Alright, one closet studio in Flatbush. Every spring I'm drowning in puffy coats and flannel, and every fall it's flip flops and tank tops blocking the door. I tried one of those hanging sweater shelves, but the rod started bowing like it was doing me a favor. Where do y'all actually keep off-season clothes without turning your bed into a shelf? Under-bed bins? Vacuum bags? Give up and rotate twice a year? Need recs that survive old plaster dust and random radiator heat. Bonus if it doesn't make the apartment look like a storage unit exploded.

Wait, people vacuum-seal clothes?? I just moved and had no idea that was a normal apartment thing. Does it ruin sweaters or just make everything wrinkly? I was going to shove a big plastic tote under my bed but I think that's where the previous tenant left mouse traps, so I'm nervous. Thanks for starting this!

Not all vacuum bags are equal! Get the ones with the zip and the little valve, not the roll-up style, those leak every time. For sweaters, don't suck all the air out like you're trying to break a vacuum record—low suction and fold them with acid-free tissue if you can. For under-bed bins, put cedar blocks in there, not just dryer sheets! Have you tried hanging garment bags for heavy coats? They keep the shoulders from getting crushed and you can hook them over a door! I have so many thoughts.

Vacuum bags are the move for parkas and bulky bedding, but not for anything with down or shape? Actually down is fine if you don't over-compress. I use the drugstore knockoff space bags and one hard suitcase under the bed for off-season. Real tip: if your radiator is near your bed, dry everything completely before sealing or you'll open it in December to a musty science experiment. Toss a silica packet in each bag.

Okay, I just bought two under-bed bins and realized my bed frame is too low. So now they're stacked in the corner with a sheet over them like a little table. Very NYC. Do people actually use under-bed in old buildings, or is that just a studio fantasy? Also how do I know if mice can chew through the plastic? Mine are the semi-clear kind.

Yeah, I did under-bed bins for a while but had to put my bed on risers, which made it feel like a bunk bed but did open up space. The semi-clear bins are fine, but if there's any gap in the lid I'd switch to the hard plastic with locking handles—mice don't chew through the plastic, they squeeze through the gap. A friend lost a cashmere scarf to a soft zipper bag. Dryer sheets are mostly folklore, use cedar blocks.

Forget under-bed if you have old floors—half the dust in Flatbush ends up under there anyway. I use the top shelf of the closet with cheap cubes, plus a garment rack in the corner for current season. Off-season goes in vacuum bags inside my suitcase. The suitcase is the most underrated closet in a studio. If you don't have one, check the building's giveaway pile. You can stack two and throw a fabric over it as a nightstand.

Top shelf is sacred real estate. If you're short like me, that's a no-go without a step stool. But suitcase storage is underrated. I've used my rolling carry-on as a winter clothes vault for three years. The fabric over it as a nightstand is a solid trick—just don't put a drink on it if the bag inside is soft. Ask me how I know.

Cedar! Red cedar blocks or sachets in each bin and bag. But don't let raw cedar oil touch clothes directly because it can stain. Lavender is pretty but useless for clothes moths, no matter what the fancy store tells you. Has anyone tried hanging garment bags over the door for coats? It's a game changer if your door can handle the weight and you don't mind losing the hook space. I just moved my whole winter coat rotation to an over-door rack with two-arm hooks!

Update: I bought vacuum bags and a little cedar set from the hardware store. I think I rolled the air out too tight because the bag made a hissing noise after I sealed it. Is that a leak? Also can I put a puffy coat in a vacuum bag and still have it puff back up? Probably fine, right? Thank you all—this thread is saving my one closet.

Cedar?? I thought lavender was the thing. I put lavender sachets in my bins and now I'm worried they're just making my clothes smell like a grandmother. Are newspaper or paper towels okay? My grandma used newspaper. Also, my under-bed is now a dust pile because the bin lids don't close all the way. Does anyone have a rec for low profile latching bins that don't cost like a piece of furniture?

Low profile latching bins exist but they cost more than the sweaters sometimes. My move is: vacuum bags inside a hard shell suitcase under the bed, then a cheap fabric bed skirt hides the whole mess. If you don't have a suitcase, the free stuff pile in the lobby usually has one by the mailboxes. Cedar planks from the hardware store work fine too. Just don't overstuff the zipper or it'll fail by November.