on matching suits, you can match them up to keep them organized and make it very easy for you to find the suit you're searching for when you're getting ready to go.

If you don't have room in a drawer, a plastic storage container will work just as well! You can place it under your bed or in your closet shelf for easy access during the spring and summer, and your suits will retain their shape and last longer. They'll also be safe from any damage that could occur from sitting out such as a pet getting it or a little sibling finding it.

Now, while that all seems simple enough, there are some definite storage don'ts for swimwear.

• Do not store in plastic bags. It may help to keep your swimwear organized and separated, but it can also cause moisture buildup which can damage the integrity of the suit material as well as contribute to mildew growth. Even if you're certain that your suit is dried, do not put them in bags, even for a short amount of time.
• Don't store your swimwear in the garage or outdoor storage spaces. Even if you think they'll be fine in a shed, they could get exposed to UV rays that can cause damage over time, creatures or bugs could find them and ruin the material, or they could get spilled on. There are so many things that could go wrong with storing them in a garage or outdoor shed, so stick to keeping your suits in your bedroom.
• Don't store them in direct sunlight. Direct sunlight can cause the color to fade, and you'll be needing a new suit sooner than you expect. Store them in a drawer or in a closet or under your bed and make sure that they are protected from the sun's rays wherever you have them located.
• Put them in lined drawers only. If you have wooden furniture, while it is durable and looks great, if the inside has some uneven areas or needs sanding, it could cause snags for your suits. Put a liner in the drawers to help protect the suit from potential snags and tears that could occur while in the drawer.

As long as you follow these steps, your suits will be stored properly and last for many seasons!