How to Store Summer Bags for Winter
How to Store Summer Bags for Winter
Put them away well, and they come back ready.
To store summer bags for winter, empty them completely, cleanse away the season's sun cream, make-up and city dust, condition any leather that has been in regular use, then rest each one in its dust bag somewhere cool, dry and shaded, with its shape supported. An hour now means the first warm day next year is spent carrying them, not rescuing them.
Why does a summer bag need care before it goes away?
Summer asks a great deal of a handbag. Sun cream and body oils settle into the handles, bright light dries and fades the leather, and there is always one iced coffee that does not quite stay in its cup. While the bag is in use, most of this lifts easily. Put away for months, it settles in.
A small mark that a Cleansing Wipe would have lifted in a minute in July can be far more stubborn after a winter in the dark. Pale and bright leathers feel it most, which is why we wrote a whole guide on why white leather turns yellow over time.
The seasonal swap, step by step
Empty every pocket
Lip balm, sun cream, receipts, a forgotten sweet. Anything that can leak, melt or carry a smell comes out, and the lining is gently shaken free of crumbs and sand.
Cleanse the outside
For smooth and grained leather and coated canvas, Cleansing Wipes lift the season's marks in light, even passes, handles first. For a fuller cleanse, use Gentle Foam Cleanser on the Application Mitt. Fabric, canvas and embroidered bags take Gentle Foam Cleanser on the Application Sponge: dab and blot, never rub.
Refresh the inside
Linings carry a summer of open-air lunches and beach days. A fine mist of Fabric & Leather Deodorizer over a fabric lining, aired open for a few hours, leaves it fresh rather than perfumed.
Condition the leather that earned it
Leather carried all summer goes away with a coat of Nourishing Conditioner, applied with the Application Mitt and buffed in fully. Leather already dry or worn takes Wonder Balm instead. A bag bought this summer and barely carried needs neither, and suede and nubuck never take conditioner at all.
Let everything dry completely
Give each bag several hours, away from radiators and direct sun. A bag put away even slightly damp is exactly where mould begins.
Test every product on a small, hidden area first. If the summer has left a scuffed corner on smooth or grained leather, now is the moment for Leather Restore Pens: each layer needs 6-10 hours to dry, and the winter gives it all the time it needs. Never on suede or Vachetta.
Where should summer bags be stored?
Where a bag rests matters as much as how it was cared for before it went away.
- In its dust bag, not its box. Leather needs air, and a dust bag lets it breathe while keeping dust and light away.
- Cool, dry and shaded. Sunlight fades and dries leather, and a room that swings between warm and damp invites mould.
- With its shape supported. Soft tissue inside, or a base shaper cut to the bag, stops the base sagging and the leather creasing.
- Straps and charms off. Hardware resting against leather for months can press and mark it.
- Upright, with room to breathe. Never stacked, never squeezed between its neighbours.
- Opened for air every few weeks. A few hours open in a ventilated room keeps the inside fresh.
How do you keep stored bags fresh and free from mould?
Pursefume Scent Capsules were made for exactly this. One capsule in an interior pocket absorbs excess moisture, helps guard against mould and mildew, and neutralises odour rather than covering it. Replace it after around two months, and keep it away from untreated Vachetta and pale linings.
In a humid home, take one more step before the bags go away. Antibacterial Cleanser sanitises leather, coated canvas and fabric interiors and helps prevent mould from forming. Our guide to caring for bags in a humid climate covers it in full, and for year-round storage our guide to storing your handbags safely goes further still.
Winter is a pause, never a retirement.Havre de Luxe
What should you do with the bags coming out for winter?
The swap works both ways. The bags that sat out the summer are about to meet rain, sleet, wool coats and dark denim. Give each a light cleanse, then a coat of Water and Stain Guard before its first outing, for total peace of mind. On finished leather and coated canvas it goes onto the Application Mitt, never straight onto the bag. Suede, nubuck and fabric take a fine mist from 20-30cm.
Re-protect every 8 weeks for a bag carried daily, or every 12 weeks for one carried weekly. Winter layers are the season's quiet hazard, so our guide to protecting your bags from colour transfer is worth a read before the first cold morning.
And when spring returns, your summer bags come out cleansed, conditioned and ready. A fresh coat of Water and Stain Guard, and they are back in the light where they belong.
FAQs
Should I condition my handbags before storing them?
Yes, any leather that has been in regular use. Apply Nourishing Conditioner with the Application Mitt and buff it in fully before the bag goes away. A new or barely carried bag needs no conditioner, and suede and nubuck never take it.
Should handbags be stored in their box or their dust bag?
In the dust bag. Leather needs air, and a dust bag lets it breathe while keeping dust and light away.
How do I stop mould on bags in storage?
Store bags only once fully dry, somewhere cool, dry and ventilated, with a Pursefume capsule inside to absorb excess moisture. Air them every few weeks. In a humid home, Antibacterial Cleanser before storage helps prevent mould and mildew.
How often should I check bags in storage?
Every few weeks. Open each bag for a few hours in a ventilated room, and check for any musty smell or bloom on the leather.
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