THE STORE WITH STUFF FOR STORING STUFF - At Mallett's Home Hardware

This blog we’re going to talk about ‘stuff’.

‘Stuff’ is all the things we acquire as we go through life and simply cannot bear to be parted from. And a glance into many of our wardrobes, cupboards and closets suggest that a lot of the ‘stuff’ we own is made up of clothing.

As clothes have become more affordable, and the trends set by celebrities, glossy magazines and all manner of on-line and high street retailers increasingly influence our fashion spending habits, so the issue of how to store all the clothes we buy quite literally takes on a new dimension.

Fortunately, these days it seems we have only two seasons to dress for. Cold and wet or warm and wet! As we approach the latter period, maybe punctuated by a couple of weeks somewhere much warmer and dryer, it makes sense to put the ‘cold and wet’ season garments into storage – at least for a few months! But, by definition these tend to be quite bulky. So unless you’re the proud owner of a walk-in wardrobe or two, you might want to look at some altogether more affordable solutions.

Luckily, here at Mallett’s in Truro we stock a range of vacuum storage bags from homeware specialist H&L Russel. Made from durable nylon they are one of the strongest bags of their type, come with a five-year guarantee against faulty workmanship or materials, and are perfect for storing clothes as well as all manner of household linen and bedding. The bags are available in various sizes, each with a wide opening and zipper slider to ensure airtight closure. All are fitted with a simple valve mechanism that attached to the hose of most popular makes of vacuum cleaner. As the air is extracted the initial volume of the bag and its contents can be compressed by as much as two thirds, while simultaneously creating an environment that protects the contents from damp, dust and mites.

The resulting space saving can be quite significant, freeing up valuable shelves and hanging rails. Vacuum bags are also a great solution for protecting garments made from natural fibres, especially wool, from attack by moths or, to be more precise, the moth larvae. But it’s essential to wash or dry clean clothing of this kind to eliminate the presence of eggs or larvae before storing them away.

For bulky and irregular shaped accessory items such as shoes, bags and belts, plastic storage boxes are ideal, since they come in a huge range of shapes and sizes that can fit easily into many of the under-utilised storage places we already have in our homes, such as under beds, on top of wardrobes and under stairs, as well as attic and even garage space. Most come with tight fitting lids to protect the contents from dust and dirt.

Here Mallett’s you are sure to find a ready-made storage solution for every location and purpose. Even those of us with a pragmatic approach to fashion, and who routinely donate last season’s clothes to charity or our local recycling centre, have a few favourite and timeless items we wear year after year. For these, and items of sentimental and practical value, the range of bags and boxes at Mallett’s provide the ideal storage solutions. So come and see for yourself and talk to our friendly helpful people, who really know their stuff when it comes to storage!