apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

What is the best way to store baby clothes for a few years? I'd like to keep some of Travis' outfits for the next baby, but I don't want to use plastic bins because they tend to make clothes smell funky. I also want to keep his cloth diapers and wool soakers for the next baby, and I don't want the elastics to wear out, or have the soakers get moth-eaten. Canvas bins? Cedar blocks? Where should I shop? Best prices?

To store Liam's clothes and diapers I've used cardboard boxes with lavender sachets inside each. Don't knock it though--these are nice boxes that my sister procured for me from working at Levi's. The lavender has the same properties as a bug repellent as cedar or mothballs might and the boxes do allow more breathability than plastic. And I made sure all the clothes and diapers were clean first of course. The boxes are stacked on his closet shelf.

For his wool, I currently have it in a canvas tote with a lid and with more lavender. I'm going to upgrade soon since this is bursting at the seams. =/

you could try using those "space bags" - that's what I did for a lot of my daughter's clothes. they're supposed to keep pests out (no vents for them to get in, in theory) but you could throw some lavendar-soaked cedar balls in to be sure. I like the space bags since I live in a small apt - the vacuum really does suck a lot of air out and compact everything amazingly well.

I haven't noticed much of a funky plastic smell with my bins once I started storing them in the top of my child's closet, not in an attic or basement. I put all the clothes of one size, say 6-9 months away with an index card labeled on the outside and a dryer sheet inside, which also helps counteract any odd smell. My two are 3 years apart and so far, no problem.Carboard ornament boxes stored in my attic attracted pests, even with cedar blocks in them.

I live in Canada and don't have to worry about moths, so I am no help there. But I have used plastic bins for my baby clothes, and my maternity clothes too. I tried the rubbermade brand and they made the clothes smell, even with ceder blocks. I use the Sterilite brand and they work great. No ceder needed. No smell.
Even if you wash everything expect to find a few items with yellow stains on them when you open the box back up.