By Jess Wangsness

So You outfit a client's master bedroom closet with all of the latest amenities, add that extra flourish in architectural details and take stock of his/her wardrobe to include the right balance of shoe shelves and hanging space. But then your client asks you for a few tips on how to store garments properly. Perhaps you readily supply a list of suggestions. Or, perhaps you struggle to settle on an answer.

Either way, we asked garment storage specialists at New York City-based Garde Robe to offer a few tips for storing garments, shoes and specialty items such as beaded blouses and fur. With an additional outlet in Tokyo, Japan and plans to expand into other key markets, Garde Robe provides professional storage services for its roster of clients who need extra closet space. Once a client calls, the company retrieves his/her belongings, has them professionally photographed and then creates a "cyber-closet" the the client can reference when preparing for a trip or an event. Garde Robe staff memebers personally deliver garments and accessories to the client's doorstep or expertly pack a suitcase and shit it to the client's destination.

But the company also stores the archives of fashion designers such as Oscar De La Renta. While Garde Robe's vice-president, Doug Greenberg, maintains that one could earn a PhD in garment care, he suggested an abbreviated list of tips that custom storage professionals can share with thei clients.

Proper Cleaning and Insects: Because many Garde-Robe clients store their seasonal items at the company's state-of-the-art storage loft, Greenberg says that the most important element of proper garments care is appropriate cleaning. Even if someone has only worn a dress suit once, the pieces must be dry-cleaned before storage. Otherwise, they risk an infestation of Clothes Moths, whose larvae feed on the bacteria that insidiously grows on garments that have not been cleaned. To help combat the potential problem, Greenberg advises clients to invest in lavender sachets or cedar blocks, especially for fine knits.

"Let's say you have a cashmere sweater, and you're going to put it away for the summer," Greenberg says. "First things first, make sure it's properly cleaned, fold it with acid-free tissue in the crease and then place a cedar block wrapped in the same acid-free tissue before you put it away in a breathable, canvas box." Because cedar blocks and flower sachets have oils that can stain garments, Garde Robe staffers advise clients to wrap them in tissue paper before placing them in proximity to clothes.

They also recommend using acid-free tissue in the crease of folded garments, such as sweaters and cotton shirts because it prevents the fabric from breaking down every time. "If knits aren't folded with acid-free tissue, then it's very much like bending a straw in half," Greenberg maintains. "The fabric will eventually break over time."

To purchase items such as sachets, cedar blocks or pheromone traps that help to prevent insect infestation, you can visit a hose of webiste that Garde Robe recommends:

**California-based Margaret's Cleaners: www.margarets.com

**The total Wardrobe Care product line of London-based Designer Alterations: www.totalwardrobecare.co.uk

**New York City-based The Laundress, which also sells a variety of gentle detergents perfect for delicate fabrics: www.thelaundress.com

Footwear: With a slew of shoe care products available on the market, Greenberg tells clients to care for shoes from the inside out. He recommends toe shapers for women's shoes, boot trees for boots and shoe trees for men's loafers, all of which shape the interiors of shoes and prevent creasing on the outside. Creasing and insufficient support diminish the logevity of all shoes, no matter the cost. But shapers also have a side benefit: They soak up the perspiration left in our shoes after a day's wearing.

Storage Conditions: While the vast majority of custom closet clients could probably do without an advanced air purification system, they can certainly promote the longevity of their garments by considering a few issues:

**Light: Natural light in a closet is a beautiful feature, but, over the long haul, sunlight actually causes color fading and fabric damage. If a client's closet does have a window, then Greenberg recommends a pull-down shade that blocks out the sun's rays when the closet is not in use. also, he advises closet-owners to rotate their garments so that the same pieces are not always in direct line with the window.

**Temperature: If clients live in areas that expirience four distinct seasons, then the temperature of their homes can vary widely. Because temperature fluctuation is a frequent culprit in garment decay, the Garde Robe storage loft is kept at a consistent 70 to 71 degrees. To avoid to unnecessary fabris damage, closet owners should maintain a steady temperature in warmer and colder months.

**Humidity: Whether custom closet clients have expensive duds or prefer thriftier fare, a small air-purifier helps to regulate himidity and promotes the longevity of garments and shoes. As an added benefit, air-purifiers also eliminate dust.

Handbags: Women's purses, totes and clutches requre significant space in a master closet, and, to help keep them propped up, Greenberg says that company founder, Kim Akhtar, used to employ a sturdy set of bookends. When bags are piled on the closet floor or haphazardly arranged on a a shelf, they often develop deep creases that eventually become permanent. Just like sweaters, women's handbags also benefit from acid-free tissue stuffing that maintains the shape and should be kept in breathable bags that ward off dust. Alss, remember that leather bags are made from animal hide and need to be moisturized monthly with specialty lotions that prevent dring and cracking, while fabric bags benefit from the occasional swipe of a baby wipe's gentle cleansers.

Hangers: Type the word "hangers" into into the Google serach box, and you end up with over nine million results. With a slew of possibilites, Greenberg says that it is important to pair the right hanger with different types of garments. "If you have a heavy winter coat, for example, it has to be on a wide, padded hanger with more shoulder support to maintain the shape," he suggests. "If you put the same coat on a small shirt hanger, it will leave a crease that-on a leather or delicate piece-can be very hard to remove."

Specialty Items: If Your custom closet clients are fond of beaded attire, then make sure to inform them to fold such garments. When draped over a hanger, the weight of the beads succumbs to gravity and will stretch the garment out over time. Furs, however, require cotton or silk bags for proper storage, and Greenberg strongly recommends clients to keep them in reputable fur storage fcility during off-seasons. Unlike other garments, furs prefer a room temperature of 40 degrees, with 40 to 45 percent humidity. In addition, a furrier cleans coats by placing them in a drum with cleaning solution and sawdust, which absorbs the dirt and oil. On a side note, many people believe that furs should only be worn in dry weather; but since, animals are waterproof, so, as it turns out, are fur coats and jackets.

Breathable Storage Items: While garments often come sealed in plastic after a trip to the dry cleaners, Greenberg strongly emphasizes the importance of trading plastic for breathable bags. "Always use breathable supplies," he notes. "It doesn't matter what your [closet] ventilation is like if your storage supplies are choking your garments. When you get your stuff back from the dry cleaners, and it's in those plastic bags, that's actually the worst thing for your garments to be in long term."

Plastic bags emit gases that mix unfavorably with the oils that collect on clothes, ultimately causeing white shirts to stain yellow and garment fibers to weaken and break over time.

In addition, he advises clients to store leather and suede items in breathable garment bags and in a seperate zone within the closet. When a red leather jacket, for example, is hung next to a white blouse, the dyes from the leather will eventually rub off on and stain other fabrics. If, on the other hand, certain leather or suede pieces are in rotation every day, then Greenberg suggests hanging them on a valet rod for easy access.

Why Such Details Are Important: Armed with a few tidbits about proper garment storage, closet professionals can leverage their industry expertise by discussing with their clients how to properly care for a variety of belongings. As the old adage goes: "If you build it, they will come." If you show them how to maintain it, they might come back for more.